How to Use Microsoft Outlook’s New Search Box

ByUmar Ali – July 15, 2020

Do you know how to use Microsoft Outlook’s new search box? In Outlook’s title bar, Microsoft has added a new Search box. It the first look you will observe similar to the previous one Search box, but there are many new tips and tricks to adapt it.

Microsoft is changing the position or places of the search bar as part of a grand vision that wide Microsoft Search into a universal tool that encompasses web and enterprise data in addition to our own stuff, and uses Al to make our searches smart that we get over our initial feelings of annoyance. Let’s show you how to use the feature effective ways.

Microsoft Outlook’s New Search Box

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Microsoft Outlook, side by side with the other Microsoft Office applications or apps, now has a new feature of Search box in the title bar. The feature called with the name of Microsoft Search, and it is available in both the client apps or applications and the web apps in Microsoft 365 (M365)/Office 365(O365)

How the Old and New Search box work in Outlook

The feature of the Search box is working in a similar way in all of the applications, but before the only available in Office app the really had Search was Outlook. In case, so if you are used to the previous one old style, then this the new one is a little bit of a change.

The old Search box was located above your emails and under the ribbon in Outlook.

But the new Search box is available in the title bar instead.

More Space in New Search bar

You see more vertical space in the new Search bar, which is very handy if you are not using a bigger screen such a tablet or laptop, rather than a larger LCD or monitor. For the users who have the muscle memory of clicking to search just above the email folder, this will take a little getting used to, but it is not a big leap.

Added Keyboard Shortcuts

Microsoft has also dropped two keyboard shortcuts to assist you adjust

Ctrl + E
Alt + Q

Which is a welcome addition for those of us who wish to avoid connect between the mouse and keyboard where possible.

Shows Recent Searches

Once you select or click into the new Search box or use the keyboard shortcut keys, a menu that appears recent people, search and actions will show.

More Tools in New Search box | Simple Search Bar

Users have mixed up feelings about it. On one side, it is very beautiful useful to have what feels like a clipboard of recent activity in the app at your fingertips. But on the other side, it covers up many tools found on the Search tab ribbon. There is no way to change this attitude, and we do not expect Microsoft to make it configurable.

If you want to view the Search tab, you will have to select the blank piece of the ribbon to hide the drop-down search bar menu that appears.
In the as you type, the menu will show filter down search terms, actions, and people to match what you type
Regardless of anything else, this is the huge change in Microsoft Search: it no longer just searches through email
This new feature searches everything in Outlook, contain the Outlook functionality
This new change is especially useful and helpful for finding out how to do things.
If you want to learn how to move emails, for example, type “Art” in the Search box and, below any emails that match the word the menu will show relevant commands
Although you can still use to type commands like “from:[email protected]” similar to the Old Search, Outlook now has a much easier and better interface for constructing your search
Select the arrow beside the Search box and a simple search menu will appear
Type to enter into these filters and Outlook will auto add the right or correct syntax to the Search box, which means you no longer require to remember the correct commands to type

How to Change the Default Search Location

You are able to changer the default search location or place, but now you can change the default search fields as well.
If you want to search for things that are not in the defaults fields, select the Add More Options.
This will bring up extra or additional options you can enable or turn on, as well as switching off fields you do not user.
Check or uncheck the boxes and select the Apply when you are done.
And if you are not a fan of the new dropdown, the Search tab on the ribbon is still there, although now it only shown when you click into the Search box

Extra Functionality

If you are in the place of O365 working with a business license, you will find some extra features or functionality such as the ability to search shared mailboxes and viewing results from Bing.

All in all, we love to use the brand new Search box. It has more power, and features or functionality than the Old Search box and offers more screen space for your actual emails. Yes, the automatic menu dropping down over the Search tab is a little bit causing irritation, but it is difficult to view how the company could avoid that while still offering the history list. Altogether, this is a special improvement, which is not a bad thing.

How Do I Move The Search Bar In Outlook 365?

The search box in Outlook 365 moved and the Outlook 365 for windows is dropped a new Search bar which combines several existing search and other features right on the top of the title bar.

The outlook Search box is hard to miss, it right on top of the title bar, above the ribbon
Go the File menu
Select the Options
Click on the Search option
Press the Indexing
Click on the Advanced option
Finally, click on the Rebuild option

How to reset the search bar location in outlook

You are unable to change the search bar location in outlook. You can only switch to using Ctrl + E keyboard short keys instead of clicking on the search bar though. If you disable the coming soon on the top right then it will change it back to what it was for the time being.

What are the advantages and Problems of the New Outlook Search Bar?

Let’s show some of the advantages and disadvantage or problems of the new Outlook search bar:

What are the Pros of the new Outlook search bar?

Consistency: The new Search box in desktop Outlook make consistent with Outlook online
Faster Searches: According to Microsoft that the search engine has been improved and now the users can easily and fast search to find things.
Better access to field searches: This is a big deal when you click on the dropdown arrow by Current Mailbox to the right side of the search bar navigate a window to search various fields.

What are the Cons with the new Outlook search bar?

Here are some of problems with the new Outlook search box:

It’s very large or big
Extra click with the Old familiar Search box or bar
Search as you type no longer works
Limited options to paste into search box or bar
Inconsistency there is some of the histories for this one, but it is still weird
Using Shortcut keys of Ctrl + E instead of Ctrl + F for searching a new thing

Did the Outlook search bar position moved? And how to get it back?

Hi everybody I am using Outlook Desktop office 365 for Windows 10 and recently updated and just move the search box to the Title Bar, instead of on top of the email list. It is look like the quick access bar but after moving it the search bar stayed on the Title bar.

All the time I search for things, the search box starts showing to me many search suggestions and covers the Ribbon Menu therefore preventing all the Search section functions or options that use a many for categories, button etc.

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