How to Fix Outlook 2019 Mac Search Not Working? – Error Fixed

Sarabjeet Kaur | mac outlook olm outlook for mac outlook mac Software Technology | 6 minutes read | Modified on: 30-03-2026

If you’re wondering how to fix Outlook 2019 Mac search not working, you’re not alone. MS Outlook is one of the most widely used email clients across the globe for both personal and business purposes. It is popular among both Mac and Windows users for managing and organizing emails efficiently. However, Mac users sometimes face technical issues, and one of the most common problems occurs when the search function stops working in Outlook 2019. This can make it difficult to quickly find important emails.

In this technical guide, we’ll walk you through the top solutions to resolve the “Mac Outlook 2019 search not working” error. First, let’s understand the user query, and then we’ll explore the possible reasons behind this issue.

User Query: Outlook for Mac 2019 – Search Not Working

Hi there,

I’m a new user and recently upgraded from Office 2016 for Mac to Office 2019 for Mac. After the upgrade, the Spotlight search feature in Outlook has stopped working. It doesn’t return any results, even when I search for a specific word, phrase, or sender within an email.

I also tried downloading and running the OfficeSearchRepair tool, which is supposed to reindex and fix the issue, but it didn’t help. I’m currently using macOS High Sierra 10.13.6.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Overview of Outlook 2019 Mac Search Not Working

The “Outlook Search Not Working on Mac” issue occurs when the search feature in Microsoft Outlook 2019 on macOS fails to provide accurate or timely results. Because of this, users face difficulty finding specific emails, contacts, or other mailbox items. This problem can arise due to multiple factors such as indexing issues, corrupted Outlook profiles, outdated software, large mailbox sizes, or conflicts with third-party add-ins. As a result, it can impact productivity and make email management frustrating.

What Causes Outlook Search Not Working on Mac?

Although the exact cause of this error is not always clear, several common factors can lead to this issue. Below are some of the most common reasons:

Issues with Spotlight indexing affecting Outlook search functionality
Incorrect location of the Mac Outlook profile or user data folder
Problems or corruption within the Spotlight service on Mac
Outlook profile or identity added to the Spotlight Privacy tab, preventing indexing
Presence of special characters in the profile that interfere with Spotlight indexing

Moving Toward the Solution

Now that we have understood the common user concerns and the possible reasons behind this issue, it’s time to move forward. In the next section, we will explore the most effective solutions to fix the Outlook search not working on Mac problem with step-by-step instructions.

Methods to Fix Microsoft Outlook 2019 Mac Search Not Working Error

Before applying the solutions below, make sure you have a stable internet connection and create a backup of your Mac Outlook data. Skipping this step may lead to data loss or corruption. Now, let’s begin with the solutions.

1: Verify Outlook Profile Default Location

This method ensures that your Outlook 2019 Mac profile data is stored in the correct default location and does not contain any unsupported characters.

Default location of Outlook 2019 Mac Profile:

~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/Main Profile

2: Update Microsoft Outlook to the Latest Version

Running an outdated version of Outlook can also cause search-related issues. Updating the application may resolve the problem.

Open the App Store from the Applications folder
Click on the “Updates” option from the left panel
Look for any pending Microsoft Outlook updates
Click on “Update” and wait for the installation
Restart your Mac and check if the issue is resolved

Note: If you don’t see the “Check for Updates” option, download and run the latest version of the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool and apply the updates.

3: Rebuild Spotlight Index on Mac

If your Outlook profile is listed under Spotlight Privacy settings, Spotlight won’t be able to index it.

Open the Apple menu and go to System Preferences
Click on Spotlight and navigate to the Privacy tab
If your Outlook profile is listed, select it
Click the minus (-) button to remove it
Close the settings and restart your Mac
Open Outlook and check if the search is working

4: Move Emails to a New Folder

This method forces Outlook to reindex emails, which may fix the search issue.

Open Outlook and create a new folder (e.g., Inbox-New)
Move all emails to the newly created folder
After that, move them back to the original folder
This process refreshes indexing and improves search results
Finally, delete the temporary folder

5: Remove Special Characters from Outlook Profile Name

Special characters in the Outlook profile name can interfere with search functionality.

Go to the Applications folder and right-click on Outlook
Select “Show Package Contents”
Open the Contents folder, then go to SharedSupport
Double-click on Outlook Profile Manager
Check if your profile name contains special characters
If yes, open “Go to Folder” from the menu bar
Enter this path: ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook
Open the Outlook 15 Profiles folder
Rename your profile folder without using special characters
Restart your Mac and check the search function again

6: Re-Index Mac Outlook Search Database

Mac Outlook relies on macOS Spotlight to search mailbox data. If the Spotlight index is corrupted, you may encounter the “Mac Outlook 2019 search not working” error. Re-indexing the Outlook search database can resolve this issue.

Restart your Mac, then go to Finder → Applications → Utilities → Terminal and type: mdimport -L
If multiple MS Outlook Spotlight Importers are listed, remove any unused Outlook profile and delete it from the Trash. Restart your Mac and run the command again.
Without closing Terminal, launch Outlook and test the search function. If results are accurate, the issue is resolved.
If the problem persists, re-index the Outlook database using the following command: mdimport -g “/Applications/Microsoft Outlook.app/Contents/Library/Spotlight/Microsoft Outlook Spotlight Importer.mdimporter” -d1 /Users/<username>/Library/Group\ Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook\ 15\ Profiles/Main\ Profile

Replace the paths with your actual Outlook installation and profile locations.

After re-indexing is complete, restart Outlook and check if the search function works properly.

7: Delete and Reinstall Office for Mac

If the above steps fail, reinstalling Office can fix deeper software-related issues.

Backup your Outlook profile and data to another location.
Uninstall Office 2019 for Mac and reinstall it.
Open Outlook and use the Import command to restore your data.
Re-index the Outlook search database by following Method 6.
Test the search function to ensure it works.

8: Verify Outlook Profile Folder Path

An incorrect profile folder location can prevent Outlook from indexing your data correctly.

Open Finder, click Go → Go To Folder, and enter: ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook
Press Enter and check if your profile name (from Outlook Profile Manager) exists in a subfolder within Outlook 15 Profiles.
If it doesn’t exist, locate your profile folder on your Mac and move it to the Outlook 15 Profiles folder.

Conclusion

In this guide, we’ve covered multiple methods to fix the “Mac Outlook 2019 Search Not Working” error. Additionally, we discussed how to recover Outlook data if the Mac Outlook data file is corrupted or damaged. Follow these steps carefully to restore full search functionality in Outlook on your Mac.