Indexing problems Outlook - Windows 11

Aurelio,

The Outlook reg key workaround can be slow for big datasets because it is building the index when you do the search. There is not much you can do but limit the size of the data to search to optimize the search. Also, since the bug is in Windows 11 RTM we have to wait for the fix. If it is an option, see if you can search faster using the browser going to your email providers web site and try searching from there. I'm not aware of any better options until the Windows 11 fix becomes available.

Just remove the Outlook from the Index option in the control panel. I prefere this procedure instead using a registry key. Why? Well, i don't know how long microsoft needs to fix it and i am unsure, if this will support all the available outlook versions on the market. Microsoft often support just a small bunch of office versions. Me, as a single customer has got a different view and use outlook or office longer as three years. I prefere payed software with an unlimitted time of use.

Microsoft instead, moves everything they actualy sells into the cloud - like O365. The cloud has got some advantages like updates, support and you have the last version every time as long as you pay the bill. That's maybe a very good choise for small business , they often enought has'nt got the time and skill to do the it management that's required the get the systems healthy.

For me, a single business-less person, is that offer to expensive.
I actually uses Office Small Busines 2013 and would not change them as long as it works for me.

Here the link to a picture of the place where the index option is found. Just press "modify" and deactivate outlook. If the fix is availabe, just activate them again. It's easy and revoverable with just one click without harm the registry. It also works in Win10, wheer this issue also know'n

https://images.app.goo.gl/weNdpMiecNB5xoFk8

Good Luck

Hi Gabriel

I have the same issue after installing Windows 11 and it is getting me mad...I've tried your workaround with the registry key but now Outlook it is taking ages to index and not really finding anything (it is giving me the "Search performance will be impacted..." message)

How long is it going to take? Will it take the same amount of time every day or only on the first day? Is there anything else that needs to be done after the registry change?

I use Outlook for work and the search is a huge part of it, I believe I will go back to Windows 10 at this point!

Thanks in advance for your attention!

Just to be clear, I am running Windows 11 and the issue I was referring to is the pausing of the indexing, not the issue of missing recent emails in the search. When you do the steps I indicated, the indexing continued from where it stopped. For me it completed indexing, about 84,000 items. It had stopped indexing at about 45,000 items.

I had the same issue. I did Ctrl-Alt-Delete to bring up the task manager. Clicked on the Service tab. Found 'WSearch' service. Then right clicked to get pull-down menu, selected 'Restart'. That got the indexing restarted. Hopefully I will not have to do this a lot - I just kicked this off so do not know how long it will run and if it will pause again.