Indexing problems Outlook - Windows 11

@JoBo_109,

For the issue with indexing not completing the Outlook In App Team has gotten some cases with this symptom lately and they are investigating it. If you have Office Subscription and not submitted an In App ticket please do so by clicking Help, Contact Support. Not everyone has Contact Support but if you do please submit it until it uploads logs and you get a ticket created.

Also, something you could check in case indexing does not have enough computer idle time to complete the index is to give search a higher priority. I cannot find the Microsoft article but this one has the reg key, Force Windows indexing to run faster - Office Watch (office-watch.com). When you set this regkey indexing will be prioritized and your computer may run a little slower otherwise. If you can give this a try please let me know if you see any difference.

INDEXING-FAST.REG

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gathering Manager]

"DisableBackOff"=dword:00000001

Note: This is the default setting:

INDEXING-NORMAL.REG

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gathering Manager]

"DisableBackOff"=dword:00000000

@Shilip,

Another approach if you need to use Outlook built in search is to keep Windows Search enabled but set the PreventIndexingOutlook registry key.

This article has steps to set the registry key, Outlook Search not showing recent emails after Windows update KB5008212 (microsoft.com)

Outlook built-in search enabled:

Outlook built-in search disabled:

Hi Milind ,

I have set registry key as per your link which has disabled window desktop search and restarted outlook. Now nothing is coming if i search on outlook .

Is there any further steps to follow ?

Please assist soon

Regards

shilpi

I did this a while back and it did work but the search options were nothing like we used to have in Outlook. So I reset the parameter back to the original.

I can now get the index to rebuild completely which takes 5-6 days with pc on continuously. However, the index is not then updated with new items which just build up as ‘waiting to be indexed’. So every couple of weeks I have to rebuild the index. THIS IS A RIGHT PAIN and has been going on for months now. Surely Microsoft can come up with a solution ????

Hi Milind ,

I have set registry key as per your link which has disabled window desktop search and restarted outlook. Now nothing is coming if i search on outlook .

Is there any further steps to follow ?

Please assist soon

Regards

shilpi

By the way, I have found an alternative to the "mighty" MS search: here it is:

DocFetcher Pro – Fast Document Search

It can index everything, including your USB drive and NAS (whenever it is mapped via network), and it also indexes your Outlook e-mail.

It works like a charm.

I still feel betrayed that the Win 11 search is broken.

So, here you go: a tiny software developer can deliver better results than a trillion-billion dollar company like Microsoft. Isn't it ironic?