Search not working on Outlook 16.79 on Mac Sonoma

I don’t have the Search option in Outlook>Preferences. Now what?

Unfortunately, that didn't work!!

Tried again after a restart of my iMac... still no luck.

Did you wait for some time after doing the recommended steps? If so, how long?

Thanks

To all those who have suffered this problem AND the lack of clear response from Microsoft Support about it --

I came upon some instructions from a few years ago when I first faced this issue. This method IS working, and it's worth remembering how to trick Spotlight into re-indexing a database (in this case, the Outlook 15 Profiles folder).

1. From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences
2. Click Spotlight
3. Go to the Privacy tab
4. Click the plus sign (+) to add a folder to the list of non-indexed folders
5. Select yourHome folder(usually has your name or username and a house icon) and clickChoose(Here, search your computer for the Outlook 15 Profiles folder, which is located deep within a Library folder)
6. If prompted for confirmation, click OK
7. After a moment, select the item you just added to the list and click theminus sign (-) to remove it
8. Close Spotlight preferences
9. Rebuilding will take some time so make sure you leave your computer on for a while. You can use the computer while the search index builds.

In my experience this time, after a restart of my Mac and a relaunch of Outlook, the re-indexed items began reappearing little by little in a new search!

After numerous attempts over recent years to retain my carefully curated folder structure for an enormous database of emails, I do NOT recommend the method of selecting New Outlook and then immediately reverting to Legacy Outlook. Too much risk of corrupting the OLM database.

Barbara B.

I don't know which version of Outlook you're referring to (the heading says Outlook 365 for Mac Version 16.79). I am running 16.80, and there is no "Outlook > Preferences > Search > Indexing > Rebuild" selection pathway. There's not even a "Preferences" menu option— it's called "Settings."

I am running Sonoma 14.2.1 and Outlook Legacy. I fixed this problem by:

1. Click on Outlook on the toolbar
2. Hover over Services
3. Click Services Settings
4. Open the Searching tab
5. Checkmark Spotlight
6. Click Done