Outlook 2019 - App Search field

Last Updated: February 2, 2024

ISSUE

After updating to Version 2402 Build 17231.20182 Outlook now unexpectedly has an App Search bar above the message list. Depending on how you have the Reading Pane set this may crowd the Search box.

STATUS: WORKAROUND

The Outlook Team has implemented a fix for this issue and currently anticipates it to go out in the February 13th public update.  We will update here if that changes. 

Workaround 1: 

If you need to work around the issue to be able to search, you can set the Reading Pane to the bottom by clicking View, Reading Pane, Bottom or to Off. 

Workaround 2: 

If you urgently need to remove the App Search Bar you revert to the build before the issue started.   

Revert the Office M365 Click-to-Run installation to Version 2312 Build 17126.20132.

To do this:

1. Exit all Office applications.
2. Select Start, type cmd in the Search box, right-click Command Prompt(or cmd.exe), and then select Runas administrator.
3. In the command prompt dialog window, type the following two command lines, pressing Enter after each command line:

cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun

officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.17126.20132 4. When the repair is done, open Outlook and selectFile > Office Account. 5. Select Update Options and choose Disable Updates. 6. Add an appointment on your calendar for after February 13th to check back to this topic to confirm the issue is fixed. If it is re-enable updates by clicking File> Office Account > Update Options > Enable Updates.

Same issue here, just automatically happened here and I didn't apply any Windows updates. This is an extremely intrusive practice that has My company and my clients highly frustrated. MS operating just like Intuit Quickbooks software with their hidden "behind the scene's" updates on people computers is absolutely unacceptable. If anything, if this type of practice continues IT companies are going to have to move to a more Open source solution.

Same problem on Outlook/Office Professional Plus 2016 on desktop.

Appeared with an update this morning.

Takes up WAY too much real estate on a laptop.

Is there a way I can roll it back?

I only noticed a Windows update forcing a reboot, didn't see an update specifically for Office.

Very unimpressed with the latest UI obstruction on Outlook. Exact problem what everyone else here has reported - please FIX it!!

The registry modification solution suggested by another user unfortunately did not work for me.

Exactly the same problem here. I'm at least glad to see I'm not the only one.

I can't find a way to disable it in the options menu of Outlook 2019.