Search no longer works in Outlook.

Same\Similar - > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update - reads it detected an issue - but without any solution

I've tried pretty much all non-tech nerd fixes. I changed my password. Opened Outlook on two other computers that I don't typically open my email from.

When I attempt an email search, on one computer I'm prompted for a password on the bottom bar - right of center ; on another computer doesn't do anything just kinda frozen\thinking ; on another computer it says I should pack up and move to another planet.

The Outlook icon shows a red\pink "!"

How it looks before trying to Search

How it looks after trying to Search

![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/8443fa8f-eac5-4747-abeb-644c2717fbb0?platform=QnA

Symptom: Clicking in the Search Box of outlook doesn't work, cursor won't stay put. BROKEN.

I believe we were all chasing our tails, I don't think the problem is the windows indexing nor is it the outlook desktop app. I think it is a caching corruption in our Microsoft accounts. The reason I think it is the account and not the software or operating system is because I tried almost everything in the past two days.

• Indexing Options: rebuild the index
  • Still broken
• Repair Outlook via windows settings, installed apps, modify
  • Still broken
• Uninstall / Reinstall outlook
  • Still broken
• Upgrade in place (clean install of windows and preserve data) with brand new copy of office 365
  • Still broken
• Grabbed old unused laptop from work that I never logged in to before, downloaded NEW windows installer, added brand new copy of office 365
  • STILL broken!!!!
  • The only way I should see the same broken feature on a brand new machine is if it was a universal bug that every single person was experiencing (which it is not) or it had something to do with my Microsoft account
  • As I was installing windows, the outlook app on my iPhone was also acting up and not autofilling addresses in the TO fields. This was when I was when i realized this headache was all related to the Microsoft account

Click your Account Icon from the top of your desktop Outlook App, click My Microsoft Account

Click on the Privacy icon on the left (you will need to authenticate again), then click on Browsing and search

I left browsing history alone, and clicked on Search history, then CLEAR ALL ACTIVITIES

My search box is now working on all my devices again.

I think clearing the search cache in the Microsoft account did the trick. It took me 2 days and a spare computer to do it.

I don't know how fast the fix took after the clearing, but it wasn't instant, it could have been 5 minutes or 1 hour, (it was unattended so i'm not sure). I assume microsoft azure or whatever controls the Microsoft account ecosystem must take some time to replicate the change to the devices.

What i'm saying is if it isn't instant, close and re-open outlook again in a few minutes and see if this did the trick. Anyone else still stuck, give this a try and post a reply to let others know i'm on the right track.

This makes perfect sense. I will try it.

Thank you Ploquit! It worked! I only waited about ten minutes and it had 144 things there to clear. Thank you very much for posting directions with pictures. I saw that advice in a list of things to try but I had no idea how to do that and I was worn out from trying. But yes, it works! I'm so happy because I really depend on search daily! Almost forgot to say, I didn't do it in the app, I did it signed in online at Outlook.com. Thank you! :)