When will Microsoft fix the IMAP Search BUG in Outlook for Android?

Question

When will Microsoft fix the IMAP Search BUG in Outlook for Android?

Steve Shaw 20

There has been a BUG with Outlook For Android Search and IMAP email accounts for many years.
If you use an Outlook or Gmail email address all seems Ok.

But if you use a different IMAP email provider, and use Folders to save read emails in, the Outlook Search function will never find those emails in the folders.
It will find emails within the Inbox, but the moment you move them to another folder nothing will ever be found.

I have reported this to Microsoft many times, and have had confirmation from them there is a BUG and they are aware of it...
But the BUG never gets fixed, and the next time I report the BUG they start all over again saying they have never heard of such a BUG and it must be my phone, etc., etc...

But a quick Google finds many users have issues with the exact same BUG - I guess Microsoft Support don't know how to use Google???

Anyway, I am stuck in this loop with Outlook For Android Support yet again!

So I have a request:

CAN EVERYONE PLEASE REPORT THIS BUG TO OUTLOOK FOR ANDROID SUPPORT???

Please use the "Settings/Help & feedback/Contact Outlook mobile support" option within the app, and report you have the "IMAP Folder Search BUG".

Maybe, just maybe we can get Microsoft to take this years old bug seriously!
(I have found reports of the BUG back to 2019...)

Hornblower409 15,820 Reputation points

2026-02-10T17:22:24.37+00:00

In addition to reporting this bug using Android In App Support:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/get-in-app-help-for-outlook-for-ios-and-android-218a22d1-9fa5-4889-b689-de1c63493243#category=send_feedback

You can also Vote for and Comment on this Feature Request
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/4359f965-6306-f111-bb46-7c1e529117fa
(You must "Sign In" at the top right of the Feedback page before you can vote).
chickendippers 0 Reputation points

2026-03-08T12:28:39.1533333+00:00

I had the same issue. It seems that Outlook will only search one IMAP folder at a time.

One has to tap "filters" on the search results screen and select each folder to search one at a time.

There needs to be a way to search multiple folders at once. Ideally by default it should search them all, or atleast search my favourites.

1 answer

Your answer

Hornblower409 15,820 Reputation points

2026-02-10T17:22:24.37+00:00

In addition to reporting this bug using Android In App Support:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/get-in-app-help-for-outlook-for-ios-and-android-218a22d1-9fa5-4889-b689-de1c63493243#category=send_feedback

You can also Vote for and Comment on this Feature Request
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/4359f965-6306-f111-bb46-7c1e529117fa
(You must "Sign In" at the top right of the Feedback page before you can vote).
chickendippers 0 Reputation points

2026-03-08T12:28:39.1533333+00:00

I had the same issue. It seems that Outlook will only search one IMAP folder at a time.

One has to tap "filters" on the search results screen and select each folder to search one at a time.

There needs to be a way to search multiple folders at once. Ideally by default it should search them all, or atleast search my favourites.

Answer 1

Currently, there is no specific timeline provided by Microsoft regarding the fix for the IMAP search bug in Outlook for Android. Users have reported similar issues with the search functionality for IMAP accounts, and while Microsoft has acknowledged the bug, it appears that a resolution has not yet been implemented. It is advisable to continue reporting the issue through the app's support channels, as this may help escalate the matter within Microsoft.