How to search for items in Outbox with multiple accounts?

[Cara]

Because I use a multitude of account providers (gmail, comcast, outlook, others) in Outlook (from Microsoft 365), I know that, to search for items in Sent folders the folder names can be "Sent," "Sent Mail," "Sent Items" ...

When I search for items in folder:Outbox - even when I know there are pending outgoing items, I can see them in the Outbox folder - nothing is returned.

Why would that be?

 

[Cara]

Bump?

 

[Vince]

So, in Outlook 2021 there is a master Search box at the very top.
Click on it and you will see Advanced Search ... have you tried it?

 

[Cara]

So, in Outlook 2021 there is a master Search box at the very top.
Click on it and you will see Advanced Search ... have you tried it?

That’s what I’m using, and it’s set to search all mailboxes - but it fails to find items when there are items in my Outbox.

 

[Vince]

That’s what I’m using, and it’s set to search all mailboxes - but it fails to find items when there are items in my Outbox.

May I ask why you want it to search your Outbox?

There should not be anything in your Outbox. Try searching your "Sent Items" folder.

 

[Cara]

May I ask why you want it to search your Outbox?

There should not be anything in your Outbox. Try searching your "Sent Items" folder.

There are items in my outbox, when I have composed a message but have not yet done a “send and receive.“ Because I have many accounts, I may compose a message and then want to double check which account I’m sending it from. That either entails going to each one of my many accounts and opening the outbox or, as I had hoped, doing a search for the items.

 

[Cara]

Stage 1: Load Microsoft Viewpoint Work area for Windows.
Stage 2: Enter The Inquiry Bar Settings Menu Strip.
Stage 3: Select "Search Choices" From Setting Menu.
Stage 4: Select All Letter drops In The Viewpoint Choices Box.
Regards,

What in the world is Microsoft Viewpoint Work area for Windows??

 

[Diane Poremsky]

What in the world is Microsoft Viewpoint Work area for Windows??

It's a real thing for analyzing spam in office 365... posted by a spammer. They think if they post semi-intelligent stuff their links can get through.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

The problem is the folder they are in - search doesn't work in the outbox... because it would "read" the messages to index them.

That either entails going to each one of my many accounts and opening the outbox or, as I had hoped, doing a search for the items.

Although it won't help with search... add the outboxes to favorites. It will be easier to check them if they are all in favorites. I would put them together at the end of the favorites list so they are out of sight until you need them (assuming you have other folders on favorites).

And if you have a lot of accounts but aren't using favorites, you should. It makes checking for new mail so much easier.

 

[Cara]

The problem is the folder they are in - search doesn't work in the outbox... because it would "read" the messages to index them.


Although it won't help with search... add the outboxes to favorites. It will be easier to check them if they are all in favorites. I would put them together at the end of the favorites list so they are out of sight until you need them (assuming you have other folders on favorites).

And if you have a lot of accounts but aren't using favorites, you should. It makes checking for new mail so much easier.

Thank you, Diane, for an answer that makes sense.

I do not use favorites, but only because I have a custom ribbon that contains all the searches I could need (with the exception of this Outbox one!) that are built using VBA and consolidate all of my accounts into a unified inbox, or unified Sent folder, or unified Spam folder... I had hoped to have the same thing for Outboxes, but there's 17 accounts (don't shame me, I'm embarrassed enough that I have that many email addresses, but they each serve a purpose and I intend to consolidate!).

 

[Diane Poremsky]

don't shame me

This is a shame free zone.

 

[petergroft29]

Search All Mailboxes In Outlook (Windows)
STEP 1: Load Microsoft Outlook Desktop for Windows.
STEP 2: Enter The Search Bar Settings Menu Ribbon.
STEP 3: Select “Search Options” From Context Menu.
STEP 4: Select All Mailboxes In The Outlook Options Box.

This May Help,
Peter

 

[Cara]

Search All Mailboxes In Outlook (Windows)
STEP 1: Load Microsoft Outlook Desktop for Windows.
STEP 2: Enter The Search Bar Settings Menu Ribbon.
STEP 3: Select “Search Options” From Context Menu.
STEP 4: Select All Mailboxes In The Outlook Options Box.

This May Help,
Peter

That would work, but I want to search only the Outbox, and there doesn't seem to be search parameters that allow you to do that.

 

[Vince]

There are items in my outbox, when I have composed a message but have not yet done a “send and receive.“

I use the Drafts folder for that. In fact, that is where Outlook saves them automatically.

In my opinion, if you have anything sitting in your Outbox, something is broken because they failed to send for some reason.

 

[Cara]

No, if you don't do automatic sends/receives (as I don't), then a completed but not yet sent email goes to your Outbox.

So, if I've completed an email, but have not yet sent/received, and I need to edit or add to that email - I would look to my Outbox.

 

[Cara]

So, it's been some time since I've needed this, but I just found that one of my accounts has 5 old emails in the Outbox. This is one reason that I want a search that includes all of my Outboxes. And, on further investigation, it seems like ANY search (at least, of "All Mailboxes") does NOT include the Outbox folders, ever, at all! Is there something I can change (a setting, a registry entry?) that will make Outbox contents appear in my search results?

 

[Diane Poremsky]

No. it doesn't search the outbox because it can cause them to turn to drafts.

Set the outbox to show the total count (it might be the default) - right-click on the folder, choose properties and set it to show total, not unread.

 

[Cara]

Just returning the messages in a search would turn them into drafts? Weird...

I'm already set up to display all messages in the Outbox count. I really wanted to see the messages in search results. Easier to set up a procedure to remember to deal with them, that way, with the number of accounts I have.

Thanks for the info, though!

 

[naancy55]

Follow a simple process to search for items in the OutBox across multiple Outlook accounts. First, open Outlook, and then click on the "Folder" tab. Next, click "Search Folders" and choose "New Search Folder." In the New Search Folders window, select "Mail" under "Organizing Mail." Afterward, scroll up and choose "Mail from specific account" and then click "Choose" on each account. Afterward, click "OK" again to initiate the search folder. This search directory will aggregate all the Outbox items across selected accounts, enabling you to easily access and manage outgoing emails. It was my opinion thanks.

 

[Vince]

So, it's been some time since I've needed this, but I just found that one of my accounts has 5 old emails in the Outbox. This is one reason that I want a search that includes all of my Outboxes. And, on further investigation, it seems like ANY search (at least, of "All Mailboxes") does NOT include the Outbox folders, ever, at all! Is there something I can change (a setting, a registry entry?) that will make Outbox contents appear in my search results?

I see some users are trying to help make sure your Search settings are correct, which is good.

What continues to puzzle me is why you still like to put (and/or leave) as Draft Emails (unsent) in your Outbox?

I also noticed you said "Outbox Folders" ... plural. I only have one real Outbox (the one that works with my main Folders.PST file). Over the years and Outlook versions, it's always been that way. If like I do ... you also use iCloud for Windows ... you might see another Outbox in the Apple iCloud virtual thing (but I never use or mess-with that section, I just let it to it's iCloud stuff).