How to Search in the Outlook

 

This guide explains how to search for emails, people, files, and more using the Outlook experience.

1. Locate the Search Bar

Use the Search bar at the top of the Outlook window to quickly find emails, people, files, or calendar items.

For fast access, use the keyboard shortcut:

Windows: Ctrl + E

Mac: Cmd + E

 

Below is the Search bar and the Filters icon, which opens additional filtering options:

 

2. Start with a Keyword

Type any word, name, or phrase into the Search bar to begin.

As you type, Outlook will automatically suggest matches, including:

 

• Emails
• People
• Files
• Teams messages
• Calendar entries

By default, Outlook searches All folders, giving you the broadest range of results.

 

 

 

4. Use Search Filters

Once the Search bar is active, you can narrow your results even further by using Search Filters.

Click the three horizontal lines (Filters icon) to open additional filtering options such as:

 

• From
• Subject
• Has attachments
• Date range
• Folder
• And more

 

Below is where to find the Filters button:

 

5. Refined Search Example

In the Search Filters dialog box, you can create a more granular and precise search.

In this example, the search is configured to look for:

 

• Search in: All folders
• From: Robert Semulka
• Keywords: test
• Optional: Select a date range if you know the exact timeframe

 

The screenshots below show how to access the Filters button and how the filter panel appears once opened.

 

5. Understanding Search Results

After you run your search, Outlook displays all matching results across emails, people, files, and calendar items.

Using the refined search example, Outlook shows:

 

• All messages from the selected sender
• Which folder each message is stored in
• The date and time the message was received
• Highlighted keywords to help you quickly identify relevant results

 

This makes it easy to scan and locate the exact message you’re looking for.

6.  Contact Searching 

Contact Searching in Outlook Mail allows you to easily find coworkers and take quick actions directly from their contact card. This is the simplest way to look up someone’s information and start communicating with them without leaving Outlook.

Click into the Search bar at the top.

• Type the person’s name.
• Under the results, select the “People” section.
• Click the person’s name.
• Their contact card opens either in the Reading Pane or as a pop-up.

This is the fastest way to guarantee you get the full contact card, not just an email suggestion.

What You Can Do from a Contact Card in Outlook Mail

When you open a contact card in Outlook, you can see:

• Name
• Job title
• Department
• Email address
• Phone number(s)
• Office location
• Manager and direct reports (if available)

 

From the Outlook contact card, you can:

• Start a Teams audio call
• Start a Teams video call

(Teams call buttons are built directly into the Outlook card.)

 

You can click Chat to:

You can click their:

• Email address
• Or Email button

This opens a new message with their address already filled in.

You can:

Or