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How do I search all my mailboxes on new Outlook?

Nate Taber 25 Reputation points
2025-08-14T22:41:00.4133333+00:00

Apparently this feature is not actively enabled, but certainly there is a way to activate this basic function? Windows 11.

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business

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  1. Robert Minardi 15 Reputation points
    2026-02-26T21:32:36.7533333+00:00

    Agreed this is ridiculous!

    Who in their bright mind said "Hey, you know that feature where we can search all mailboxes? Let's get rid of it and make them click into each inbox and re-do their search!"
    Then who agreed on it?

    I can't image a more ridiculous thing to get rid of...

    What's next, are you going to take away the ability to sync all our mailboxes?

    Make us click on each account and choose "Get mail"

    It boggles my mind how these decisions are made...

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  2. Jim Domiano 10 Reputation points
    2026-01-09T21:55:28.44+00:00

    This is 100% unacceptable. Many of us manage multiple emails; why, after all these years, would you remove this functionality? How does it benefit Microsoft to remove it? Ridiculous.

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    7 people found this answer helpful.
  3. Anonymous
    2025-08-15T00:24:54.1366667+00:00

    Hi @Nate Taber, 

    Welcome to the Q&A Community 

    I’m here to assist your problem. 

    New Outlook for Windows (the redesigned, web-based app on Windows 11) does not support searching across all mailboxes (i.e., multiple email accounts) simultaneously. This is a known limitation and you need to search each mailbox individually by selecting it from the left pane and then performing the search. Many users have expressed frustration about this missing feature. I’m so sorry about this inconvenience issue. 

    So you can adjust search scope within a single mailbox on both Outlook Web app and Desktop App: 

    • Open the new Outlook app. 
    • Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner. 
    • Go to General > Search
    • Under "Search scope," select your preferred option, such as Current Folder or All Folders (this applies only to the current mailbox). 
    • For broader results within that account, include deleted items by checking Include deleted items in the same settings section. 
    • To search, click the search bar at the top, enter your query, and press Enter. Use filters (e.g., From, Has Attachment) via the filter button on the right of the search bar to refine results. 

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    Workarounds if you need "All mailboxes” Search:  

    • Switch back to Classic Outlook: This is the most reliable way to regain the ability to search all mailboxes. In the new Outlook:  
    1. Click the gear icon (Settings) > General > About Outlook
    2. Toggle the "New Outlook" switch to off (it may prompt you to restart). This reverts to the full desktop version (Outlook from Microsoft 365), where you can search across all accounts: 
    3. Click the search bar > Search Tools (or Ctrl+E) > Search Options > Set scope to All Mailboxes

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    Create Search Folders: In the new Outlook, go to the folder list > right-click Search Folders > New Search Folder. Choose criteria (e.g., unread mail), but this is limited to one account at a time. For cross-account, you'd need classic Outlook. 

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    I will also share feedback portal URL so that you can submit your feedback directly to our product developer team via using this Microsoft Feedback portal 

    You can refer to: Troubleshooting Outlook search issues - Microsoft Support 

    Looking for "all mailboxes" in new outlook interface - Microsoft Q&A 

    We appreciate your kind patience and understanding that sometimes the initial response may not immediately resolve the issue or there may be some misunderstandings about your scenario, but we would love to hear updates from you and find out further suggestions. 

    Thank you for your kindness and understanding. If you need anything else, please feel free to contact me.  


    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment" 

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

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