Monterey 12.1 update broke my Outlook 365 search function

[jadraker]

Hello guys,
Yesterday I updated my MBP to Monterey 12.1 and it was a terrible idea. Now my Outlook 365 search function is not working and it affected my performance at work. Now I need to open Outlook in Chrome in order to search emails.

I tried to (without success):

-Delete Outlook app (moved to trash) and reinstall it
-Update to preview-release version 16.56
-I added the path /Users/UserName/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook to Privacy tab in Spotlight and then I deleted the entry in order to rebuild index.

-Exeucted the terminal command:
mdimport -r /Applications/Microsoft\ Outlook.app/Contents/Library/Spotlight/Microsoft\ Outlook\ Spotlight\ Importer.mdimporter

It started rebuilding the Index and some emails started appearing in search results but hours later it stopped working. Any keyword yield zero results.

It's quite frustrating. I don't know if changing the name of Outlook profile or recreating this will fix this issue. I've four accounts (three of O365 and one Gmail) and search doesn't work in any of them.

Please help. I don't know if reverting to 12.0.1 will fix this.

 

[white7561]

Which search? Like the top middle bar to search emails in outlook? Mine works fine if it's that one

 

[jadraker]

Which search? Like the top middle bar to search emails in outlook? Mine works fine if it's that one

This:

 

[white7561]

This:
View attachment 1928433

Oh. I'm using the New Outlook. Which has the new UI. that works fine with the search bar.

I actually like the new outlook option. Looks so much better and logging in to my Yahoo etc I don't need an app password. It can just connect to it like normal

 

[MarcNoord]

I am having the same exact issue (can't search in Outlook for Mac since upgrading to macOS 12.1. Tried all kinds of things and no luck. A big issue for me too. I too have been forced to use webmail to search emails. Hopefully there's a fix soon! Note: I am using the "old" Outlook too (I have not "toggled" to the "New" Outlook). Hopefully there's a fix soon.

 

[jadraker]

I am having the same exact issue (can't search in Outlook for Mac since upgrading to macOS 12.1. Tried all kinds of things and no luck. A big issue for me too. I too have been forced to use webmail to search emails. Hopefully there's a fix soon! Note: I am using the "old" Outlook too (I have not "toggled" to the "New" Outlook). Hopefully there's a fix soon.

Hi there,
I toggled to new Outlook and search is working again as it should. An inelegant option to force ourselves to use new Outlook view.

 

[MarcNoord]

Thanks. I just tried the same thing (toggled to the new Outlook) and the search feature now works for me too. Not happy but I'll play around with the settings on the new Outlook and see if I can make the new Outlook work well for me. Thank you for your help.

 

[Rembrandt-001]

Are you useing a exchange server vor email? for me the new look doesń´t support
exchange server.

 

[profdraper]

Just a heads up: Monterey 12.1 broke the drivers for Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 & Komplete Kontrol. Not sure about anything else NI, but this one is bad - MIDI dropping in and out, KK plug locking up etc. Dreadful Apple practice re. customers & 3rd party as usual, tho' did not really expect to find this on a point update. Rolled back to macos 12.01 and everything works as it did before.

 

[Roudy1]

I found that after updating to Monterey 12.1, I can no longer search for anything past 10/20/21 on Outlook for Mac as part of Outlook 365. I tried going into Spotlight and go to Privacy, add in the username and then delete it so it would reindex the outlook but unfortunately it has not. I found if I change it to the new version of Outlook that it works properly and can search. Unfortunately, because I use Exchange for work emails, I cannot use the new version until Exchange works.

 

[Oneilc01]

I found that after updating to Monterey 12.1, I can no longer search for anything past 10/20/21 on Outlook for Mac as part of Outlook 365. I tried going into Spotlight and go to Privacy, add in the username and then delete it so it would reindex the outlook but unfortunately it has not. I found if I change it to the new version of Outlook that it works properly and can search. Unfortunately, because I use Exchange for work emails, I cannot use the new version until Exchange works.

Same issue. Really sucks.

 

[NanoG6]

I've got this issue since beta, and I thought it would be fixed on final release..
Unfortunately no new outlook toggle for me. Any workaround?

 

[jadraker]

Are you useing a exchange server vor email? for me the new look doesń´t support
exchange server.

I’m using Outlook with four accounts. Three are Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online) and the fourth is Gmail.

With Exchange do you mean 365 or Exchange On Premise? Because Online work flawlessly.

I noted that email search in new Outlook works perfectly but not for events that you create. Not ideal but I can live with that (not with email search not working).

I also realized why in this mode it works. It works because in new mode Outlook uses Microsoft proprietary search technology instead Spotlight.

Per Microsoft:
Improved search

Search is now powered by Microsoft Search and has better results and suggestions. Click in the search field or use keyboard shortcut Shift+Command+F to search.

The new Outlook for Mac - Microsoft Support

An introduction to the new Outlook for Mac.

support.microsoft.com

I think Apple introduced some sort of bug that conflicts with Outlook and the integration with Spotlight.

 

[Mr-SilentK]

Hi there,
I toggled to new Outlook and search is working again as it should. An inelegant option to force ourselves to use new Outlook view.

I have the same issue but toggling to the New Outlook isn't an option for me. I have multiple contact lists and New Outlook doesn't allow that (along with a few other Outlook basics). I may have to roll back to 12 01 unfortunately.

 

[axl_f]

Same issue since upgraded to 12.1 - need to stick on the old outlook due to local folders. Tried all the steps provided here, but none worked - https://macreports.com/outlook-search-not-working-on-mac-fix/

 

[petrhlavac]

Unfortunatelly the same issue after upgrade from Monterey 12.0.1 => 12.1. ? On 12.0.1. + Macbook Pro 14 everything was fine. I was even trying to do clean installation of Monterey 12.1. to resolve this issue because I need this to be able to efectivelly work.... Did anybody try to downgrade to 12.0.1 to solve this issue.

 

[TDIDawg]

The Monterey 12.1 update broke search within my Outlook client (v16.56), but I've found that searching for emails within Spotlight still works. At least it's a workaround until the search function within Outlook is fixed. This workaround has also been reported here - https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...potlight/7df2362b-03fd-4ada-a2b5-6ba821b8ea2c.

Joseph

 

[howdytom]

Glad I am not alone. Same issue with the latest Outlook version 16.56 (Outlook 365 subscription) and macOS 12.1 with Exchange accounts and local folders. Brand new installation.

Spent 2 days on fixing Outlook search. I have reindexed and I rebuilt the Outlook's sqlite database multiple times to no avail. Microsoft products are just a terrible piece of software.

 

[petrhlavac]

Yes - you can find messages using Spotlight but you do not see the preview (at least I do not see them). It only reduces the list of messages (for example from sender XY) but then you have to click to every message to see its content if you do not recognize it according the subject (=filename). I wonder how long it will take to fix this bug because as I was told by the Apple support it is not possible to downgrade to Monterey 12.0.1 because Macs with M1 chips stays on the latest installed version - you can`t downgrade it. It is possible to do only clean install of the latest version

 

[petrhlavac]

Glad I am not alone. Same issue with the latest Outlook version 16.56 (Outlook 365 subscription) and macOS 12.1 with Exchange accounts and local folders. Brand new installation.

Spent 2 days on fixing Outlook search. I have reindex and I rebuilt the Outlook's sqlite database multiple times to no avail. Microsoft products are just a terrible piece of software.

Welcome on board :-( Question is where is the problem - if on the Apple or on MS site. Apple has to change something from Monterey 12.0.1 and 12.1 because it was working fine on 12.0.1 (at least I had absolutely any problem).

 

[mlst88]

Same issue here

 

[knigma]

Exactly the same problem for me - Outlook search (original UX) is broken showing no results. Running mdimport fixes the search a while and then it breaks again. I notice the breakage after upgrading to MacOS 12.1. I’ve tried all of the usual things like reseting Spotlight and reinstalling Outlook without avail.

 

[petrhlavac]

Exactly the same problem for me - mdimport fixes the search a while and then it breaks again.

excatly the same bahaviour

 

[petrhlavac]

excatly the same bahaviour

please everyone should report this to MS/Apple to make pressure on them otherwise nobody will solve this and this is clear bug and needs to be fixed in a code

 

[Rembrandt-001]

Exactly the same problem for me - Outlook search (original UX) is broken showing no results. Running mdimport fixes the search a while and then it breaks again. I notice the breakage after upgrading to MacOS 12.1. I’ve tried all of the usual things like reseting Spotlight and reinstalling Outlook without avail.

Downgrade works. But that is in Monterey a clean install.