Find items in Outlook by doing a basic search

You can use the search box on the toolbar to search in the current folder or view.

1. Go to the folder or view that you want to search.
2. In the upper-right corner of the Outlook window, enter your search word or words in the search box .

Outlook displays the search results under the Search tab.

3. When you are done looking at the search results, on the Search tab, click Close.

 Note   

• If you don't click Close, the Search tab remains active. The item list (item list: In the main Outlook window, the list of messages, contacts, tasks, or other items. By default, the item list is displayed vertically between the navigation pane and the reading pane.) continues to show the search results, even if you click another tab, such as the Home tab.
• An Outlook search includes the file names of attachments but not the text inside attachments.
• To save a search as a Smart Folder, on the Search tab, click Save, and then enter a name for the Smart Folder.

1. Open the item.
2. On the Edit menu, point to Find, and then click Find.
3. In the Find box, enter your search word or words.

In the item, Outlook highlights the first instance of your search phrase.

To find the next or previous instance of your search phrase, use the forward and back arrows .

 Note   The keyboard shortcut for searching within an item is + F .