Outlook Search Bar Changes: What You Need to Know

Microsoft is rolling out a new Outlook search bar, and it will gradually extend across other Office 365 applications. At Commercial Networks, we’ve been testing this feature, and while it offers a cleaner design and new functionality, there are some quirks to be aware of.

If you’re an Outlook user, here’s what to expect from the redesigned search experience.

A New Position for the Search Bar

The first thing you’ll notice is the location of the new search bar. Instead of being tucked into the ribbon, it now sits at the very top of the Outlook window, right above the title bar. It’s bigger, more prominent, and impossible to miss.

This change is part of Microsoft’s ongoing effort to standardise search across its Office suite, making it easier to access whether you’re in Outlook, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

Simple Search Functionality

At its core, search in Outlook still works in the way you’re used to:

Type a search phrase and press Enter – Your results appear just as they always have.
Click the drop-down arrow – You’ll see a set of familiar options but presented in a much clearer format.

The standard filters available include:

Search in: Current Folder, Subfolders, Current Mailbox, All Mailboxes, or All Outlook Items.
Attachments: Choose to show only results with or without attachments.
Attachment Contains: Search text inside attachments.
From / To / Subject / Body / Received: Narrow your search by field.

The functionality hasn’t changed, but the layout is cleaner and more user-friendly.

Configurable Search Menu

One of the most useful improvements is the configurable search menu.

With the new panel, you can toggle options on or off to suit your workflow. This means you can streamline the search filters you use most often while hiding the ones you don’t need.

More Actions and Suggestions

Microsoft has also added some extra intelligence to the search experience.

When you click into the search box, you’ll now see:

Recent Searches – Quick access to searches you’ve made previously.
Recently Used Actions – A new feature that shows actions you’ve taken in Outlook.
Suggested Actions – Contextual shortcuts based on Outlook activity.

While this could be useful, the logic behind the “Suggested Actions” isn’t entirely clear. For instance, many users report seeing recommendations for features like AutoArchive or Automatic Replies, even if they rarely (or never) use them.

It would be far better if users could select or pin their own suggested actions, tailoring Outlook to their preferences from the start.

The Missing Feature: Removing Recent Searches

One notable omission is the ability to remove individual recent searches.

If you make a typo, or simply don’t want a certain search phrase stored for privacy reasons, there’s currently no way to delete it. Microsoft has a track record of adding these features later, after user feedback, but it’s surprising this wasn’t included from launch.

History suggests we may eventually get the ability to pin, edit, or remove items from the list, but for now, users will have to live with it.

Our Verdict on the New Outlook Search

The new Outlook search bar brings a fresh design and a more configurable menu, which will be welcome improvements for many users. However, the lack of control over recent searches and suggested actions feels like a missed opportunity.

For organisations, this change means staff may need a little reorientation, but once familiar, the new layout should make searching more intuitive.

Conclusion

The redesigned Outlook search bar is another step in Microsoft’s mission to unify search across Office 365. It’s cleaner, easier to configure, and introduces new features, but still leaves room for improvement.

At Commercial Networks, we support businesses with Microsoft 365 setup, optimisation, and training, ensuring teams can take full advantage of new features as they roll out.

📞 Call us on 0333 444 3455 or email sales@cnltd.co.uk to learn how we can help your business get the most from Microsoft 365.