Fix Outlook Freezing Issues While Searching Emails or Contacts
Is your Outlook freezing during email or contact searches? If so, this article is for you. We will guide you through effective troubleshooting methods to resolve this frustrating issue. The Outlook Search feature plays a vital role for users, enabling them to swiftly find specific emails, contacts, and key information in extensive inboxes or large mail folders. This efficiency not only saves valuable time but also enhances productivity. However, there are instances when this feature may not work correctly.
If you find your Outlook freezing or becoming unresponsive while utilizing the search option, you are not alone. Numerous users have reported a similar experience, such as encountering freezes when searching for specific contacts.
What causes Outlook to freeze during searches?
One possible reason for Outlook to freeze could be a corrupted or improperly configured search index. Additionally, using an outdated Outlook version, dealing with corrupted PST or OST files, or having a malfunctioning cache can also result in these freezing issues. Moreover, certain third-party add-ins may disrupt Outlook’s search capabilities, resulting in hanging or unresponsiveness.
How to resolve Outlook freezing when searching for emails or contacts
If Outlook freezes while you’re searching for emails or contacts, consider implementing the following solutions:
- Rebuild the Search Index
- Turn off Windows Desktop Search
- Repair corrupted Outlook data files
- Clear the cache and create a new Outlook profile
- Change specific Outlook settings
Let’s delve into these solutions in more detail.
1. Rebuild the Search Index
Rebuilding the search index allows for the refreshing of indexed data, removing any corrupted or obsolete entries that may affect search performance.
To rebuild the search index in Outlook, start by clicking on the File tab located in the upper left corner of the application. From the left-hand panel, select Options to open the Outlook Options dialog box.
Next, go to the Search section and click the Indexing Options button.
In the dialog that appears, you will see a list of indexed locations. Choose Microsoft Outlook and hit the Advanced button, which will open the Advanced Options window.
Under the Troubleshooting segment, click the Rebuild button to begin the process of rebuilding the search index. Confirm your decision in the pop-up dialog, and then wait for the index rebuild to finish.
After it is done, restart Outlook and verify if the search function has improved.
2. Turn off Windows Desktop Search
An effective workaround for Excel search issues is to disable the Windows Desktop Search service, which prompts Outlook to rely on its internal search feature.
To do this, open the Run dialog by pressing Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
Navigate to the following Registry Editor key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
Right-click on Windows, select New > Key, and name it Windows Search.
Now, right-click the Windows Search key, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it PreventIndexingOutlook.
Double-click on PreventIndexingOutlook, set its Value data to 1, and click OK. Restart Outlook to apply the changes.
This modification will deactivate Windows Search for Outlook, thus using its own built-in search feature. To undo this change, simply set the DWORD value back to 0.
3. Repair corrupted Outlook data files
Corrupted Outlook data files, including PST and OST formats, can adversely affect search operation by causing incomplete indexing or preventing Outlook from correctly accessing data during searches.
You can use Outlook’s Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe) to fix damaged PST and OST files and assess whether this resolves the issue.
4. Clear the Cache and create a new Outlook profile
The Outlook cache retains indexed copies of emails, contacts, and other essential data, enabling quicker access during searches or when retrieving items. If this cache becomes corrupted or outdated, it can result in incomplete search outcomes or even lead to freezing during searches.
To clear the Outlook cache, press Win + R, enter %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook, and press Enter. Go to the RoamCache folder and delete all the files located within.
Once cleared, launch Outlook, click on the File tab, navigate to Account Settings > Manage Profiles. In the Mail dialog that appears, select the old profile and click Remove.
Next, click Add to create a new profile by following the on-screen instructions.
Reopen Outlook using the new profile and add your email account(s) according to the prompts. Afterward, rebuild the search index and test the search functionality once again.
5. Disable specific Outlook settings
Several users have successfully resolved freezing issues by deactivating settings that impact Outlook’s search features. These include:
A] Turn off contact photo display
By turning off contact photo display, you can alleviate the graphical demands on Outlook, helping it function more smoothly during searches or when navigating through your emails and contacts.
Navigate to File > Options > People and uncheck the box for ‘Show user photographs when available‘.
B] Disable indexing for online archives
Indexing a voluminous online archive can decelerate search processes and cause Outlook to freeze. By disabling this feature, Outlook can prioritize indexing the main mailbox, thereby minimizing the chances of locking up during search tasks.
Go to File > Options > Search, click on Indexing Options. In the subsequent window, select Modify, uncheck ‘Online Archive‘, and save your changes.
C] Address iFilter conflicts
An iFilter is a component that allows Outlook to index and search content from specific file types like PDFs or Word documents. If you have third-party software installed, it may include its own iFilters. Conflicts among different filters can cause Outlook to freeze during searches.
Navigate to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Attachment Handling, and ensure that ‘Turn off Attachment Preview‘ is unchecked to avoid Outlook attempting to preview attachments using potentially conflicting iFilters.
D] Disable automatic downloads
Turning off automatic downloads can prevent Outlook from fetching large files or data that might cause it to become unresponsive during search operations.
Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Automatic Download, and ensure that ‘Don’t download pictures automatically in standard HTML e-mail messages or RSS items‘ is checked.
By following these recommendations, you should be able to resolve your Outlook search issues and enjoy a more seamless and efficient experience.
Why does my Outlook keep freezing?
Outlook may become unresponsive or freeze if it lacks sufficient memory (RAM) to handle its operations. This issue can occur even on high-performance computers if they are overloaded with applications or if Outlook is carrying out resource-intensive tasks. Archiving older emails, controlling mailbox size, and disabling automatic synchronization of large folders can help lessen the data workload, allowing Outlook to function normally.
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