Microsoft has acknowledged an issue triggered by a Windows 10, version 21H2 security update released during the December 2021 Patch Tuesday that leads to search issues in Outlook for Microsoft 365.
"After you install update KB5008212, recent emails may not appear in search results," Microsoft explains in a recently published Office support document.
The company said it's currently investigating this issue and will provide more information and an update as soon as possible.
This new known issue is very similar to another one triggered on systems upgraded to Windows 11 and causing similar search issues.
Unlike the new bug, those problems started showing up in June 2020 after users began installing the first Windows 11 preview builds, which would delete the Windows search index during the upgrade process.
Customers were advised at the time that they could fix Outlook search not returning any results by setting up a registry key to disable Windows Desktop Search and switch to Outlook's search engine.
After the built-in search kicks in, Outlook warns that performance is affected, saying that the "search performance will be impacted because a group policy has turned off the Windows Search service."
Temporary workaround for broken Outlook search
Microsoft recommends the same approach as a workaround until a fix is available for the search issues caused by the Windows 10 KB5008212 security update.
You have to go through the following procedure to disable the Windows Desktop Search service for Outlook:
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In Windows, right-click Start, and then select Run. In the Open: box type regedit, and then click OK. This will open the registry editor.
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Find this subkey in the registry and then click it:
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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
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Click Edit > New > Key, and name the new key Windows Search.
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Select the new Windows Search key.
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Click Edit > New > DWORD Value.
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Type PreventIndexingOutlook for the name of the DWORD, and then press Enter.
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Right-click PreventIndexingOutlook, and then click Modify.
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In the Value data box, type 1 to enable the registry entry, and then click OK.
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Exit Registry Editor, and then restart Outlook.
Whenever you want to toggle back the Windows Desktop Search, you have to disable the PreventIndexingOutlook setting by typing 0 (zero) and clicking OK.
Microsoft has also recently shared workarounds for other known Outlook issues, including:
Comments
NoneRain - 2 years ago
Yep. This was happening here. Thanks.
jimmyjones1256 - 2 years ago
Sigh. As expected Microsoft letting us down again.
primetime82 - 2 years ago
I can confirm that this is happening with 2016 as well. Not just 365. Thanks for the work around!
doriel - 2 years ago
Very probably. 2016 and 365 are same engine from 99%.
dacop1313 - 2 years ago
Is there any update on this issue yet? Is Microsoft going to release a patch to fix this issue?
serghei - 2 years ago
Not yet, will update the story when Microsoft shares any new info.
dacop1313 - 2 years ago
"Not yet, will update the story when Microsoft shares any new info."
Thanks! I hope its soon because these users are driving me crazy! lol
dacop1313 - 2 years ago
At this point, does it look like MS is addressing this issue?
doriel - 2 years ago
After installing KB5009543, the issue should be repaired. At our site, seems like issue is repaired. We had problems with Outlook indexing, but KB5009543 seems to repair issue for us.
starko - 2 years ago
But doesnt KB5009543 also break VPN connections?
doriel - 2 years ago
Maybe, I am not sure, to be honest. Nearly every update breaks something. Its been few years now, that we play WHACK-A-MOLE with updates breaking something. Its for everyone to decide whats bigger problem for you, or how able user you are to prevent your PC from risks.
In this case: KB5009543 vs KB5008212: you can decide if you need VPN or Outlook :) Seriously, Windows updates have very speculative impact on our systems.
starko - 2 years ago
i hear that man.. its been rough lately. Dont forget not to install updates on DC's right now! (looping reboots)
doriel - 2 years ago
One needs to be carefull these days. I usually test this on our DC101. If OK, then I apply to DC102 and DC103. Defer updates on servers is the smartest step possible, by my humble opinion.
starko - 2 years ago
agreed, but someday i dream of not being scared of updates :)
ronghuang88 - 2 years ago
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-10-21h1#2778msgdesc
Microsoft "resolved" it by using Known Issue Rollback (KIR). Is this consider as resolved?
"The Known Issue Rollback lifecycle
Known Issue Rollback configurations have a limited lifespan—a few months at most—because we expect to solve the underlying problem quickly and re-issue the fix. Once the underlying problem has been fixed, the Group Policy has outlived its usefulness. It becomes a benign setting and can be undeployed safely.
It’s worth noting that each Known Issue Rollback Group Policy is unique to a specific issue, i.e. a regression, and, as such, these policies are not cumulative in nature."
dacop1313 - 2 years ago
Stupid question here...how do I implement/run this KIR and fix the Outlook Search issue? I am on a stand alone Windows 10 PC with Outlook (Pro Version, not 365). I ran Windows Update again, some updates were applied and then a restart, Windows is now saying there are no other updates available. Outlook Search is still not working, does it take some time to propagate?
dacop1313 - 2 years ago
No advice? :(
ronghuang88 - 2 years ago
Hi sir, sorry for late reply. Is lunar new year.
For your question, you can check out the link provided in the previous posted