How to Search Mail in Windows Live Hotmail

Hotmail is now Outlook, but the way you search emails hasn't changed

What to Know

  • Easiest: Go to the Search email box, type a search term, and press Enter.
  • Select Filters in the Search bar for advanced search options, such as a specific folder, sender, or subject.

This article explains how to use the built-in search engine in Outlook Online.

Microsoft officially retired Hotmail in 2013 and transitioned to Outlook. The following instructions are for the current version of Outlook.com.

How to Search for Mail in Outlook Online

To find emails, go to the Search email text box, type your search term, and press Enter.

Search bar in Outlook.com.

Advanced Search in Windows Live Hotmail

To search your Outlook mail with more precision, go to the Search bar, select Filters, and enter one or more of the following parameters:

  • Search In: Choose a specific folder to search.
  • From: Search specific senders.
  • To: Search by specific recipients.
  • Subject: Search the Subject field of email messages.
  • Keywords: Search for emails using specific keywords.
  • Date: Search by a specific range of dates.
  • Attachment: Return search results containing an attachment.
Outlook.com's search filter options

In most cases, searching only the address fields and the subject line yields good results (unless you're looking for something only mentioned in the body of an email).

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