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How to create a search folder across multiple Outlook data files/pst/email accounts?

Author: Kelly Last Modified: 2016-08-22

As you know, a search folder can only search emails in the scope of current mailbox in Outlook. However, Outlook can search across all mailboxes with the Instant Search feature. Therefore, you can try below workaround to create a search folder across multiple emails accounts in Outlook.

Create a search folder across multiple Outlook data files/pst/email accounts

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arrow blue right bubbleCreate a search folder across multiple Outlook data files/pst/email accounts

This workaround will guide you to search emails across all mailboxes by the Instant Search feature, and then copy search results into the destination folder in Outlook.

1. In the Navigation Pane, select the email account that you will create a search folder into, and click Folder > New Folder. See screenshot:

2. In the opening Create New Folder dialog box, type a name for the new folder into the Name box, and click the OK button. See screenshot:

3. Select any mail folder, type the search criteria into the Instant Search box, and then click Search > All Mailboxes (or All Mail Items). See screenshot:

4. Now all emails meeting the search criteria are found out across all mailboxes. Select all of them, and press Ctrl + C keys simultaneously to copy them.

Note: You can select all search results with clicking the first one in the mail list, and then pressing the Ctrl + Shift+ End keys simultaneously.

5. Click to open the new created folder, and press the Ctrl + V keys simultaneously to paste all search results.

Now all search results are copied to the new created folder. However, this folder is not a real search folder, and emails won't be automatically added into this folder if meeting the search criteria in future.


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Comments (7)
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This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Thanks. We've been looking for a solution on this for a while now to catch flagged tasks that were moved into different mailbox folders.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Useless? If users do not work across several boxes or accounts yes. I know plenty business cases where this is very relevant. People do not want to check all of their mailboxes one by one but prefer a single point of view, for example a search folder that shows all unreads.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
If multiple email accounts are all POP3 type, you can change their email account settings to share one PST file. Therefore, all unread items of these email accounts will display together in the Unread search folder.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Combined inbox view is not available in Outlook for WIndows (though it is the default in Outlook for Mac!) but you can create a macro button to display a search across all inboxes https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/outlook/5187-outlook-display-show-all-inboxes.html
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi Joe W,
Thank you for your comment. Now Kutools for Outlook add a new feature of Consolidating Folders, which can help you merge multiple folders into one easily.
https://www.extendoffice.com/product/kutools-for-outlook/outlook-combine-multiple-inboxes.html
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
completely useless
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
wow this is so retarded
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