How to Enable or Add Missing Outlook Search Bar | 2021 Guide

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Search Bar on Outlook helps you in Finding the emails quickly but, sometimes users receive an error saying Outlook Search Bar is Missing Usually this happens because of the Windows update. This article, will help you in fixing the error Outlook Search Bar is Missing with the help of various methods.

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Outlook has been a favorite email exchange for many users across the globe. The application comes with features like calendaring, contacts, tasks, and many other utilities to help manage your personal/professional life. Like the other notable features, Outlook has an effective Search option that simplifies and eases your search pursuits in the Outlook application. By using this feature you can effectively search for email or other items on Outlook.A regular user or not, a missing search bar is a handicap. A Search bar missing in Outlook can be because it might not be enabled by default or because of corruption of the Outlook application. If your Outlook search bar is hidden/missing, this article should be of great help.

Causes for Outlook Search Bar Missing

The first case simply requires you to change your default Outlook settings and enable the hidden search bar on your Outlook application. This is a straightforward approach to find the missing Search Bar in Outlook especially if you recently installed or reinstalled the Outlook program.

However, if you are not successful in resolving the issue, the probable reason why the search bar is still not seen on the application could be due to the corruption of the Outlook application. In such cases, you will need to repair Outlook with a reliable Outlook repair tool to fix the issue.

How to find the Search Bar in Outlook?

In case 1, finding the hidden Search bar on Outlook implies enabling the search bar by altering the settings. Here is how to do it:

  • Open the 'Outlook' app and then click on File and navigate to Options.
  • In the Options window, you will be able to locate the Customize Ribbon section in the left bar and click on it.
outlook-options-customize-ribbon
  • Now, go to Choose commands from, and select Tools Tabs.
  • Then, you will see the Customize the Classic Ribbon option, there you will have to select the Main Tab.
  • After the Main Tab window opens, left-click the Search option to select it.
  • Now, click the Add button.
  • Then, at the bottom of the Outlook Options window, click OK to save the changes and to close the window.

If the above steps did not show the search bar and it is still missing, corruption of the Outlook application should be the case. The corruption of the Outlook application could be either due to faulty App data or due to a corrupted PST file.

By Repairing the Outlook application, you might not only be able to regain access to your missing Search bar, but also the important data and functionality of your Outlook application. In order to repair the Outlook application, follow the methods mentioned in the section below.

How to Repair the Corrupt Outlook application?

Microsoft Outlook users can easily repair Outlook using the repair option. To fix the Outlook application, follow the instructions mentioned below:

  • Right-click on the Windows icon and select Apps and Features from the pop-up.
  • Select Microsoft Office and click on Modify.
microsoft-office-professional-plus
  • Choose Quick Repair and click on the Repair button to start the repair process.
use-quick-repair-option

Alternative Methods to Fix Missing Search Bar on Your Outlook

Restart Outlook:

Try restarting Outlook to fix the error Outlook search bar missing, because restarting the application can eliminate the factors which are responsible for the error.

  • Exit Outlook.
  • Click start and open the control panel.
  • Select the Mail Component.
  • Click on the Show Profile button.
  • Click Apply and then click on OK.

Run Outlook in Safe Mode:

Follow the below-mentioned steps to Run Outlook in safe mode to fix the Search bar missing in Outlook.

  • Enter Windows + R to launch the dialog box.
  • Type Outlook/ Safe in the box.
use-run-command
  • and Hit enter.
  • Check if you are able to find the search bar on Outlook, If not then try disabling the Add-ins.

Disable Outlook Add-ins

The below steps help you in disabling Outlook in Add-ins.

  • Open the Outlook.
  • Select Options in the File tab.
  • Go to Add-ins under the Outlook option.
  • Select COM Add-ins in the dropdown and click on the Go button.
disable-outlook-addins
  • Now, you will see the dialogue box Com Add-ins. Uncheck all the checkboxes next to the add-ins and then click on OK to disable them.
disable-addins

Once you disable Add-ins, check if the search bar appears on Outlook

After following the above procedure, you must be able to resolve the corruption on your Outlook application. If this has not worked well for you, then there might be an issue or corruption with your PST file. In such cases, we recommend you make use of the Remo PST Repair tool which can effortlessly fix damaged, corrupted, or inaccessible PST files.

Conclusion

The above article emphasizes how to Find the hidden/missing search bar on your Outlook application. By following the approaches mentioned here, you can effortlessly recover your missing/hidden search bar. If you have any further queries regarding the article, make use of the comment section below.

About the Author: Tony Landry

Tony Landry is a Web Content Editor at Remo Software. He loves to write, edit, and manage content for users trying to troubleshoot and fix problems on Windows, Outlook, storage drives, and Cloud storage networks. With an aptitude that transcends writing, Tony is recognized as a Microsoft Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint expert. His comprehensive solutions…