How to rebuild Outlook Index & solve Outlook search problems.

Solution 1:

1. Close the Outlook
2. Go to C:\users\username\appdata\local\microsoft\outlook
3. Delete the ost file(s)
4. Launch the Outlook it will recreate the .ost file


Solution 2:
1. Close the Outlook,
2. Go to Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles > select profile then click remove
3. Click Add > enter profile name > Ok
4. Tick the Always use this profile
4. Open the Outlook it will recreate the .ost file

Microsoft Outlook 2010 - Unable to Search in Sub-Folders on a Shared Mailbox

SYMPTOM:When using Instant Search (Ctrl + E) on the root folder of the shared mailbox or any other folder which contains a subfolder, and with the option "All Subfolders" selected in the Scope group, the search does not return any results from a subfolder.
Also using Advanced Find (Ctrl + Shift + F) it is not possible to select the checkbox "Search subfolders" (greyed out) and if you try to select multiple folders in the Select Folder(s) window, following message appears: "The folder you selected does not let you search other folders at the same time. To search other folders, clear the check box next to this folder."

Cause
CAUSE:Limitation with Search in subfolders if "Download shared folders" is enabled in Cached Exchange Mode settings.

Answer/Solution
FIX:Uncheck "Download shared folders" in menu File -> Account Settings -> Change -> More Settings -> Advanced -> Download shared folders.
Else search in each subfolder individually.

Outlook 2010: Executable Switches

Microsoft Office Outlook has a number of command-line switches that allow you to perform a variety of actions. One very useful example of this is the /recycle switch, which was introduced as a default in Outlook 2010. In previous versions, if a user already had an instance of Outlook open and clicked the Outlook icon again, it would open another instance. With the /recycle option, it checks for a current instance of Outlook and if it exists, brings it to the front instead of opening another. Below you will find a number of other useful switches that can be used for efficiency or troubleshooting.

Available switches

Switch	Description
/a	Creates an item with the specified file as an attachment. Example: "c:\program files\microsoft office\office14\outlook.exe" /a "c:\my documents\labels.doc" If no item type is specified, IPM.Note is assumed. Cannot be used with message classes that are not based on Outlook.
/altvba otmfilename	Opens the VBA program specified in otmfilename, instead of %appdata%\microsoft\outlook\vbaproject.otm.  Note    This command line switch is only available if the following Windows registry DWORD value is set to 1. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security\EnableAltVba
/c messageclass	Creates a new item of the specified message class (Outlook forms or any other valid MAPI form). Examples: /c ipm.activity creates a Journal entry /c ipm.appointment creates an appointment /c ipm.contact creates a contact /c ipm.note creates an e-mail message /c ipm.stickynote creates a note /c ipm.task creates a task
/checkclient	Prompts for the default manager of e-mail, news, and contacts.
/cleanautocompletecache	Removes all names and e-mail addresses from the Auto-Complete list.
/cleancategories	Deletes any custom category names that you have created. Restores categories to the default names.
/cleanclientrules	Starts Outlook and deletes client-based rules.
/cleanconvongoingactions	Deletes the Conversations Actions Table (CAT). CAT entries for a conversation thread usually expire 30 days after no activity. The command-line switch clears all conversation tagging, ignore, and moving rules immediately stopping any additional actions.
/cleandmrecords	Deletes the logging records saved when a manager or a delegate declines a meeting.
/cleanfinders	Resets all Search Folders in the Microsoft Exchange mailbox for only the first profile opened.
/cleanfreebusy	Clears and regenerates free/busy information. This switch can be used only when you are able to connect to the server that runs Exchange.
/cleanfromaddress	Removes all manually added From entries from the profile.
/cleanmailtipcache	Removes all MailTips from the cache.
/cleanreminders	Clears and regenerates reminders.
/cleanroamedprefs	All previous roamed preferences are deleted and copied again from the local settings on the computer where this switch is used. This includes the roaming settings for reminders, free/busy grid, working hours, calendar publishing, and RSS rules.
/cleanrules	Starts Outlook and deletes client-based and server-based rules.
/cleanserverrules	Starts Outlook and deletes server-based rules.
/cleansharing	Removes all RSS, Internet Calendar, and SharePoint subscriptions from Account Settings, but leaves all the previously downloaded content on your computer. This is useful if you cannot delete one of these subscriptions within Outlook 2010.
/cleansniff	Overrides the programmatic lockout that determines which of your computers (when you run Outlook at the same time) processes meeting items. The lockout process helps prevent duplicate reminder messages. This switch clears the lockout on the computer it is used. This enables Outlook to process meeting items.
/cleansubscriptions	Deletes the subscription messages and properties for subscription features.
/cleanviews	Restores default views. All custom views that you created are lost.
/embedding	Used without command-line parameters for standard OLE co-create.
/f msgfilename	Opens the specified message file (.msg) or Microsoft Office saved search (.oss).
/finder	Opens the Advanced Find dialog box.
/hol holfilename	Opens the specified .hol file.
/ical icsfilename	Opens the specified .ics file.
/importNK2	Imports the contents of an .nk2 file which contains the nickname list that is used by both the automatic name checking and Auto-Complete features.
/importprf prffilename	Starts Outlook and opens/imports the defined MAPI profile (*.prf). If Outlook is already open, queues the profile to be imported on the next clean start.
/launchtraininghelp assetid	Opens a Help window with the Help topic specified in assetid displayed.
/m emailname	Provides a way for the user to add an e-mail name to the item. Only works together with the /c command-line parameter. Example: Outlook.exe /c ipm.note /m emailname
/nopreview	Starts Outlook with the Reading Pane off.
/p msgfilename	Prints the specified message (.msg).
/profile profilename	Loads the specified profile. If your profile name contains a space, enclose the profile name in quotation marks (" ").
/profiles	Opens the Choose Profile dialog box regardless of the Options setting on the Tools menu.
/promptimportprf	Same as /importprf except that a prompt appears and the user can cancel the import.
/recycle	Starts Outlook by using an existing Outlook window, if one exists.
/remigratecategories	Starts Outlook and starts the following commands on the default mailbox: Upgrades colored For Follow Up flags to Outlook 2010 color categories. Upgrades calendar labels to Outlook 2010 color categories. Adds all categories used on non-mail items into the Master Category List  Note    This is the same command as Upgrade to Color Categories in each Outlook mailbox properties dialog box.
/resetfolders	Restores missing folders at the default delivery location.
/resetfoldernames	Resets default folder names (such as Inbox or Sent Items) to default names in the current Office user interface language. For example, if you first connect to your mailbox in Outlook by using a Russian user interface, the Russian default folder names cannot be renamed. To change the default folder names to another language, such as Japanese or English, you can use this switch to reset the default folder names after you change the user interface language or install a different language version of Outlook.
/resetformregions	Empties the form regions cache and reloads the form region definitions from the Windows registry.
/resetnavpane	Clears and regenerates the Navigation Pane for the current profile.
/resetquicksteps	Restores the default Quick Steps. All user-created Quick Steps are deleted.
/resetsearchcriteria	Resets all Instant Search criteria so that the default set of criteria is shown in each module.
/resetsharedfolders	Removes all shared folders from the Navigation Pane.
/resettodobar	Clears and regenerates the To-Do Bar task list for the current profile. The To-Do Bar search folder is deleted and re-created.
/restore	Attempts to open the same profile and folders that were open prior to an abnormal Outlook shutdown.
/rpcdiag	Opens Outlook and displays the remote procedure call (RPC) connection status dialog box.
/safe	Starts Outlook without the Reading Pane or toolbar customizations. Both native and managed Component Object Model (COM) add-ins are turned off.
/safe:1	Starts Outlook with the Reading Pane off.
/safe:3	Both native and managed Component Object Model (COM) add-ins are turned off.
/select foldername	Starts Outlook and opens the specified folder in a new window. For example, to open Outlook and display the default calendar, use: "c:\program files\microsoft office\office14\outlook.exe" /select outlook:calendar.
/share feed://URL/filename /share stssync://URL /share web://URL/filename	Specifies a sharing URL to connect to Outlook. For example, use stssync://URL to connect a SharePoint list to Outlook.
/sniff	Starts Outlook, forces a detection of new meeting requests in the Inbox, and then adds them to the calendar.
/t oftfilename	Opens the specified .oft file.
/v vcffilename	Opens the specified .vcf file.
/vcal vcsfilename	Opens the specified .vcs file.

Outlook 2010 runs in Safe Mode after Update

In Outlook 2010, all of my options were reset to their defaults and when I change them, the changes don't stick. As soon as I close Outlook and restart it, everything is back to its default.

This is caused by installing KB3114409 - it causes Outlook to run in Safe mode, which uses the default settings. Your customizations aren't lost, they just aren't being used when Outlook is in Safe mode.
Microsoft removed the update, so users who haven't installed the December updates yet won't be affected. Users who are affected have two choices to fix this: uninstall KB3114409 or set a registry key to disable Safe mode.
To set the registry key:

1. Open the Registry editor by pressing Windows key + R
2. Type regedit in the Open: field. Then click Ok.
3. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security\ key on the left side of the Registry Editor
4. If any key in the path is missing, you'll need to create it. Right click on the last key, choose New > Key and type the missing key name.
5. Right click on Security key and choose New, and then DWORD Value.
6. Type DisableSafeMode, and then press Enter.
7. Right-click on DisableSafeMode, and then click Modify.
   
8. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
9. If you have 64bit Windows and 32bit Office, also add DisableSafeMode, Value: 1 to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security\
10. Restart Outlook or reboot the computer.

If you don't want to edit the registry, you can use this reg file: DisableSafeMode.reg DisableSafeMode.reg for Outlook 32 bit on Windows 64-bit

Uninstall KB3114409

To uninstall updates, open Control Panel, then find Programs & Features. Click on View Installed Updates on the left. Type KB3114409 in the Search Updates field. Select it and click Uninstall. 

Outlook: Reasons Why Recall Message May Fail

When will Recall actually work

There are several conditions which must be met for the Recall feature to work:

• The first condition for Recall to work is that you must be using an Exchange account and the recipient must be within that same Exchange organization as well. In other words; When you are using a POP3, IMAP or Outlook.com account or when the recipient is located on the Internet, you are out of luck already.
• The recipient must also be using Outlook to read his/her emails. When a message is being read via Outlook Web App (OWA) or via EAS on a smartphone or tablet, the recall will not work.
• The recipient must have an active connection with Exchange. When Cached Exchange Mode is enabled and the recipient is working off-line, the recall process will fail.
• The original message must arrive in the Inbox folder of the recipient. When it got moved via a rule, recalling the message is not possible.
• The original message must still be unread and the recipient must open the Recall message before the original message.

Remedy:

Delay all message for few minutes

If you want all your messages to hang in your Outbox for a certain amount of time because something else always comes to mind when pressing the send button (how you can rephrase something, adding another attachment, etc…) you can create a rule that can defer sending of all your messages from 1 minute to 5 minutes..

Outlook 2010′s Clean Up Feature

How many times do you get a lot of back and forth emails that are completely unnecessary to keep?  Outlook 2010 offers a new feature called Clean Up, which deletes redundant messages in a conversation, and keeps only the most recent.  This is helpful because the most recent email contains the thread of all of the quoted replies in it.  Therefore, there is no need to keep all of the other emails, when their contents are quoted in the last email.
On the Home tab, click on the Clean Up button to see the menu of options available.  See the screenshots below.

Outlook 2010's Clean Up button and menu options

Outlook 2010's Clean Up button, condensed view

These are the menu options:

• Clean Up Conversation only cleans up the conversation that is selected.
• Clean Up Folder cleans up all of the conversations in the currently shown folder.
• Clean Up Folder & Subfolders cleans up all of the conversations in the current folder and its subfolders.

Reduce Inbox Spam in Outlook

Set Up Junk Mail Filtering

Outlook 2007

1. Go to the Actions menu.
2. Select Junk Mail.
3. From the menu that pops out, select Junk Mail Options.
4. On the Options tab, select the level of filtering you would like. (I keep mine on Low.)
5. Click OK.

Outlook 2010

1. Change to the Mail view (if you aren’t there already).
2. Go to the Home tab of the ribbon.
3. In the Delete section, click on the Junk button.
4. From the menu that pops out, select Junk Mail Options.
5. On the Options tab, select the level of filtering you would like. (I keep mine on Low.)
6. Click OK.

With filtering turned on, junk messages will go to the Junk E-mail folder in Outlook. I recommend that you check this folder regularly. I have found that on occasion, even with the filtering set on Low, emails from friends or from my organization have been sent to my Junk folder.

Block An Email Address

If you regularly receive spam from a specific email address, you can block the sender. To block a sender:

1. Right click on the email.
2. Select Junk Email.
3. Select Add Sender to Blocked Senders List (wording is slightly different in 2010, but similar).

Recover Deleted Items in Outlook

Some items can be recovered even after the Deleted Items folder has been emptied, depending on the kind of item and how long it has been since you emptied the folder. The amount of time you have to recover an item depends on your Exchange Administrator.
Recover Deleted Items in Outlook 2010

1. Select your Deleted Items folder.
2. Go to the File tab on the ribbon.
3. In the Clean Up group click Recover Deleted Items.
4. Select the item(s) you would like to recover.
5. Click Recover Selected Items.

Recover Deleted Items in Outlook 2007 

1. Select your Deleted Items folder.
2. Go to Tools > Recover Deleted Items…
3. Select the item(s) you would like to recover.
4. Click the Recover selected items button.

Please note: These instructions only apply to items sent to the Deleted Items folder and then emptied from it. If you deleted an item using the Shift + Delete shortcut (not recommended), or if you deleted an attachment but not the email, you cannot recover them through this method.