Use Search File Suggestions in New Outlook After Switching From Classic Outlook

After switching from Classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows, you may notice that the search bar no longer suggests files from your local drives or SharePoint libraries as you type. This feature, called Search File Suggestions, is available in new Outlook but requires a specific setting to be enabled. The default configuration after migration often leaves this option turned off, causing the search to only find email messages and calendar items. This article explains how to enable file suggestions in the search box and how to adjust related indexing settings so your file search works the same way it did in Classic Outlook.

Why File Suggestions Stop Working After Switching to New Outlook

Classic Outlook uses Windows Desktop Search to index all local files and emails together. When you switch to new Outlook, the application uses a different search infrastructure that relies on Microsoft 365 cloud search for messages and a separate local file index for file suggestions. The setting that connects these two indexes is turned off by default after migration. This means the search bar in new Outlook only queries your mailbox and calendar, ignoring local files, OneDrive files, and SharePoint documents. Enabling the file suggestion option reconnects the local file index to the Outlook search bar, allowing file names and paths to appear as you type.

New Outlook does not automatically migrate the search index configuration from Classic Outlook. If you had custom indexing locations in Windows Search, those locations still exist but are not referenced by new Outlook until you turn on the file suggestion feature. Additionally, the Windows Search index may need to include Outlook data files and SharePoint sync folders to return relevant file suggestions. Without these locations added, the search bar returns no file matches even when the toggle is enabled.

Steps to Enable Search File Suggestions in New Outlook

Follow these steps to turn on file suggestions and configure the search index. You must be signed into new Outlook with a Microsoft 365 work or school account that has a valid license. The steps apply to new Outlook for Windows version 1.2023 or later.

1. Open Outlook Settings
   Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the new Outlook window. A settings pane opens on the right side of the screen.
2. Go to Search Settings
   In the settings pane, click General in the left column, then click Search. The search settings page displays options for indexing and file suggestions.
3. Turn On File Suggestions
   Under the heading Suggest files when I search, move the toggle to the On position. This enables file name and path suggestions from your Windows Search index to appear in the Outlook search bar.
4. Open Indexing Options
   On the same search settings page, click Indexing Options. A separate window opens showing the current Windows Search index status.
5. Modify Indexed Locations
   Click the Modify button in the Indexing Options window. In the list of locations, expand Microsoft Outlook and ensure the check box for your mailbox is selected. Expand OneDrive or SharePoint folders if you want files from those locations to appear in suggestions. Click OK to save.
6. Rebuild the Index (if needed)
   If file suggestions still do not appear, click Advanced in the Indexing Options window. Under the Troubleshooting section, click Rebuild. A confirmation dialog warns that rebuilding may take several hours. Click OK to start the rebuild. Wait for the index to complete before testing file suggestions.

If File Suggestions Still Do Not Appear After Enabling the Toggle

New Outlook search bar shows no files from my local drives

The Windows Search index may not include the local folders where your files are stored. Open Indexing Options again, click Modify, and expand Local Disk (C:) or the relevant drive letter. Check the folders you want indexed, such as Documents or Desktop. Click OK and wait for the index to update. File suggestions should appear within a few minutes after the index finishes processing.

SharePoint or OneDrive files are missing from suggestions

SharePoint and OneDrive files must be synced to your local computer using the OneDrive sync app. If the files are not synced, they will not appear in the Windows Search index. Open OneDrive from the system tray, click the gear icon, and select Settings. Go to the Account tab and verify that the SharePoint library or OneDrive folder is listed under Sync locations. If it is not, click Add an account or Choose folders to sync the location. After syncing, rebuild the index using the steps above.

File suggestions appear but are outdated or point to deleted files

This happens when the Windows Search index has not updated after file changes. Open Indexing Options and check the status at the top of the window. If it says Indexing complete but results are stale, click Advanced and then Rebuild. A full rebuild forces Windows Search to re-evaluate all indexed locations and remove references to deleted files. After rebuilding, allow the index to finish before testing again.

New Outlook does not have a Search section under General in Settings

This indicates that your version of new Outlook does not support file suggestions. File suggestions require new Outlook version 1.2023.13002.0 or later. Check your version by clicking File > Office Account > About Outlook. If you are running an older version, update Outlook through the Microsoft 365 update channel or download the latest version from the Microsoft Store. After updating, the Search section and the file suggestion toggle will appear.

Search File Suggestions in Classic Outlook vs New Outlook

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
File suggestion default	Enabled by default	Disabled after migration
Setting location	File > Options > Search > Improve search speed by indexing	Settings > General > Search > Suggest files when I search
Index engine used	Windows Desktop Search	Windows Search index configured via Indexing Options
SharePoint file support	Requires SharePoint sync to local drive	Requires SharePoint sync to local drive
Rebuild method	File > Options > Search > Indexing Options > Advanced > Rebuild	Settings > General > Search > Indexing Options > Advanced > Rebuild

After enabling the file suggestion toggle and configuring the Windows Search index, your new Outlook search bar will display file names from your local drives, OneDrive, and SharePoint as you type. If you still see no file suggestions, verify that the index includes the correct locations and that you are running a supported version of new Outlook. You can also press Ctrl+E to jump to the search bar and test the feature immediately after making changes.