Apple mail search not working sierra

Frustrating! Apple Mail search not working on macOS Sierra can be a real pain. Let's troubleshoot together to get it up and running again.

Here are some potential solutions to try:

  1. Restart Apple Mail: Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve the issue. Quit Apple Mail, then relaunch it.
  2. Check for updates: Ensure that your macOS and Apple Mail are up to date. Go to System Preferences > Software Update, and install any available updates.
  3. Reset Apple Mail: Try resetting Apple Mail by going to System Preferences > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Reset, and then select "Reset Apple Mail."
  4. Check your search criteria: Make sure you're using the correct search criteria. Try searching for a specific word or phrase, and see if that works.
  5. Check your mailbox: Ensure that the mailbox you're searching is not empty or corrupted. Try searching in a different mailbox or creating a new one.
  6. Disable and re-enable search: Go to System Preferences > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Accounts > [Your Account] > Advanced > Search. Uncheck the "Enable Search" box, then re-check it.
  7. Check for conflicts with other apps: Other apps might be interfering with Apple Mail's search functionality. Try closing any other email clients or apps that might be running in the background.
  8. Reset NLS (Natural Language Search): Apple Mail uses NLS to perform searches. Try resetting NLS by running the following command in the Terminal:
    defaults write com.apple.mail NaturalLanguageSearchEnabled -bool false

    Then, restart Apple Mail.

  9. Re-index your mail database: Sometimes, the mail database can become corrupted, causing search issues. Try re-indexing your mail database by running the following command in the Terminal:
    mbsync -c
  10. Reinstall Apple Mail: As a last resort, you can try reinstalling Apple Mail. Go to System Preferences > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Reset, and then select "Reset Apple Mail." This will remove all your email accounts and settings, so be sure to back up your data before doing so.

If none of these solutions work, you may want to consider seeking assistance from Apple Support or a professional IT expert.

I hope one of these solutions helps you get Apple Mail search working again on your macOS Sierra system!