Big sur mail search not working

Frustrating!

Big Sur's Mail app can be finicky at times. Let's try some troubleshooting steps to get your Mail search working again:

  1. Restart your Mac: Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve the issue. Try restarting your Mac and then open Mail to see if the search function works.
  2. Check for updates: Ensure that your Mac and Mail app are up to date. Go to System Preferences > Software Update and check for any available updates.
  3. Reset the Mail database: Resetting the Mail database can sometimes resolve issues with search and other Mail functions. To do this:
    • Quit Mail.
    • Go to the Terminal app (located in Applications/Utilities).
    • Type the following command and press Enter: sqlite3 ~/Library/Mail/V2/Mail.db.reset
    • Restart Mail and try searching again.
  4. Check your search settings: Make sure that the search settings are correct:
    • Go to Mail > Preferences > Accounts > [Your Account] > Search.
    • Ensure that the "Search" option is enabled and set to "All Mailboxes" or the specific mailbox you want to search.
  5. Check for duplicate emails: If you have duplicate emails in your mailbox, it can cause search issues. Try deleting any duplicate emails or using the "Find Duplicates" feature in Mail to identify and merge them.
  6. Check for corrupted emails: Corrupted emails can also cause search issues. Try deleting any corrupted emails or using the "Find Corrupted" feature in Mail to identify and repair them.
  7. Reset the Mail app: If none of the above steps work, you can try resetting the Mail app:
    • Quit Mail.
    • Go to the Terminal app (located in Applications/Utilities).
    • Type the following command and press Enter: defaults delete com.apple.mail
    • Restart Mail and try searching again.
  8. Reinstall Mail: If all else fails, you can try reinstalling Mail:
    • Go to the App Store and download the Mail app again.
    • Install the app and set up your account again.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may want to consider seeking assistance from Apple Support or a professional Mac administrator.