Can outlook search server when looking for mail
Yes, Outlook can search the server when looking for mail. This is known as "server-side search" or "remote search". When you search for mail in Outlook, it can send the search query to the Exchange server or the mail server (e.g. Office 365, Gmail, etc.) to search for matching messages on the server. This allows you to search across all your mailboxes, including those on the server, without having to download all the emails to your local machine.
Here are some scenarios where Outlook can search the server:
- Exchange Server: If you're using an Exchange Server, Outlook can search the server's Global Address List (GAL) and mailbox databases to find matching messages.
- Office 365: When you search in Outlook Online or Outlook Desktop connected to Office 365, the search query is sent to the Office 365 servers, which then search the mailboxes on the server.
- Gmail: If you're using Gmail, Outlook can search the Gmail server using the Gmail API. This allows you to search across all your Gmail mailboxes, including those on the server.
- IMAP/POP3: When you connect to an IMAP or POP3 server, Outlook can search the server's mailboxes using the IMAP or POP3 protocol.
To enable server-side search in Outlook, make sure you have the following settings configured:
- Exchange Server: Ensure that your Exchange Server is configured to allow server-side search.
- Office 365: Ensure that your Office 365 account is configured to allow server-side search.
- Gmail: Ensure that your Gmail account is configured to allow API access.
- IMAP/POP3: Ensure that your IMAP or POP3 server is configured to allow search queries.
When you search for mail in Outlook, you may see a progress bar or a spinning wheel indicating that the search is being performed on the server. This is a sign that Outlook is using server-side search to find the matching messages.