How to ensure Windows is indexing my Outlook 2010 emails? I have thousands of emails and want to be able to search them by key words.

Windows use a single indexing tool called Windows Desktop Search (WDS) to index types of files including emails on your computer provide the search function on the "Start" button or inside applications like Outlook.

So if you want use the search function inside Outlook 2010, you need to ensure "Microsoft Office Outlook" is listed as the "Included Locations" in Windows Indexing Options.

1. Click "Start" button, search and run "Indexing Options". The Indexing Options dialog box will show up.

2. In the Indexing Options dialog box, make sure that Microsoft Outlook is listed in the Included Locations column.

3. If Microsoft Office Outlook is not listed, click Modify, and then click to enable the check box next to Outlook.

4. Click OK and Close the dialog box.

5. If you have multiple email archive files that are stored some other folders, you need to included those folders in the "Included Locations".

⇒ Indexing .pst and .ost Files for Outlook 2010

⇐ "No matches found" Error in Outlook 2010

⇑ Using Office Outlook 2010

⇑⇑ MS Outlook - Frequently Asked Questions