Weekly Computer Tip # 406
4 October 2013


Search for messages sent to a particular person during a certain period of time (Outlook 2010)

Last year I told you how to use Outlook's Instant Search box to reduce irrelevant search results (see tip_376.php if you missed it). This week I got an email from a friend telling me her email hadn't been working for a while and that messages sent to her might have sunk into the virtual swamp. So, inspired by her (thanks, Sally!) this week's tip is about how to search for messages sent to a particular person during a specific period.

Here's how:

  1. Open Outlook's Sent Items folder.
  2. Press CTRL + E to jump to the Instant Search box and activate the Search Tools ribbon.
  3. Click on the To button and type (part of) the recipient's email address. (As you will notice - if you look at your screen, rather than your keyboard - search results will be displayed as you type.)
  4. Click on the drop-down arrow next to the This Week button and filter your search results based on when the message was sent (e.g. last month).

If you cannot find what you are looking for, click on the All Mail Items button on the Search Tools ribbon, so that it won't just look in the Sent Items folder, but also in all the subfolders.

Until next time.