Mail (Yosemite): If searching doesn’t find the right messages

  • The results show messages from the mailbox highlighted in the Favorites bar. If a specific mailbox is highlighted, try clicking All to search all mailboxes.
  • Mail may not be looking in the Trash or Junk mailboxes, or searching encrypted messages. To include them when searching all mailboxes, choose Mail > Preferences, click General, then select the options.
  • You may need to sync the mailboxes on your Mac with those on the mail server. Choose Mailbox > Synchronize > [account].
  • The Mail folder (located in your home Library folder) may be excluded from Spotlight searching. To check, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Spotlight, then click Privacy.
Last Modified: Feb 4, 2015
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