38. Search Outlook with Google Desktop

BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Search Your PC with Google Desktop
Browse Search Results

Outlook users have an additional bonus when they use Google Desktopit integrates directly into Outlook. This allows you to search your Outlook email using Google Desktop, without actually leaving Outlook.

Turn on the Google Desktop Toolbar

If you want to search your messages in Outlook using Google Desktop, you must turn on the special Google Desktop toolbar. From within Outlook, choose View, Toolbars, Google Desktop Toolbar so that there is a check mark next to that option. An input text box appears in the Outlook toolbar, next to an icon for the Google Desktop.

Enter Your Search Term

In the input text box in the Outlook toolbar, enter your search term or terms and press Enter or click the Google Desktop Search icon. Google searches all text in the email messages: text in the To, From, CC, and BCC lines; text in the Subject line; the text of the message itself; as well as the message's header information.

Browse the Results

A new window opens, listing the search results. For each email message that matches your search terms, you see who sent the message, the message subject, the date of the message, and the beginning of the message text.

Read the Message

To read any message, double-click it in the results page. The message opens in Outlook. You can now use the message as you would normally.

Note

When you use Outlook integration to search with Google Desktop, you are only able to search through your email. The Google Desktop integrated into Outlook won't find contacts, appointments, or any other kind of Outlook information other than what's contained in your email messages. However, the standard Google Desktop normally finds that kind of Outlook information, so if you're looking for contacts or appointment details, search using Google Desktop, but not from within Outlook.

View Other Results

If you want to see other search results using the normal Google Desktop interface, click the more Google Desktop results link at the top of the results page. You go to the Google Desktop search results page, which returns information found in addition to Outlook's email.