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Search not working in Apple's Mail Application in Big Sur

Friends,


Once I upgraded to Big Sur, I'm having issues with Apple Mail not being able to return a successful search query. I type the search term in the search box, hit return and I often get the search screen and the eclipses ...but it never returns a hit. (These are known good searches.) I've tried selecting "All Inboxes" in the left hand column, and that doesn't work. I've tried rebuilding the inboxes ....with no apparent improvement. Basically, if I can't solve this issue I'm going to have to look for a different email client.


Any hints?

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Dec 9, 2020 9:04 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 15, 2020 5:27 AM

Thanks, SnickZ!


Well, I had done all the items in the link you provided, but none of them seemed to fix the issue.


However, I did download the Big Sur update yesterday, and it seemed to fix the issue. Knock wood!


Thanks again!


KJ

5 replies

Jan 5, 2021 4:58 PM in response to SnickZ.

Thanks SnickZ -


Unfortunately, the problem is not with the configuration or the data being searched. The problem is with the Big Sur mail.app. Search eventually fail to work correctly and with it "Smart Folders." Mail was ok before Big Sur. Now, search fails after mail has been running and/or after several invocations of search via Smart Folders. Apple MUST be aware of these issues. I've reported and supplied log files. When is a fix expected?


thanks


Rob

Jan 6, 2021 7:07 PM in response to pas_s

I really, really wanted your solution to work. Unfortunately: no dice.


A "new" search tool on the toolbar did not help -- I immediately made use of it and it immediately failed -- there was no display of "hits" in response to a name I choose from autocomplete. Mail simply does not respond; the list of emails was entirely unaffected by search of any kind, choosing from among any directory.


This symptom often does not appear until after mail has been running and/or used extensively.


There is a glitch in Spotlight search from time to time as well -- I do not know if it is related.


thanks


Rob



Search not working in Apple's Mail Application in Big Sur

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