Searching Mail on iPad and iPhone

Question

gswank2 Author

Level 1

39 points

Searching Mail on iPad and iPhone

Both in my iPad and iPhone searching Mail only brings up emails that I've sent. Why can't I find emails from others?

iPad 2, iOS 8.3

Posted on Apr 12, 2015 3:50 PM

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Answer 1

judysings

Community Specialist

Apr 15, 2015 2:51 PM in response to gswank2

Hello gswank2,

If you want to search in your incoming mailbox, select the email account you want or select All Inboxes if you have multiple email accounts. Then type your search keywords in the inbox. See the diagram below:

Write messages - iPhone
http://help.apple.com/iphone/8/#/iph3caef30a

Hope that helps ...

- Judy

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Answer 2

gswank2 Author

Level 1

39 points

Apr 21, 2015 1:45 PM in response to judysings

Thanks, but this is what I've been doing all along. I just checked again. Even if I start the search from an "Incoming" box, it still only finds messages that I've sent. Nothing that originated from someone else shows up.

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Answer 3

judysings

Community Specialist

Apr 23, 2015 10:49 AM in response to gswank2

Hi gswank2,

Since you are having the same issue with multiple email accounts on two different iOS devices, I think it would be helpful to contact one of our technical support advisors so they can delve deeper into the issue that seems to be specific to your data.

https://getsupport.apple.com/GetproductgroupList.action

- Judy

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Answer 4

gswank2 Author

Level 1

39 points

Apr 23, 2015 1:41 PM in response to judysings

OK, thanks. I'm going to be in the Apple store tonight. Maybe they can help me. If not, I'll follow your suggestion.

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Answer 5

Jun 27, 2015 1:17 PM in response to gswank2

This iOS mail search problem is so emphatically NOT "specific to your data," and any Apple employee that would suggest that it is, is either incompetent or lying. This search issue with Mail is a longstanding, system-wide problem that affects a huge percentage of users.

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Answer 6

gswank2 Author

Level 1

39 points

Jun 27, 2015 3:35 PM in response to judysings

The problem is solved, and it was due to my own lack of clear thinking about how things work. I'm describing it here with the thought that it might help some other person.

I READ email from whatever device is handy, but I MANAGE my email from my desk. On the desktop in Mail I have an "Archive" folder to which I direct all mail that I want to save. This folder is a function of my iCloud account.

Previously when searching for emails in iOS I was using the search box for "All Inboxes." However, those old emails weren't in any inbox; they were in the archive folder. Once I woke up and smelled the coffee, I started navigating to my Archive folder. Searching there solved the problem. I haven't had any issues since. So...it wasn't Apple's fault; just my own lack of awareness.

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