Outlook Search Folders Move to Settings with New Filters for Easier Cleanup

Microsoft’s quietly powerful Search Folders in Outlook are being repositioned inside Settings and expanded with a set of new, built-in filters — a change that promises clearer discoverability and faster inbox cleanup, but also raises questions about rollout timing, backward compatibility, and administrative impacts.

Background​

Search Folders are a long-standing Outlook feature: virtual views that gather messages matching specific criteria without moving or copying them. They let you see unread mail, flagged items, messages from particular people, or any other saved search across folders and even across an account’s mailbox. That virtual-folder model is handy for heavy email users who need curated views without changing where messages live. Microsoft’s own documentation still describes how to create and manage Search Folders and the limitations that come with them. Until now, Search Folders have been a folder-tree element users expand and add to from Outlook’s Folder pane. A recent report summarized on a technology site covering Windows and Microsoft ecosystem news says Microsoft plans to move Search Folders into the Settings UI for Outlook, and to add new, predefined Search Folder types such as “mail with attachments,” “old mail,” and “large mail,” plus the ability to limit a Search Folder to a specific mailbox folder. This coverage places the feature as “in development” and indicates Microsoft was targeting a February rollout for desktop and web. Microsoft’s public roadmap entries and ongoing product notes show multiple related items — including plans for “custom search folders” and other search refinements — in varying stages (in development, rolling out, paused), which suggests the company is actively iterating search-related features for the New Outlook and Outlook on the web. Third‑party roadmap aggregators also list IDs and descriptions for search‑related work items.

---

What Microsoft and the Roadmap Say​

The core facts (verified)​

• Search Folders remain a supported construct in Outlook. Microsoft’s help pages document creating and using Search Folders and explicitly call out how to create predefined Search Folders or custom ones in both classic and New Outlook. The product docs are the source of truth for usage and limitations.
• Microsoft is actively developing new search experiences. Roadmap entries and product notes reflect work on search refinements and custom/faceted filtering across Microsoft 365 search surfaces; these entries have tracked features such as “custom search folders” or data-source-specific filters for Copilot search. Roadmap state can change (In Development → Rolling Out → Cancelled), and that is reflected in the public listings.
• Third‑party coverage reports the move to Settings and new folder-level filters. Coverage compiled by a Windows-focused outlet describes the UX change and lists the new canonical Search Folder types (attachments, old mail, large mail) and the folder‑scoped filtering option; it also mentions the feature status as in development with an approximate February arrival window. That coverage aligns with items visible on roadmap aggregators, but it is not an official Microsoft announcement.

What remains unclear / needs confirmation​

• Precise rollout calendar and tenant targeting. Roadmap entries and vendor coverage give estimated months only; Microsoft often staggers releases by rings (Insider → Targeted Release → Standard), and enterprise tenants can have different schedules. Until Microsoft publishes an explicit message in the Microsoft 365 Roadmap with final release dates, declared timings are provisional.
• Exact behavior and scope of “filter by folder.” The new setting to restrict a Search Folder to one or more specific folders is described in the reporting, but product documentation does not yet contain the definitive UI steps or all edge cases (for instance: how this interacts with multiple data files/PSTs, shared mailboxes, or delegated mailboxes). Microsoft docs currently note a couple of Search Folder limitations (for example, cross–.pst Search Folders), and those limits likely still apply until explicitly changed.

Because those points could change, they must be treated as provisional until Microsoft confirms them in official release notes or the Microsoft 365 Roadmap shows a final “Rolling out / Launched” state.

---

What’s Changing: UX, Filters and Predefined Folders​

The UX change: moving Search Folders to Settings​

Shifting Search Folders from the left‑hand folder tree into the Settings area is primarily a discoverability and organization move. Historically, Search Folders lived in the mailbox folder hierarchy and were sometimes overlooked by casual users. Relocating them into Settings is aimed at making them easier to find for both new and existing users, and to align them with other saved-search or view customization options.

• Benefits of the move:
• Better discoverability for casual users who don’t drill into folder panes.
• A centralized place for creating and managing saved views, making it easier to present consistent templates (like Unread, Flagged, Attachments) across client and web.
• Cleaner folder lists for users who prefer the folder tree to be mailbox-only.
• Potential UX friction:
• Users who already rely on Search Folders inside the folder pane may need to adjust muscle memory.
• Third‑party add-ins or scripts that expect a folder‑pane Search Folders node might need updates.

The reported change is consistent with modern UI trends that favor centralized settings controls and configurable templates; however, the value depends on execution — specifically, whether the Settings UI is discoverable and efficient for power users.

New built-in Search Folder types and filters​

Reported new types include:

• Mail with attachments
• Old mail (time-based)
• Large mail
• Other cleanup or review categories oriented toward mailbox maintenance

Additionally, the ability to filter a Search Folder by a specific mailbox folder (for example, “show unread items only from Projects/Invoices”) would be a major quality-of-life improvement for power users who want focused virtual views.
These additions align with Microsoft’s broader direction to add smarter, more prescriptive filters — similar to what the “Filter Email” or “Advanced Search” UI already provides — but packaged as permanent, reusable virtual folders that auto-update as new mail arrives. The practical implication is that users will be able to create "cleanup" Search Folders that immediately surface candidate items for archiving or deletion.

---

Hands‑on: How Search Folders work today (and how they will likely map into the new UI)​

Microsoft’s current help pages explain the canonical operations for Search Folders: create, choose from predefined templates, set criteria, create a custom Search Folder, and delete. The core steps still apply and will likely map to the Settings experience: create → choose type or custom → set criteria (senders, subject, categories, date ranges, folder scope) → save. Practical quick steps (today’s flow that will likely remain similar once Settings-based management arrives):

• Open Outlook (desktop or web).
• Expand the Search Folders node in the Folder Pane.
• Right‑click → New Search Folder.
• Choose a predefined folder (Unread, Flagged, Mail from specific people) or pick Custom and set Criteria → OK.
• The Search Folder updates in real time as emails arrive that match the criteria.

When Microsoft relocates the creation flow to Settings, expect the same criteria-building UI, but with additional convenience:

• One place to view and edit all saved searches (no need to hunt through many data files),
• Templates for common housekeeping tasks,
• Possibly a preview pane or sample results as you configure filters.

Microsoft’s documentation also notes specific limits — for example, search folders can’t span multiple Outlook Data Files (.pst) — and these constraints must be considered when planning folder-scoped views or migrations.

---

Why this matters: benefits for everyday users and admins​

• Faster inbox triage. Prebuilt views like “mail with attachments” or “large mail” let users quickly find attachments that should be downloaded and archived, or identify heavy items clogging quotas.
• Simplified cleanup workflows. An “old mail” Search Folder is an ideal candidate for targeted archiving or retention policy enforcement; users and admins can pair it with retention labels to tidy mailboxes.
• Better power-user ergonomics. Folder-scoped Search Folders give users the ability to maintain project- or client-specific virtual views without scattering copies.
• Consistency across clients. If Microsoft ships the feature for both web and desktop at the same time, users will experience synchronized behavior across platforms — a perennial pain point for multi-device workflows. Roadmap listings already indicate cross-platform intent for many search enhancements.

From an administrative perspective:

• Reduced support burden for users who previously asked how to filter or locate specific classes of messages.
• Opportunity to enable retention and compliance scenarios using predictable, discoverable saved searches combined with policies.

---

Risks, compatibility and governance concerns​

These upgrades are useful, but several real risks and caveats deserve attention.

1. Rollout variability and timing​

Microsoft’s roadmap is dynamic. Items can be delayed, paused, or cancelled. Third‑party reporting can reflect roadmap intent but not final delivery; the February window in the coverage should be considered estimated, not contractual. Administrators should plan pilots and communications conservatively until Microsoft sets a final rolling schedule.

2. Behavioral and compatibility caveats​

• Legacy clients and PST boundaries. Search Folders have historically had limitations (for example, not spanning multiple PST files). If an organization uses local PST archives or mixed classic + New Outlook clients, behavior could change or remain constrained. Microsoft’s help pages still list such limits; they should be tested in mixed environments.
• Add‑in and automation impacts. Scripts, third‑party add‑ins, or admin automation that expect Search Folders to appear in the folder tree may break or produce confusing UI when Search Folders live in Settings.
• Performance and indexing. More complex or folder-limited saved searches can increase indexing or server search load; large organizations should evaluate performance on pilot tenants before broad rollout.

3. Security and privacy​

• Search scoping and data exposure. Virtual views make it easy to aggregate messages. While that’s a usability win, it also means that shared mailboxes or delegated access contexts require careful review — an innocuous Search Folder could surface sensitive content more broadly if folder scoping isn’t used carefully.
• Device compliance and access blocks. Microsoft’s increasing emphasis on device compliance has led to stricter access controls for Intune-managed mail access. News coverage alongside the Search Folders story called out Intune-managed email access blocks on non-compliant devices — an example of how changes in device/compliance posture can intersect with feature behavior. Admins should align Search Folder rollout with access policies.

---

Actionable guidance for IT teams and power users​

For IT admins (priority checklist)​

• Watch the Microsoft 365 Roadmap and finalize pilot dates only after the feature status moves to “Rolling Out” or Microsoft publishes tenant-targeting details.
• Create a pilot group (small cross-section of knowledge workers, mail-heavy users, and delegates) to validate behavior in the tenant’s real-world setups.
• Test interactions with retention and DLP policies. Confirm that Search Folders reflect expected items and that retention policy actions (e.g., auto-archive, disposition) behave as intended.
• Validate delegated and shared mailbox cases, ensuring Search Folder scoping does not unintentionally expose or hide messages.
• Update support documentation and knowledge‑base articles describing where Search Folders will live and how to create the new presets from Settings.

For end users and power users​

• Try the new presets (when available) and use folder scoping to create focused views for specific projects.
• Use Search Folders as part of a cleanup routine: identify large/old/attachment-heavy mail, move/archive or apply retention labels, then delete the originals as appropriate.
• If you rely on the classic folder-pane behavior today, be prepared to adopt a slightly different workflow and pin or favorite the most‑used Search Folders if that option is supported.

---

Strengths and limitations — a critical assessment​

Notable strengths​

• Improved discoverability and standardization. Centralizing saved searches in Settings should help users discover the capability and adopt consistent cleanup patterns.
• Practical built-in filters. Predefined views for attachments, large mail, and old mail map directly to common user tasks and mailbox quota management.
• Alignment with cloud-first search improvements. The work fits into Microsoft’s broader direction to provide smarter refinement options and Copilot/search enhancements across Microsoft 365.

Potential weaknesses and risks​

• Timing and execution risk. Roadmap items are evolving; plans may shift. Public reporting often precedes final product decisions. Administrators should consider that dates and feature details may change.
• Compatibility and power-user friction. Power users who automate or script Outlook may face breakage if the UI and folder-pane behavior change substantially.
• Incomplete documentation at launch. New or moved features can ship without complete docs or admin controls; this has historically caused confusion during the “New Outlook” transitions.

---

Practical examples and scenarios​

Scenario 1 — Project triage​

A consultant uses a folder tree per client and receives dozens of attachments per week. With a “mail with attachments” Search Folder scoped to ClientA folder, the consultant can:

• Open the Search Folder,
• Download and save attachments to the client file system,
• Apply a label/retention policy for client records,
• Delete or archive the original message.

This workflow reduces manual per-folder searches and improves auditability.

Scenario 2 — Mailbox cleanup before migration​

An IT admin preparing mailboxes for migration can use “old mail” and “large mail” Search Folders to identify candidates for archival and quota reduction, simplifying migration and lowering storage costs.

---

Final analysis and recommendation​

Moving Outlook Search Folders into Settings and adding practical, built-in filters is a logical, user-focused step that modernizes how users discover and use virtual saved searches. The change fits Microsoft’s broader push to make search more powerful and more discoverable across desktop and web clients. When executed well, this will be a clear win for both casual users who have never found Search Folders and power users who want focused cleanup tools.
However, the benefits come with important caveats: roadmap timing is provisional, technical limits (PST boundaries, delegation, indexing) still apply, and admins need to plan for compatibility and governance. Organizations should pilot early, align the rollout with Intune and access policies, and update internal support material to reduce friction.
Short-term action items:

• Track the Microsoft 365 Roadmap and official release notes.
• Prepare a small pilot to validate search behavior against your tenant’s configuration and compliance posture.
• Educate users on the new location (Settings), the predefined filters, and folder‑scoped Search Folders as soon as the feature becomes available.

Search Folders are a deceptively powerful productivity tool; bringing them into Settings and giving them practical, out‑of‑the‑box filters could transform inbox cleanup into a routine maintenance task rather than an occasional chore — provided Microsoft finalizes the rollout cleanly and administrators treat the change as part of a larger, policy‑aware deployment.

---

Other reading and reference points used to validate the story include Microsoft’s Search Folders documentation and current Microsoft 365 roadmap entries, as well as recent reporting that summarized the planned UI move and the new filter presets.

---

Source: Windows Report https://windowsreport.com/outlook-search-folders-move-to-settings-with-new-filters-on-the-way/