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How to search for words in .txt documents received in Outlook

Hi all,

Hope you are well.

Could you let me know how I could search for keywords in .txt attachments received in Outlook files? I can’t seem to find certain documents. Thanks

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Hi Isabelinha, hope you're doing well. I’m Ian, an Independent Advisor and Microsoft user like you.
I'm sorry to hear about this issue.

If you are using Outlook client you can search the attachment by filename.
You can use the criteria below. 
attachments:presentation.pptx

This means search for items that have attachments named presentation.pptx or an attachment that contains presentation.pptx within its contents.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/lear...

This is a user-to-user support forum and I am a fellow user.
I hope this helps, but please let me know if you need anything else.

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Hi Ian,

Thank you for your prompt support. However the file name does not contain the name or keyword itself, only inside the documents (notices for business purposes). I have no issue searching for let’s say the keyword “helios” and getting a pdf with a different file name as well but it reads the word helios inside the pdf but if it’s a .txt (notepad) document it doesn’t seem to happen. Does the search only happen for .xls, .pdf, .pptx or .docx files?

Thank you

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>> Does the search only happen for .xls, .pdf, .pptx or .docx files?
.txt files are searched here, in my Exchange account.

What type of email account do you have configured in Outlook? POP, IMAP, Outlook.com, or Microsoft Exchange? It might only work with exchange accounts. I'll test it with a pop account.
--
Diane Poremsky
M365 MVP, specializing in Outlook, Exchange, and Microsoft 365 apps.

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Hi Diane, 

Thank you for your prompt support. We do have a Microsoft Exchange account. Yes we can only search for key words inside pptx, xls and docx and pdf format. 

Could they be encrypted even if we are able to open them easily without a password?

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I don't think txt files can be encrypted. It's more likely a text filter is missing.

It's working here with an IMAP account - so its working with the windows desktop search.

Check the Search options - you can get into it from outlook options or from control panel - on file types, is text set to index file contents?
--
Diane Poremsky
M365 MVP, specializing in Outlook, Exchange, and Microsoft 365 apps.

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Last updated October 10, 2023 Views 300 Applies to: