Search for a Contact in Outlook Address List
This article covers how to search for a contact or email address in the Outlook address book.
These instructions were created on a PC but the Mac instructions are similar.
Search for a Contact from Your Computer
1. Begin your search from...
Create a new email, then click "To..."
In the menu bar, click the "Address Book" icon.
2. Click the Address Book drop-down, then select Global Address List.
Selecting the Global Address List will ensure you are selecting contacts from the campus directory and are seeing the most updated version of the list. Select Contacts listed under your mailbox account to see any contacts created in the personal contact list.
- Click the drop-down for the address book.
- Select the Global Address List.
3. In the search window, type the name of a contact. Then, click the arrow button to search. Double-click on the contact name to whom you want to send an email.
Under Name Only you will only be able to search for contact members by their last name or department name. To search by other fields in the contact, change the search option to More columns or use Advanced Find.
- Enter the name of a contact.
- Click the arrow button to pull up search results.
- Double click on the contact that you want to add to the To line of the email.
Search using More Columns and Advanced Find
Select the More columns radio button. Then, type the contact information that you want to search and click the arrow button. Double-click the contact you want to select.
You will only be able to search fields identified in the contact address book. Look at Advanced Find to see the fields you can search.
- Select More columns to search for a contact by email address, first or last name, etc.
- Type the contact name you want to search.
- Click the arrow button.
- Only the contacts that match the name typed will populate in the search result window. Double-click on the desired contact name.
3.2.1. Type the name or data you want to search in a field, then click OK.
- Type the contact's information in any of the advanced fields.
- Click OK.
3.2.2. The list of contact(s) will populate based on the data typed in the field. Double-click the contact you want to select.
If you cannot find a contact in the address book, make sure you have included spaces, hyphens, etc. as they should appear in the name. You will need to type the name exactly as it appears in the address book in order for them to populate in the search result window.
- Based on the data typed in the Advanced Find field, data is retrieved from the address book.
- Double-click on the desired contact name you are looking for from the search window.
4. If the contact was searched...
- Click a name to highlight the contact.
- Click a button to populate the contact into that line (i.e. To, Cc, Bcc).
- Click OK.
4.1.1. The contact is populated into the email.
Search for a Contact using Outlook on the web.
These instructions can are the same for PC and Mac.
1. Log into Outlook on the web.
2. Access the People icon...
1. Click the people icon.
2. Select Directory.
1. Click the grid square in the top left corner to open the App launcher.
2. Search for the People icon.
- Type people in the search field.
- Click the People icon.
3. The directory will open, allowing you to search all campus accounts.
3. Type a contact name into the Search Directory window. Select a name from the menu. If the contact you want doesn't show up in the drop-down, click the magnifying glass to show more results.
Instead of clicking the magnifying glass, you can hit Enter on a PC or Return on a Mac to view additional search results.
- Enter a name in the search field.
- Select a name from the drop-down menu.
OR - Click the magnifying glass or hit Enter/Return to view additional search results.
4. Click on an contact to display their contact information.
Need More Help?
Contact the IT Help Desk at [email protected] or 657-278-7777 for additional assistance.