Big application search box shows up in Outlook

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https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/outlook-2016-app-search-bar/256cdc0a-12d5-4cfc-bf32-04f254ddeccf

Per Carl Katz

This worked for me. Close all Office apps. Then open CMD with elevated permissions (as administrator) and use this command:

“C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ClickToRun\OfficeC2RClient.exe” /update user updatetoversion=16.0.17029.20108

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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lmacri

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From https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/outlook-2019-app-search-field/6847e306-5fa5-4c89-92c2-759972bd4882?page=5

For anyone that is a sysadmin and working on domain, use the latest Office 2021/2019/2016 ADMX to prevent the updates from pushing to your users.

I am pushing it to machines instead of user accounts, so I navigate to the following:

Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Office 2016 (Machine) -> Updates -> Prevent Office from being updated to a specific version

Enable the policy, enter 16.0.17231.20182:16.0.17126.20132|16.0.17231.20194:16.0.17126.20132

Proceed to save and push policy out to users.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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It appears to me that everyone affected by this still has their Outlook search box at the top of the message list, where it used to be until moved to the title bar four years ago. Are they all using some unsupported registry hack to put search back where it is no longer expected to be?

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https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/outlook-unexpectedly-has-an-app-search-bar-above-the-message-list-c1bed629-0d4e-42d4-b66e-877cccb74b47

It’s the reading pane position triggering the issue.

Microsoft documents the same view in their post so clearly it’s still a normal position.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Mr. Austin

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This Microsoft Support page seems to show that Outlook search was moved to the title bar for all supported versions:

Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021, Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2007
…
To start your search, click the Search box at the top of the Outlook window.
…
You can find the search box at the top of the screen whether you are using the Simplified Ribbon or the Classic Ribbon.

How to search in Outlook

I’ve been running the mentioned Outlook Version 2402 Build 17231.20182 for the last four days on two computers and my search box is normal (on the title bar):

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You can’t argue with customers saying that they are impacted,b.  Nor with the fact that Microsoft is saying it’s an issue and they are fixing it.  They are not being told it’s a four year old registry hack.

It’s a bug.

 

This is my complaint about the current system of Office.  NONE of us know what is NORMAL anymore.  My office with no hacks or workarounds may look totally different than yours.  With the C2r with the perpetual, with the monthly, with the semi annual, there are enough versions and dribbled releases and quite honestly no good confirmation that documentation is up to date, nor can you tell when it’s updated anymore without going into html coding (and I’m not sure they still have that trick anymore).

Then layer on the different licenses.  I had to totally rip out Office from my home PC and reinstall it from scratch to get something working.  A prior license wouldn’t let me get the version of Office I wanted.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Cybertooth, lmacri, Mr. Austin

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Susan Bradley wrote:

You can’t argue with customers saying that they are impacted,b.  Nor with the fact that Microsoft is saying it’s an issue and they are fixing it.  They are not being told it’s a four year old registry hack.

It’s a bug.

I’m not arguing with anyone, but I’m curious about why just some are affected by this while many (including me) are not. It must be more than just the width of the reading pane on the right. And I wonder if when the bug is fixed all search boxes will be back on the title bar.

Susan Bradley wrote:

This is my complaint about the current system of Office. NONE of us know what is NORMAL anymore. My office with no hacks or workarounds may look totally different than yours.

Do you have any copies of Outlook where the search box is not on the title bar now?

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Hi Susan:

Thanks for posting about this.  I just noticed the same oversized app search box a few days ago, but I don’t think I had this problem until my MS Outlook 2019 C2R updated to Version 2401 / Build 17231.20194 (v16.0.17231.20194, released 30-Jan-2024) – see attached image.

Microsoft is aware of the problem and their 02-Feb-2024 support article Outlook unexpectedly has an App Search bar above the message list, which states in part:

“The Outlook Team has implemented a fix for this issue and currently anticipates it to go out in the February 13th public update.  We will update here if that changes…”

That support article has a few suggested workarounds and only lists perpetual versions of MS Office 2016 / 2019 / 2021 C2R as affected products so I’m not sure if Microsoft 365 has this bug as well.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3930 * Firefox v122.0.0 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23110.3-1.1.23110.2 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.8.311-1.0.2249 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Office Home and Business Version 2401 / Build 17231.20194 Click-to-Run

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Cybertooth, Mr. Austin

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I was just going to post about this annoyance and ask how to solve it. I have a stand-alone license of Office Home and Business 2019. Microsoft is making unwelcome changes to the code I already purchased. I didn’t purchase a subscription. I purchased a stand-alone license which I expect them to leave alone and not break it.

Human, who sports only naturally-occurring DNA ~ oneironaut ~ broadcaster

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windbg, Cybertooth, cyberSAR

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Mr. Austin wrote:

I was just going to post about this annoyance and ask how to solve it. I have a stand-alone license of Office Home and Business 2019. Microsoft is making unwelcome changes to the code I already purchased. I didn’t purchase a subscription. I purchased a stand-alone license which I expect them to leave alone and not break it.

Totally agree.  Thanks for the solid perspective.  Think back to a couple of months ago when MS forced the “New Outlook” onto folks who have single-user standalone office installations — and Outlook’s send/receive was disabled for a week or more.  Good grief.  Security updates for Windows and Office are fine, but leave the UI alone.  Does MS even (or ever) “get the message” in this regard?  With tens (or hundreds?) of thousands of employees & contractors, you’d think they could monitor sites like this.  Heaven knows they don’t do much in regard to product development (i.e., Microsoft Project) which is STILL basically the same crippled program that it was back in 1995 (Win95).

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Cybertooth

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lmacri wrote:

That support article has a few suggested workarounds and only lists perpetual versions of MS Office 2016 / 2019 / 2021 C2R as affected products

These days I use Outlook only for e-mail and contact management, and only on 2 Windows boxes. Years ago I took my calendar and to-do functions to a different, free calendar system which we use on our Apple phones. Maybe this recent annoyance could be my cue to see what other programs are better for my needs – rather than the Outlook program from an arrogant, imperious company which changes the fundamental usage characteristics of the program without notice.

Human, who sports only naturally-occurring DNA ~ oneironaut ~ broadcaster

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windbg, Cybertooth

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Microsoft is making unwelcome changes to the code I already purchased. I didn’t purchase a subscription. I purchased a stand-alone license which I expect them to leave alone and not break it.

As much as I hated doing so, this is the reason I have disabled updates on my Office suite. BTW how many years have people been pleading for a unified inbox in Outlook for Windows?

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windbg, Cybertooth

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cyberSAR wrote:

this is the reason I have disabled updates on my Office suite

As I wrote my last post here in this thread I was wondering if I should do that.

Human, who sports only naturally-occurring DNA ~ oneironaut ~ broadcaster

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windbg

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Mr. Austin wrote:

I have a stand-alone license of Office Home and Business 2019. Microsoft is making unwelcome changes to the code I already purchased. I didn’t purchase a subscription. I purchased a stand-alone license which I expect them to leave alone and not break it.

Purchasing a standalone license doesn’t void Microsoft’s ownership of Office.
Microsoft can do what ever it pleases with its software.

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STATUS: FIXED

The Outlook Team implemented a fix for this issue in Version 2401 Build 17231.20236. The fixed build is available starting on 2/13/24. To install the update immediately select File, Office Account, Update Options, Update Now.

If you used the workaround to revert, make sure to re-enable updates by selecting File, Office Account, Update Options, Enable Updates.

Outlook unexpectedly has an App Search bar above the message list –Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016

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Mr. Austin, lmacri

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b wrote:

The Outlook Team implemented a fix for this issue in Version 2401 Build 17231.20236. The fixed build is available starting on 2/13/24. To install the update immediately select File, Office Account, Update Options, Update Now.

Merci. This succeeded on a standalone license of Office 2019 Home & Business. Although the machine affected had automatically checked for updates earlier in the day, the fix was not applied until I did what you posted.

I also unchecked the Windows Update box which allows update to check at the same time on other Microsoft products.

Human, who sports only naturally-occurring DNA ~ oneironaut ~ broadcaster

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That has no impact on office click to run

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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b wrote:

STATUS: FIXED The Outlook Team implemented a fix for this issue in Version 2401 Build 17231.20236. The fixed build is available starting on 2/13/24 …

Hi Susan:

Just confirming that the oversized app search box in my MS Outlook 2019 (see the image attached to my 02-Feb-2024 post # 2633848) disappeared after my MS Office 2019 C2R was automatically updated to Version 2401 / Build 17231.20236 on 16-Feb-2024.  I now see:

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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4046 * Firefox v122.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23110.3-1.1.24010.10 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.8.311-1.0.2259 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Office Home and Business Version 2401 / 17231.20236 Click-to-Run

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