Communicator Help: Using AOL<sup><font size=-2>®</font></sup> Communicator Mail

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Using AOL Communicator Mail

Searching for Messages

To find a message in a folder quickly, select the folder and type the first few letters of the sender's name or the subject line in the field at the top of the Mail window labeled "Subject or Sender contains:".

As you type, only the messages that match what you have typed so far are displayed.

You can also perform a more advanced search within a folder or within an entire account, as described in the next section.

Advanced Search

Advanced Search allows you to search using a combination of search rules within a folder or within an entire account.

If you are not already viewing Advanced Search, click the Advanced button near the top of the Mail window. You can perform these actions:

- Find messages in: Select the account or folder whose messages you want to search.
  Note: Advanced Search does not work for AOL accounts. It does work for all other types of accounts.
- Search Subfolders: Select this option to search all levels of folders within the selected account or folder.
- Matching rule: Select one of the following options:
  Match all of the following: Only messages that satisfy every rule listed in this window will be listed in the search results.
  Match any of the following: Messages that satisfy any one of the specified rules will be listed in the search results.
- Search rules: Use the area below the matching rule options to specify the search rules:
  From the leftmost drop-down list, select the part of each message you want to search.
  For example, if you choose "recipient," the To, Cc, and Bcc fields of messages in the selected account or folder will be searched. If you choose "body," the body of the messages will also be searched.
  From the next drop-down list to the right, select the kind of comparison you want the search to perform against the message field you just selected.
  In the text field to the right of the drop-down lists, type the text you want to search for in the specified message field.
  Click Add to display another search rule for this filter. Additional search rules will be considered according to the matching rule you selected above.
  To eliminate the bottommost rule, click Remove.

When you are satisfied with your search rules, click Go to initiate the search.

When you click Go, the Results Found area opens up at the bottom of the window to display the messages that meet your search rules. Select a message and click Open to view it, File to move it to a different location, or Delete to remove it from the account or folder.

Adjust your criteria if necessary to refine the search further. To clear the Advanced dialog and start over again, click New Search.

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Last Updated September 16, 2003