“No results found” – Search query returns no results, even though items exist.

If your SharePoint search is returning “No results found” even though items exist, it usually indicates an issue with indexing, query processing, permissions, or search schema settings. Below is a comprehensive step-by-step troubleshooting guide to resolve this issue.

---

Step 1: Verify That Content Exists and Is Accessible

Before troubleshooting SharePoint Search, ensure that the content you’re trying to search for actually exists in SharePoint and is accessible to the user.

1. Navigate to the SharePoint document library, list, or site where the missing content is stored.
2. Manually browse to verify the content is present.
3. If you are searching for a specific document or item, copy its exact title and attempt a search using that title.

---

Step 2: Confirm That Search is Enabled for the Site

Sometimes, search may be disabled for the entire SharePoint site or specific lists and libraries.

2.1: Enable Search for the Site

1. Go to the SharePoint Site where search is failing.
2. Click on the gear icon (⚙ Settings) > Site Settings.
3. Under Search, select Search and Offline Availability.
4. Make sure that “Allow this site to appear in search results?” is set to Yes.
5. Click OK and try searching again.

2.2: Enable Search for Document Libraries and Lists

1. Navigate to the Library/List where the content exists.
2. Click Library Settings or List Settings.
3. Under General Settings, click Advanced Settings.
4. Scroll to Search and make sure the option “Allow items from this document library to appear in search results?” is set to Yes.
5. Click OK and test search again.

---

Step 3: Verify User Permissions

Search results are security-trimmed in SharePoint, meaning users will not see results for content they do not have permission to access.

1. Navigate to the library or list containing the missing content.
2. Click Library Settings or List Settings.
3. Click Permissions for this document library.
4. Ensure that users have at least Read access.
5. If unique permissions are set on individual files, ensure that those permissions are correctly configured.

---

Step 4: Check the Crawl Log for Errors

If SharePoint Search is not indexing content, items will not appear in search results.

1. Go to Central Administration.
2. Click Manage Service Applications.
3. Select Search Service Application.
4. Click Crawl Log.
5. Look for errors such as:
   • Access denied – Permission issue.
   • Not crawled – Content is blocked from indexing.
   • Error retrieving content – Indicates potential connectivity issues.

If errors are found, address them before proceeding.

---

Step 5: Check Search Index Status

Search relies on an up-to-date index to return results. If indexing is incomplete or corrupted, search will fail.

1. Go to Central Administration > Search Service Application.
2. Click Index Reset.
3. Click Reset Now (Caution: This will remove the entire index and require a full crawl).
4. After resetting, perform a full crawl.

---

Step 6: Perform a Full Crawl

If the index is out of sync, a full crawl can help.

1. Navigate to Central Administration > Manage Service Applications.
2. Click Search Service Application.
3. Under Crawling, click Content Sources.
4. Select the appropriate content source (e.g., SharePoint Sites).
5. Click Start Full Crawl.
6. Wait for the crawl to complete, then try searching again.

---

Step 7: Check Search Schema

Search may not return results if key metadata fields (like Title, Content, and Author) are not indexed.

1. Go to Central Administration > Search Service Application.
2. Click Search Schema.
3. Verify that important Managed Properties (e.g., Title, Content, Author) are mapped to Crawled Properties.
4. If missing, add them manually.
5. Save changes and perform a full crawl.

---

Step 8: Test Search Using the SharePoint Search Query Tool

To diagnose search issues, use the SharePoint Search Query Tool.

1. Download the tool from GitHub.
2. Connect it to your Search Service Application.
3. Enter a test query and check if results are retrieved.
4. If results appear here but not in SharePoint Search UI, it indicates a display template issue.

---

Step 9: Clear Search Cache and Restart Services

If search still isn’t working, try clearing the cache and restarting services.

1. Open SharePoint Management Shell as Administrator.
2. Run: net stop osearch15 net start osearch15 iisreset
3. After restarting, wait for a few minutes and try searching again.

---

Step 10: Recreate the Search Service Application (If Needed)

If everything else fails, you may need to rebuild the Search Service Application.

1. Backup the current search settings.
2. Delete the existing Search Service Application.
3. Create a new Search Service Application.
4. Configure it properly and perform a full crawl.

---