What is the difference between folders and search folders in Microsoft outlook?

In Microsoft Outlook, folders and search folders serve different purposes:

Folders:

1. Storage: Folders are used to store emails. You can create folders to organize your emails by categories, projects, or any other criteria.
2. Physical Location: Each folder physically contains the items you move into it. For example, if you move an email to a “Project A” folder, that email is stored in that specific folder.

Search Folders:

1. Virtual View: Search folders are virtual folders that display a view of all email items that match specific search criteria. They do not physically store emails but provide a way to view emails from different folders that meet certain conditions.
2. Dynamic Content: The content of a search folder is dynamic and updates automatically based on the criteria you set. For example, a search folder for “Unread Mail” will show all unread emails from various folders in one place.

In summary,
Folders are for organizing and storing emails, while search folders are for dynamically viewing emails that match specific criteria without moving them from their original locations.