Outlook Email Tips and Tricks
The Outlook Email Tips and Tricks Guide is packed with practical advice and handy shortcuts to help you get the most out of Outlook.
Tip 1: Creating and Using Contact Lists in Outlook
How to Create a Contact List:
- Navigate to Contacts:
- In the Outlook Dashboard, locate the navigation pane on the left side and select the People icon to open Contacts.
- Select New Contact:
- In the "Your Contacts" view, select New Contact from the top ribbon.
- Choose New Contact List:
- From the dropdown, select New Contact List.
- Name the Contact List:
- Enter a name for your contact list in the first field.
- Add Email Addresses:
- Click in the Add email address field to search your organization’s directory and select the contacts you wish to add.
- Save the Contact List:
- Once you’ve added all desired contacts, click Save at the bottom of the window.
- View Your Contact List:
- If not automatically redirected, select Your Contact Lists in the menu to view the newly created list.
How to Send an Email to a Contact List:
- Open Mail:
- In the Outlook Dashboard, select the Mail icon from the navigation pane on the left.
- Start a New Email:
- Click New in the top ribbon, then choose Mail from the dropdown.
- Add Recipients:
- In the email template, click the To label in the recipient fields.
- Select the Contact List:
- In the Add Recipients window, locate and click the (+) next to the desired contact list.
- Confirm Recipients:
- Click Save at the bottom of the window to add the contact list as the email recipient.
- Ready to Send:
- Your contact list is now added as the recipient for this email.
Tip 2: Scheduling an Email in Outlook
How to Schedule an Email:
- Open Mail:
- In the Outlook Dashboard, select the Mail icon in the navigation pane on the left.
- Start a New Email:
- Click New in the top ribbon, then choose Mail from the dropdown.
- Compose Your Email:
- Add a recipient, subject line, and type your message in the email body.
- Access Schedule Send:
- At the top of the email template, click the arrow next to the Send icon.
- Select Schedule Send:
- From the dropdown, choose Schedule Send.
- Set Date and Time:
- In the Schedule Send window, select a default time or set a custom date and time for the email to be sent.
- Confirm and Send:
- Click Send at the bottom of the window to schedule the email.
How to Verify a Scheduled Send:
- Access Drafts:
- In the Mail menu, open the Folders dropdown and select the Drafts folder.
- Locate Scheduled Email:
- Find the scheduled email and open it to view details.
- Confirm Scheduled Time:
- A notification ribbon above the email body will confirm the scheduled send time and date.
Tip 3: Creating and Running an Email Rule in Outlook
How to Create an Email Rule:
- Open Mail:
- In the Outlook Dashboard, select the Mail icon in the navigation pane on the left.
- Identify an Email:
- Find an email you want to automatically organize into a specific folder.
- Create a Folder:
- In the Inbox folder, click the ellipses (•••) next to the folder name, then select Create new subfolder. Name the folder and click Save.
- Access the Rules Menu:
- Right-click the email you want to create a rule for, select Rules, then choose Create rule.
- Open Advanced Options:
- In the Create a rule window, select More options to access additional settings.
- Define Rule Conditions:
- Name the rule in the first field.
- Set a condition in the second field (e.g., "subject or body includes").
- Assign Rule Actions:
- Set an action (e.g., "move to") in the third field.
- Choose a folder from the dropdown or click Move to different folder to select a subfolder.
- Configure Additional Options:
- Check Stop Processing More Rules to prevent older rules from overriding the new rule.
- Check Run Rule Now to apply the rule immediately to existing emails.
- Save the Rule:
- Click Save to finalize.
Tip 4: Creating and Managing Pinned Emails in Outlook
How to Pin an Email:
- Open Mail:
- In the Outlook Dashboard, select the Mail icon from the navigation pane on the left.
- Select an Important Email:
- Find an email you want to keep easily accessible.
- Pin the Email:
- Right-click the email, then choose Pin from the menu. This moves the email to the top of your Inbox.
How to Unpin an Email:
- Locate the Pinned Email:
- All pinned emails appear at the top of your Inbox.
- Unpin the Email:
- Right-click the pinned email, then select Unpin from the menu.
Tip 5: Creating and Testing an Email Signature in Outlook
How to Create an Email Signature:
- Open Settings:
- In the Outlook Dashboard, click the Settings icon (gear) in the top-right corner.
- Search for Signature:
- Use the search bar in the Settings menu to type "Signature." Select Email Signature from the results.
- Create a New Signature:
- Click + New Signature.
- Name the Signature:
- In the first field, give your signature a name.
- Compose the Signature:
- Use the text field to create your email signature.
- Save the Signature:
- Click Save.
- Set Default Signature:
- Assign your signature to New Messages and Replies/Forwards by choosing it from the dropdown.
Tip 6: Reporting a Phishing Email in Outlook
How to Report an Email as Phishing:
- Open Mail:
- Select the Mail icon in the navigation pane.
- Locate the Suspicious Email:
- Find the email you suspect is a phishing attempt.
- Report the Email:
- Right-click the email, choose Report, and then select Report phishing.
Tip 7: Recalling a Sent Message in Outlook
How to Recall a Message:
- Access Sent Items:
- Navigate to the Sent folder.
- Recall Options:
- Right-click the email, select Advanced actions, then choose Recall message.
- Monitor Recall Status:
- Check the status report sent to your Inbox.