Outlook Tips & Tricks

Overview

Unlock the full potential of Microsoft Outlook with essential tips and tricks. Explore effective email organization techniques, learn to create rules, manage your calendar efficiently, and set up timely reminders.

Audience

Faculty & Staff

Getting Started with New Outlook

Getting Started with New Outlook

Feature Comparison between New Outlook and Old Outlook

Go Back to Classic Outlook

Why Use the New Outlook for Windows 11 ?

The new Outlook combines classic productivity features with modern improvements: 

• Unified inbox for multiple accounts. 

• Integrated calendar and scheduling tools. 

• Smart reminders for follow-ups. 

• Stronger security against phishing and scams. 

Outlook Layout Overview 

Outlook offers customization options for themes, layout, and notifications, so you can tailor the interface to your preferences. 

• Navigation Pane – Switch between Mail, Calendar, People, and Tasks. 

• Folder List – Access Inbox, Sent Items, Drafts, and custom folders. 

• Reading Pane – View selected email content. 

• Ribbon – Toolbar with options for composing, replying, organizing, and managing items. 

Developing an Email Management System

• Creating & sending a new Email Message
  • To send an email, click New Email, enter recipients, a subject, and your message, then click Send. To reply or forward, open the email and select Reply, Reply All, or Forward from the Ribbon. 
     
• Create a File Folder System
  • Keep your inbox organized by creating folders
  • Change the color of folder by (right-click Inbox → New Folder) and assigning color-coded categories to emails. 
  • Place folders in highest-priority and most-often used folders at the top.
  • Put everything into an appropriate folder. 
  • Do not create too many folders and subfolders.
  • Use meaningful folder names.
     
• Organize Incoming Email
  • put on hold
  • waiting replies
  • tasks you delegated
  • schedule time on your calendar/to do list
  • use Outlook Rules, to automatically move incoming emails

Streamline Mail Filtering

• Filter Junk Email Automatically - Set to Low
   
• Block Senders
   
• Safe Senders

Time Savers Tricks

• Creating Email Templates
   
• Autocorrect, auto capitalize, and auto format your messages
   
• Scheduling Polls
   
• FindTime - outlook add-in that helps you come to consensus on a meeting time across companies without needing to see other peoples’ calendar availabilities.
   
• Quick Steps – Automate multi-step actions like moving, marking, and forwarding messages (Home > Quick Steps > Create New). 
   
• Ignore Conversations – Mute noisy email threads. 
   
• Focused Inbox – Separate important emails from the rest
   
• Delay Delivery – Schedule messages to send later
   
• Sweep - Clean up your inbox and keep your email organized with automatic filtering and sorting, and by using tools on the command bar like Sweep, Archive, and Move to.

Calendars Capabilities

The Calendar integrates directly with email for seamless scheduling. Create events by clicking New Appointment or New Meeting in Calendar view, entering details, and saving. You can also drag an email onto the Calendar icon to instantly turn it into an event. 

In the new Outlook for Windows 11, you also get calendar integration for scheduling and availability sharing across multiple accounts. 

• Scheduling Assistant
   
• Share Calendars