How to create an Outlook mail rule

Microsoft Outlook mail rules are a powerful tool that helps you manage your inbox more effectively. Whether you're looking to automatically sort incoming emails, flag messages from specific senders, or organise your mailbox in other ways, setting up rules in Outlook can save you a lot of time and hassle. This step-by-step guide will show you how to create an Outlook mail rule, even if you are a beginner.

Table of contents

1. What is an Outlook mail rule?
2. Why use Outlook mail rules?
3. Getting started with Outlook mail rules
4. Tips for managing Outlook mail rules

What is an Outlook mail rule?

Before diving into the steps, it's important to understand what an Outlook mail rule is. A rule is an action that Outlook takes automatically based on the conditions you specify. Rules can help you keep your inbox organised and ensure that you don’t miss important messages.

Why use Outlook mail rules?

Here are a few reasons why you might want to use mail rules in Outlook:

• Organise your inbox: Automatically sort emails into folders based on sender, subject, or keywords.
• Prioritise important messages: Flag or highlight emails from key contacts.
• Reduce clutter: Delete or move spam or less important emails to specific folders.
• Stay focused: Set alerts for emails from specific people or about certain topics.

Getting started with Outlook mail rules

Creating mail rules in Outlook is straightforward. Follow these steps to set up your first rule.

Step 1: Open Outlook

Start by opening Microsoft Outlook on your computer. This guide covers the desktop version of Outlook. Steps may vary slightly for the web version.

Step 2: Access settings

In the Outlook window, click on the "cogwheel" in the top right corner.

When the Settings window opens, click on "Email," then select "Rules."

Step 3: Create a new rule

In the "Rules" settings screen, click on "Add new rule."

Step 4: Set the rule conditions

The rules wizard will guide you through setting up the rule conditions. First, name the rule so you can identify it later. Next, set the conditions that will trigger the rule. You can choose from options like:

• If your email address is in the "To" line
• If your email address is in the "Cc" line
• If the message body includes specific words
• If the email is marked as important

For this example, choose "To" under the "People" list and set the email to "example@texaport.co.uk".

Next, specify what happens to the email. From the list of actions, choose "Move to" and select the folder "Texaport mails".

Step 5: Set exceptions

You can add exceptions to the rule. For example, if you don't want the rule to apply to emails marked as high importance, check the corresponding box. This step is optional.

Step 6: Finish the rule

Before finishing the rule, configure two checkboxes:

1. "Stop processing more rules" - Tick this box if you don't want Outlook to process other rules after this one. Only select this if you have a specific reason.
2. "Run rule now" - Tick this box to ensure Outlook processes this rule when you hit save.

Click "Save" to complete the rule setup.

Tips for managing Outlook mail rules

• Test your rules: Before relying heavily on a new rule, test it to ensure it works as expected.
• Prioritise rules: Rules are applied in the order they appear in the list. Use the "Move Up" and "Move Down" buttons to prioritise them.
• Keep it simple: Start with simple rules and gradually add more complexity as you get comfortable.

Conclusion

Creating mail rules in Outlook is a great way to streamline your email management and ensure you stay on top of important communications. By following these steps, you can set up rules that automatically sort, flag, or otherwise manage your emails, making your inbox more organised and easier to navigate.