Introduction to Microsoft Outlook

This is an introduction to Microsoft Outlook.

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Table of Contents

Getting Started

Microsoft Outlook is an email application. You can have your work email, of course, but also connect your personal email and calendars too. You can organize everything with different folders and filters. There is a smart assistant to help you write emails. You can share files with OneDrive to make it even easier.

 

The calendar will organize your day. You can see as many as you need or add your own. The calendar will show your meetings and help you plan your next one.

 

To add an email account select File then Add Account. Enter your email address then select continue. Enter your password if prompted then hit OK. Hit Finish to complete the setup process.

 

Creating and sending email is easy. Choose New mail to start a message. Enter a name or email address in the To field. In the Subject line type what the email is about. Put the cursor in the body of the email and start typing. After you are done, you hit Send. Use @Name to get someone's attention.

 

You can manage your calendar in Outlook. To schedule an appointment, choose New Appointment. Then add a Subject, Location, and start/end times. Select Invite Attendees to turn the appointment into a meeting. Select Save & Close to finish or hit Send if it has turned into a meeting.

 

When you create a meeting, use the Scheduling Assistant to see when attendees and rooms are available. From a new meeting request, select Scheduling Assistant. The shaded area with vertical bars shows the meeting time. Drag the bars to adjust the meeting time. The grid shows when attendees are available. To the right of the meeting request, Outlook shows suggested times and the number of conflicts.

 

To add a contact, select the People icon. Select New Contact. Enter a name and any other information that you want to include for the contact. Select Save & New to create another contact, or Save & Close if you are done.

 

Collaboration is easily done in outlook. To share a file or collaborate on attachments, select Attach File and choose a file. If the file has a small cloud icon, it is already saved to the cloud, which lets you share and work on it with others. If it does not, click the drop-down arrow, hover on Upload, and then select OneDrive. Type a message and select Send.

 

You can also set up online meetings and share the notes. In the left pane, select the Calendar icon. To set up a meeting, attendees can join remotely, select New Teams Meeting. This inserts a link remote attendees can use to join the meeting. To set up a shared space for notes, select Meeting Notes. You can create a new OneNote notebook, or select an existing notebook. A link to the notebook appears in the meeting request.

 

Setup Auto-Reply for Out of Office

Microsoft 365 subscribers can set up automatic replies for when they are out of office or unavailable to respond to email.

      1. Select File…Automatic Replies
      2. Select Send automatic replies
      3. If you do not want the messages to go out right away, select Only send during this time range
      4. Choose the dates and times you would like to set your automatic reply for
      5. Type in a message. You can format the text using the tool bar, or cut and paste the text you have formatted, including hyperlinked text.
      6. Select Ok

To set an automatic reply for contacts outside your organization, select Outside My Organization…Auto Reply to people outside my organization, type in a message, and select Ok

 

The Ok button may be missing because of certain screen resolution and scaling settings. To resolve this issue, you can adjust the screen resolution and scaling settings, or use a large monitor.

 

Searching Email

Search is a powerful tool to help find email messages anywhere in outlook.

      1. Select the search bar, located above the Outlook ribbon
      2. Type a name, subject, or phrase which is included in the email message that you want to find. You can use quotation marks around a phrase to search on words in that exact order.

 

You can refine your search results.

      1. Select the search bar and type a name or subject.
      2. Select an option to refine or widen your search: All Mailboxes, Current Mailbox, Current Folder, Subfolder, or All Outlook items.
      3. You can also select a category within the Refine group to further filter your search results: From, Subject, Has Attachment, Categorized, Sent To, Unread, Flagged, Important, More
      4. Select Recent Searches to run recent searches again. Outlook saves only the recent search query, not the results.
      5. Select Close Search to close the Search tab

 

Ignore Email Conversations

If your inbox is cluttered with conversations or email threads you do not need to be a part of, use Ignore to delete the emails. And any future emails on the subject will automatically be deleted.

      1. Select the conversation or an email in the thread
      2. Select the arrow by Delete…Ignore
      3. If prompted, confirm by selecting Ignore Conversation

 

Clean Up your Inbox

Use Clean up conversation to tidy up your email conversations and reduce the number of messages in your inbox

      1. Select an email conversation that you would like to clean up.
      2. On the simplified ribbon, On the Home Tab, select the arrow next to Delete…Clean Up Conversation. You can also clean up entire Folders. On the classic ribbon, On the Home Tab, select Clean Up…Clean Up Conversation
      3. If prompted, confirm by selecting Clean Up. Emails are sent to the Deleted Items.

 

Set Categories, Flags, and Reminders

Categories, flags, and reminders can help organize your email, calendar, and contacts plus create a to-do list.

      1. To assign a category to an email, right click the message, choose Categorize, then pick a category
      2. The first time you use a category, Outlook asks if you want to rename it. Otherwise it is named for a color. You can create a category by selecting New…Name…Color…Ok
      3. To see all categories, select Categorize…All Categories. You can follow the same process for calendar events and contacts. When creating messages, select Categorize, then select your category. Categories are only seen by you, and you can add multiple categories to email, contacts and events.

 

For flags and reminders, select the flag icon in an email message to make it a to-do item. The flag turns red. Or for more details, right click the flag.

      1. Select Add Reminder to open the menu
      2. In the custom box, for Flag To, select Follow up or type a description
      3. Check the Reminder box, then pick the date and time. You can label the type of reminder you want.
      4. When you are finished, l select Ok. An alarm bell icon will appear on the message. Reminders show in the message list and reading pane.

 

To view all follow up flags: Select View…Layout…To-Do Bar…tasks. The To-Do bar pane opens and shows all flags.

 

To remove a follow up flag:

      1. Right click the email message
      2. Select Follow Up…Mark Complete. The Follow Up flag changes to a green checkmark and is removed from the To-Do Bar.

 

Create Folders to Organize Email

Create folders to organize emails, move messages, and add folders to your Favorites folder for easy access. Right click folders to see more options on how to organize.

 

To create a folder:

      1. Right click your name in the Folder Pane and select New Folder. Or right click Inbox to add a folder inside the inbox and select New Folder.
      2. Type a name for the folder and press Enter
      3. Select the new folder to open it

 

To move messages into a folder:

      1. Select an email message
      2. Drag and drop it into a folder. To do more than one email, select an email, hold down the CTRL key and select other messages, and click, drag, and drop them into a folder.

 

To add a folder to favorites:

      1. To add a folder to Favorites, right click the folder, and then select Add to Favorites. You can also select the folder and then drag and drop it in Favorites.

 

Setting Up Rules

Rules allow you to move, flag, and respond to email messages automatically.

 

To create a rule on a message:

      1. Right click an existing message and select Rules…Create Rule
      2. Select a condition, and what to do with the message based on the condition. For example, to move messages with a certain title to a specific folder, select the Subject Contains condition, select move the item to folder, select or create New Folder, and then select OK.
      3. When you are done creating the rule, select Ok
      4. To use the rule right away, select Run this new rule now on messages already in the current folder checkbox, and then select Ok. The message now appears in that folder.

 

To create a rule from a template:

      1. Select File…Manage rules & Alerts…New Rule
      2. Select a template. For example, to flag a message, Select Flag messages from someone for follow up
      3. Edit the rule description. Select an underlined value, choose the options you want, and then select Ok
      4. Select Next
      5. Select the conditions, add the relevant information, and then select Ok
      6. Select Next
      7. Finish the rule setup. Name the rule, set up rule options, and review the rule description. Click an underlined value to edit.
      8. Select Finish. Certain rules will only run when Outlook is on. If you get this warning, select Ok.
      9. Select Ok.

 

Contacts and Tasks

Use the people page to create, view, and edit contacts, contact lists, and groups. Create new contacts from scratch, or add someone as a contact from their profile card. You can create a simple contact list for sending email to a group of people, or create groups for group based collaboration.

 

New contacts are saved in your default Contacts folder, and you will also see them under Your contacts. If you want to save the contact in a different folder, select the folder before creating the contact.

 

To add a new contact from scratch in Outlook:

      1. Select the People icon at the bottom of the navigation pane.
      2. On the People page, on the toolbar, select New Contact
      3. Enter details for the contact. Select Add More to add more information, such as the contact's address and birthday.
      4. Select Create.

 

To add a contact from someone's profile card. When  you click someone's name or picture in Outlook or other apps and services, you will see their profile card with information about them. From their profile card, you can save them to your own contacts, for example, if you want to add notes or other information.

      1. In Mail, open an email message in the reading pane, and select the name of the sender or recipient you want to add to your contacts.
      2. On the profile card that opens, select…Add To Contacts
      3. Add more information if you want. Select Add More to add more information, such as the contact's address and birthday.
      4. Select Create. The note is automatically saved in your default folder on the People page.

 

We can create contact lists. A contact list is a collection of email addresses, and is useful for sending emails to a group of people. Contact lists are sometimes referred to as distribution lists.

 

For example, create a contact list and add all the members of any certain group to it. When you want to send an email message to everyone in this group, just enter the name of the group in the To line of the email.

 

By default, contact lists are created in the default Contacts folder, and you can also see them under Your Contact Lists. If you want to save the contact list in a different folder, select the folder before you select New Contact List.

 

Groups are something similar in Outlook. Create a group to give your team a space for conversations, shared files, scheduling events, and more. To create a new group:

      1. On the People page, on the toolbar, select the arrow next to New Contact, and then select New Group.
      2. Enter a name for the group, and add your information.
      3. Select Create

 

Transfer Contacts Between Outlook and Gmail

You can use the same contacts in both Google Gmail and Outlook, without adding them manually to both locations.

      1. Log on to google contacts
      2. In the left column, click More
      3. At the top left, click More
      4. Click Export
      5. Under Which contacts do you want to export, click a contact group or All Contacts
      6. Under which export format, click Outlook CSV
      7. Click Export
      8. When prompted to download the export file, click Save
      9. Choose a location on your computer to temporarily save the file. The default name is contacts.csv. You can delete this file after your contacts are imported into Outlook.
      10. Click Close
      11. Go to Outlook
      12. Click the File Tab
      13. Click Open
      14. Click Import
      15. Click Import from another program or file, and then click Next
      16. Click Comma Separated Values, and then click Next
      17. In the Import a File box, browse to find your file you downloaded in step 9, and then double click the file.
      18. Click one of the following: replace duplicates with items imported, allow duplicates to be created, or do not import duplicate items.
      19. Click Next
      20. In the folder list, click the contacts folder where you want the imported contact information to go, then click next
      21. To add or remove fields to determine the way the contact information is saved in the new imported file, click Map Custom Fields.
      22. Click Finish

 

To reverse the process and export your contacts from Outlook to Google Gmail, there are a series of steps for that too. Before you export contacts from Outlook, it is helpful to understand the difference between the Outlook Address Book and Outlook Contacts. Both are part of Outlook. However, the Address book is a compilation of the different address lists that you might store in Outlook, such as LDAP internet directories, the global address list, or other third party address books. Contacts is only one of the address lists included in an Address Book. Only contacts can be exported directly from outlook to Google Gmail.

      1. Click the File Tab
      2. Click Options
      3. Click Advanced
      4. Under Export, click Export
      5. In the Import and Export Wizard, click Export to a file, and then click Next
      6. Click Comma Separated Value and then click Next
      7. In the folder list, click the contacts folder you want to export, and then click Next.
      8. Choose a location on your computer to temporarily save the file. You can delete this file after your contacts are imported into Google Gmail.
      9. Type a name for the exported file, and then click next
      10. To add or remove fields to determine the way the contact information is saved in the new imported file, click map Custom Fields
      11. Click Finish
      12. Log on to Google Contacts
      13. At the top left, click More
      14. Click Import
      15. Under Import Contacts, click Browse
      16. Select the file you exported in step 9, and then click Open
      17. Click Import

 

Create Tasks with To Do in Outlook

Microsoft To Do is a simple and intelligent to-do list that helps you manage all your tasks in one place. With To Do's integration with Outlook, you can use My Day to see your upcoming calendar events and tasks anywhere in Outlook, including Mail, Calendar, and People.

 

To Do uses smart lists that make it easy to track tasks and organize your day. With To Do you can quickly organize your tasks by adding them to My Day, marking them as important, or adding them to new lists that you create.

 

On the left margin of the new Outlook window, select the To Do icon, which opens the task pane. You can select different lists, or create  a New List here.

 

You can create a task from the Add a Task input field. Select the field, type the task's title, and press Enter. If you add a task to a smart list, the task list will be saved in Tasks and linked to the list you were in when you created it.

 

To rename a task, select the task to open its detail view. Once in the detail view, you can click or tap the task's title. A cursor will appear in the task title field and you will be able to rename or edit the title.

 

To delete a task, select the trash icon in the bottom right corner of the task's detail view.

 

Since your tasks are stored on Exchange Online and are also available in New Outlook Tasks, you can recover accidentally deleted tasks in new Outlook.

      1. From your new Outlook folder list under Mail…select Deleted Items
      2. Locate the deleted task, select and hold, or right click, and then select Restore. The deleted task will then reappear in its correct list.

 

With To Do you can quickly organize your tasks by adding them to My Day, marking them as important, or adding them to new lists that you create.

 

Use To Do and the My Day pane to access your upcoming calendar events and tasks anywhere in Outlook, including in Mail, Calendar, People, Groups, and more.

 

Calendar

Learn how to switch your Outlook calendar view between day, week, or month views, change the week displayed, and see different shared calendars. There are different views to choose from: month, week, work week, and day.

 

On the month-by-month calendar, select a week to change the displayed week in the calendar. Days in bold indicate a scheduled event.

 

To see different calendars side by side, select and open one under My Calendars. With different calendars open, select the arrow on each calendar to overlay them and see when everyone is available. Select Today to go back to the current day.

 

In your calendar, Appointments are just for you, Meetings are to invite people to.

      1. For a meeting, select New Meeting
      2. Add people in the To field, and then enter a Subject and Location
      3. Select a Start Time and End Time. Or select Scheduling Assistant to check the availability for attendees and pick a time. AutoPick selects the next available free time for the attendees and location.
      4. Select Teams Meeting to have an online meeting
      5. Add your notes or an agenda
      6. When ready, select Send

 

Schedule an online meeting in outlook to meet with others no matter where they are. To create an online meeting:

      1. Select New Items…Meeting
      2. Select Teams Meeting to make it online. Do not change the information below the line.
      3. Add attendees and a meeting name
      4. Type an agenda above the line.

 

To check scheduling:

      1. To see when everyone is free, select Scheduling
      2. Select a time when everyone is available

 

When you are ready to send the meeting invite, select Send

 

Share your calendar with others so they can view details about your schedule. To share your calendar:

      1. Select Calendar…Share Calendar
      2. Choose a calendar to share
      3. Select Add, decide who to share your calendar with, and select Add
      4. Select Ok and you will see the added people with a default permission level.
      5. Choose a name, select the access level to give, and select Ok

 

To open a shared calendar:

      1. Open an email with a shared calendar and select Accept
      2. In Outlook, select Calendar…Shared Calendars to view a shared calendar.
      3. Choose a calendar to open.
      4. Right click on the calendar's name and select Overlay to layer the shared calendar over your own.

 

You can add online calendars from Google and others right into Outlook. There are two methods.

To add internet calendars:

      1. You will need to find a link. In Google Calendar, select Options…Settings and Sharing
      2. Scroll down to Integrate Calendar and copy the Secret Address in iCal Format
      3. Open your Outlook calendar, and on the Home tab, select Add Calendar…From internet
      4. Paste the URL from your internet calendar and select Ok
      5. Outlook asks if you would like to add this calendar and subscribe to updates. Select Yes

Your calendar items appear and will synchronize. Any calendar can be turned on/off in the Folder pane. Select the arrow to overlay the calendar if you want.

 

To import an .ics or .vcs file:

      1. In Outlook, select File…Open & Export…Import/Export
      2. In Import and Export Wizard box, select Import an iCalendar or vCalendar, and then Next
      3. Select the calendar file from your PC and select Ok
      4. Select Open As New. These items are automatically imported into your calendar.

 

Use calendar search to find events and meetings in your Outlook calendar. Search will look for words in the subject, location, message body, attachments, organizer, and attendees of your events. To search your calendar:

      1. Select the Calendar icon
      2. In the Search box, type the keywords you want to search.
      3. A Search tab appears so you can refine the search by Organizer, Subject, and Has Attachments.
      4. Select the X in the Search box to close search and return to the previous view.

To narrow your search, type more keywords in quotation marks.

 

 

With color categories and reminders, Outlook keeps your calendar organized so you do not miss important meetings or appointments. To add or update reminders:

      1. Select New Appointment, New Meeting, or open an appointment by double clicking on the event. If it is a recurring event, you can change the reminder for a single event or the entire series.
      2. Select the Reminder drop down menu and choose how long before the appointment you want to be reminded. The default is 15 minutes. Or choose None if you do not want a reminder.
      3. If it is a new appointment, add a Subject, Location, and brief description.
      4. Select Save & Close to finish.

 

To add a color category:

      1. Select New Appointment…New Meeting, or open an existing appointment by double clicking on the event. If it is a recurring event, you will need to choose the series to add a color category.
      2. Select Categorize and then one of the preset colors
      3. If this is the first time using the color, you will be asked if you want to rename it
      4. After you have chosen a category, a color bar will go across the top of the event

 

To rename or create new color categories:

      1. Select any appointment or meeting
      2. Select Categorize…All Categories
      3. In the Color Categories window, you can choose rename, delete, color, or shortcut key.

You can also use the same categories in People, mail, and Tasks in Outlook

Configuring the Outlook Client

The interface in outlook is extremely customizable. You are going to see how to change the color settings and overall theme, change your associated user name, and even add an Office background. With the Outlook application open, if you want to change the Office background, you can do so from the Account page.

 

To access this, click on the File tab and when the File backstage view opens, click on Office Account. The Account page will then open. It is important to note that any modifications you make to the Office background will also affect all the other Microsoft Office app interfaces. To change the Office background, click on the drop-down menu where you have the current option. Currently, No Background is selected for me.

 

If you want to preview the other backgrounds, you can move your cursor over them, and the background will appear. You can then click on the background that you want to add. You also have the option of changing your Office theme. This could be useful, for example, as you could use a darker theme which will be less tiring for your eyes.

 

To do this, click on the Office theme drop-down menu button. The current theme will be highlighted - in my case, its Colorful. You could also choose from Dark Gray, Black, White, or use your system settings. I am going to click on Dark Gray, and that theme has been applied to the interface. I am now going to click on the back arrow to go back, and I can see the theme applied to the Outlook client. You also have the option of making other changes. For example, you could change your username. To do this, click on the File tab again and in the File backstage view click on Options.

 

This will open the outlook Options window. Make sure General is selected from the list of settings and then scroll down or move your cursor to the personalize your copy of Microsoft Office option. From here, you have the option to change your username by clicking in the field and making the modification. You can also change the initials by clicking that field and modifying or adding initials. You also have the option to always use these values regardless of sign in to Office by clicking on the checkbox button next to the option to activate it.

 

When there is a checkmark, it will be activated. You can also change the Office background and theme from these settings by clicking on the dropdown menu and clicking on another option from the menu that opens. I am also going to change the Office theme by clicking on that dropdown menu, and I am going to click on colorful. It is important to click on the Ok button in the window to save the changes. Having clicked, the theme and background have been modified. You now know how to customize your Microsoft Office interface using Outlook.

Modifying Outlook's View Settings

The Outlook view settings can be adjusted to suit your preferences. You can change the view so that you can see more of the preview of an email and add the sort columns to your message list. You can even create a custom view to save your view preferences and needs. With the outlook application open, if you want to change the view for your inbox, click on the View tab. When the View ribbon opens, go to the Current View group and click on the Change View tool. You have the different views below, starting with Sent To. I am going to click on the single View, and that has been applied to the interface.

 

Finally, if I click again on the tool and this time click on Preview, the view has again been applied to the interface, and doing this you can test the different views and find the one that suits you best. I am going to click on the tool again and click on Compact to go back to the default setting. You also have the option to arrange the inbox view to meet your specific needs and save it. To do this, I am going to go to the Arrangement group and click on the Arrange By tool. This will open a menu of options that you can arrange your messages by, for example, I am going to click on From, and my messages are now arranged with that option.

 

To save this view, I am going to go to the Current view group and click on the Change View tool again, and in the menu I am going to click on the option Save Current View as a new View. This will open the Copy View dialog box, and you can type in the name. You then have three options for the 'Can be used on' section: 'This folder, visible to everyone', 'This folder, visible only to me', or 'All Mail and Post Folders'. To choose one of these options, click on the radio button next to it, and save click on the Ok button. The window will close and you can find your saved view by clicking on the Change View tool, and in the menu I can now see the view I just saved.

 

To manage your different views, click on the manage Views option in the Change View tool menu. This will open the Manage All Views window. You can make changes from here by selecting a view. I am going to select the view I just created. You can then use buttons to copy it, modify it, rename it, or delete it. You can also create a new view by clicking on the New button. I am going to rename it by clicking on the Rename button and modifying the name, and saving it by clicking on the Ok button.

 

To delete a view, make sure it is selected by clicking on it and then click on the Delete button. A dialog box will open asking if you are sure you want to delete the view, and to confirm click on the yes button and the dialog box will close, and the view will be deleted. To reset a view, select it and then click on the Reset button. A dialog box will open asking if you are sure you want to reset the view to its original settings, and to confirm click on the Yes button. To apply any changes you have made, make sure to click on the Ok button in the Manage All Views window. The window will close and the changes will be saved. You have now seen how to modify the view settings with Outlook.

Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar allows you to access useful tool shortcuts. In Outlook, it is simple to add and remove shortcuts, and even change whether the toolbar appears in your client. When you have the Outlook application window open, the Quick Access toolbar will allow you to find certain tools that you can use with a simple click. For example, by default you will have the Send/Receive All Folders tool and the Undo tool. You can also find the Customize Quick Access toolbar icon. Currently, the Quick Access Toolbar is above the ribbon. However, you can modify this by clicking on the Customize Quick Access toolbar icon, and when the menu opens click on show below the ribbon. To move it back, click on the icon again and when the menu opens click on Show above the ribbon, and it will have moved again.

 

If you want to add quick access tools, click on the customize Quick Access icon. When the menu opens you will be able to see that the current tools have a checkmark next to them. To add more, you simply can click on the name of the tool you want to add. The icon for that tool will then appear and the menu will close, so you can click again on the customize Quick Access Toolbar icon and select another tool from the list. To remove tools, you can click on the same Quick Access Toolbar commands, click on the customize Quick Access toolbar icon and when the menu opens click on more Commands.

 

This will open the Outlook Options window in the Quick Access toolbar settings. You can browse the different galleries by clicking on the dropdown menu on the choose Commands button, and this will open the menu of galleries. For example, you have Popular Commands, Commands Not in the ribbon, All  Commands, etc.., and you can click on the gallery you want to access. You can then use the scroll bar in the gallery below with all the different commands to scroll through to see the list in its entirety. To add a command, click on it from the list and then click on the Add button. It will then appear in the customized Quick Access toolbar list. If there is a command that you want to remove from this list, click on it to select it and then click on the Remove button, and it will be removed. To save any changes you make, click on the Ok button in the Outlook Options window.

 

I can now see the command I added now appears in the Quick Access Toolbar and the other command I removed is no longer there. To reset the Quick Access toolbar to the default options, click on the Customize Access toolbar icon and when the menu opens click on the More Commands. When the Outlook Options window opens again, click on the Reset defaults button. This will open a menu, you can choose between Reset Only Quick Access Toolbar or Reset All Customizations. I am going to click on the Reset Only Quick Access Toolbar. A dialog box opens asking if you are sure you want to restore the Quick Access Toolbar to its default contents, and to confirm click yes. This will close the dialog box, and to confirm the change on the Ok button in the Outlook Options window. I can now see the default commands in the Quick Access Toolbar. Now you know how to customize the Quick Access Toolbar.

 

Customizing the Ribbon in Outlook

Knowing how to use the Office ribbon in Outlook is extremely useful, as this is where the majority of tools that you use are found. Like many things in your client, the ribbon can be customized. You can hide the ribbon, activate it permanently, and even add your own shortcuts.

 

With the Outlook application open, to give more room to the client's interface, if you click on the Switch Ribbons button, this will activate the simplified ribbon. So, having clicked, I can see the simplified ribbon with the tool icons, and it takes up less space. To find the classic ribbon, click on the Switch ribbons again. For more options for the ribbon view, move your cursor over the ribbon Display Options icon and click. This will open a menu where you have three options: Auto-hide Ribbon, Show Tabs, or Show Tabs and Commands. I am going to click on the auto-hide ribbon option. This will completely hide the ribbon from the interface.

 

However, if you want to find it again, you can click on the Ribbon Display Options icon. The menu will open, this time I am going to click on Show tabs. This will open a ribbon where you can only see the tabs, and if you click on a tab you will be able to see tools within the tab. Finally, if you want to go back to the default settings, click on the ribbon Display Options icon and click on Show Tabs and Commands. Outlook allows you to customize the ribbon to choose the commands that appear in the different tabs. To do this, right click the ribbon. A menu will open. You have the option Customize the ribbon, Collapse the Ribbon, or Use Simplified Ribbon. I am going to click on customize the Ribbon. This will open the Outlook Options window in the customize ribbon settings.

 

This will open a menu and you can choose the type of commands you want to see. Popular commands are selected, but you could also choose All Commands for example, or the commands in the file Tab or All Tabs etc.. I am going to click on All Commands. This will then modify the gallery of commands below and you can use the scroll bar to scroll through to find the commands that you may want to add. You can also customize the classic ribbon by going to the main tabs list where you can see a list of the different tabs that are currently in the ribbon.
 

To activate a tab that is not currently activated, for example, I am going to activate the Developer Tab by clicking on the checkbox next to it. To create your own custom tab, click on the New Tab button. This will automatically insert a new tab and a new group, where you can then add commands. To add a command, click on it from the list and then click on the Add button to create your new custom tab. If you have added a command by mistake, click on it to select it and then click on the Remove button. To save any changes you make to the ribbon, click on the Ok button in the window.

 

The window will close and you will be able to see the changes you have made. For example, I can see the developer tab and the new tab I created, which if I click on that, I can see the commands I added. To remove a custom tab, right click on the ribbon. When the menu opens, click on Customize the ribbon. When the Outlook Options window opens, find your custom tab, right click on it, and when the menu opens, click on remove. You can save the changes by clicking on the Ok button, and the tab will be removed from the ribbon. You have now seen how to customize the ribbon in Outlook.

Managing Add-ins for Outlook

If you want to add a third-party application to help improve your workflow, you can use Outlook add-in. See how to access the add-ins store and search, manage, and add add-ins to Outlook. With the Outlook application open, if you want to find the great range of Outlook add-ins available to help you complete your everyday tasks, make sure the Home tab is open and then go to the Add-ins groups and click on the Get add-ins tool.

 

Almost all add-ins are for productivity, but you could also find them for collaboration, communication, and there are a few for fun as well. To find add-ins make sure the Add-ins tab is selected. You could use the search bar if you know the name of the add-in you are looking for. In the All category, you can scroll down using the scroll bar or your mouse. Wheel to see the different add-ins available to add. I am going to scroll back up to the top. I am going to click on the Search add-ins bar and type in my search term. A menu of suggestions will appear below.

 

You can either press the Enter key on your keyboard or click on Show all results in the menu. I am going to do that. The results for your search term will then appear and you can click on the add-ins that you want to add or find information about. This will open the add-in information page. At the top you can see the name and logo of the add-in, the rating it has and whether it is free. You could also see the add-in's license terms and private policy. You also have the Add button if you want to add it, and you can use the scrollbar to see a preview of how to use the add-in, with a description and additional information below that. I am going to click on the Add button to add this add-in now. In a few moments it will be added, and you will see the word Added appear.

 

You can also click on Get Started if you wish. I am going to close the add-in window by clicking on the Close icon. Depending on the type of add-in you chose, you can find it in the ribbon, or in my case, I need to click on the new Email tool to open a new message where I will be able to see the Emoji add-in that I can use when creating a message. Now I am going to click on the Close button to close the new email window. Now that it is closed, to manage your different add-ins, click on the Get Add-ins tool again, and when the window opens you can click on My add-ins.

 

This will show you a list of all your add-ins arranged into Store add-ins and Admin add-ins. You can also click on Admin-managed, which will show you the admin-managed add-ins, which are deployed by your administrator. I am going to click on My add-ins again to see the add-ins I added myself from the Office store. To manage these add-ins, you can move your cursor over the Options button for that add-in. This will open a menu. You have the option View details, Get started or remove. I am going to click on Remove to delete this add-in. The option window will disappear and an Add button will take its place if you change your mind and want to immediately add it again. I am just now going to close the Add-ins window by clicking on the Close icon, and the add-in window will be removed from Outlook. 

 
 

Importing and Exporting Data in Outlook

If you want to back up or import your data, you can use the import and export function found within Outlook. You can import and export with different formats, as well as save your files on your computer for easy access.

 

With the Outlook application open, if you want to be able to export or import your data you need to click on the File tab, and when the File backstage opens click on Open & Export.

 

Here you have different options. For example, you can open Calendar to open a calendar file in outlook, you can click on open Outlook Data File to open an Outlook data file, or you can click on Import/Export to import or export files and settings. Finally, you can click on Other User's Folder to open a folder shared by another user. I am going to create a backup file of my data. To do this, I am going to click on Import/Export. This will open the Import and Export Wizard. You can choose the action to perform.

 

In my case, I am going to click on Export to a file - this will export the Outlook information to a file for use in other programs, and now I am going to click on the Next button. You can then choose a file type by clicking on Outlook Data File, and then click on the Next button again. You are then going to choose the folder to export from by clicking on it in the list. I am going to keep my inbox as selected, and I am also going to keep the Include subfolder as activated by leaving the check mark in the checkbox. I am now going to click on the Next button. Finally, you can choose where to save the exported file. To change locations, click on the browse button.

 

This will open your File Explorer window.

 

I am going to scroll up and click on Desktop. I am now going to click on the Ok button. The File Explorer window closes. Finally, you have the options of how to deal with duplicates. For example, you have the option Replace duplicates with items exported or allow duplicate items to be created, or finally Do not export duplicate items. You can click on the radio button next to the option that you want to choose. I am going to click on Do not export duplicate items, and then click on the Finish button.

 

A Create Outlook Data File dialog box will open where you have the option to add a password for the file. This can be useful as it can make the file more secure. To do this, type in a password into the Password field, then click in the Verify Password field and type in the same password. You also have the option to save this password in your password list by clicking on the checkbox button. I am not going to do that myself, I am just going to click on the Ok button to finish creating the Outlook data file. A dialog box then opens and you are required to type in the password for backup, so I am going to do that now and then click on the Ok button.

 

I am now going to minimize the window by clicking on the minimize button, and I can see in my desktop my backup file that I just created. I am now going to click on the Outlook taskbar button to open the application window again. If you want to import a backup file into Outlook, you can do this by clicking on the File tab, in the File backstage view click on Open 7 Export, and when your File Explorer window opens, you can find the file by clicking on the location. I am going to then click on my backup file I created and then click on Ok. Now, if I scroll down, I can see the Outlook Data File section in the folder pane, which I can click on the collapse button to find Deleted items and the Inbox folder, which if I click on will show me the data I have just imported.

Managing Your Hard Drive Allocation

If you have multiple accounts installed in your Outlook client, you can limit the amount of hard drive space each user has. For example, you could choose to automatically archive items and clean up your old emails. With the Outlook application open, I have two accounts connected. I have my account, and if I scroll down the folder pane I also have another person's account connected. To save space on my hard drive, I can manage these two AutoArchive settings. To access the AutoArchive settings, open the account that you want to manage, then click on the folder tab and go to properties group and click on the AutoArchive Settings tool/ This will open the inbox Properties window. I am just going to close this by clicking on the Close icon.

 

Another way that you can access the AutoArchive settings is by clicking on the file tab, and when the File backstage opens, click on Options and this will open the Outlook Options window.

 

Then click on Advanced from the list of settings and go to the AutoArchive section and click on the AutoArchive Settings button. Once the AutoArchive settings window opens, you can manage this. For example, you can choose when AutoArchive is run. Currently it is run every 7 days, however I can change that by clicking on the upward facing arrow button or downward facing arrow button to increase or decrease the number of days. I am going to click to increase it to 14. Below that, you have the option to activate prompt before AutoArchive runs, and this way you will know exactly when it is run, so click on the checkbox button to activate this option.

 

Below that, you can manage the settings during AutoArchive. For example, you have the option Delete expired items, and this can help save space. So to do this, I am going to click on the checkbox to activate it. You also have the option Archive or delete old items, which you can activate or deactivate with the checkbox button. If it is activated, you can also show the archive folder in the list. I want that to be the case, so I am going to leave that as activated. You can also choose the default folder settings for archiving, for example when older items are cleaned out.

 

Currently it happens every 6 months, but you can change the number again by using the arrow buttons or clicking the field, deleting the current number of typing another one in - I am going to add 3, and if you click on the Months dropdown menu button a menu will open and you can choose between Months, Weeks, or Days. I am going to click on weeks. Finally, you can choose where old items are moved to by clicking on the browse button.

 

This will open your File Explorer window, and you can choose where the file will be sent.

 

I am going to scroll up and click on Desktop, and I am going to save that by clicking on the Ok button. Finally, you have the option to permanently delete old items by clicking on the radio button next to that to save the settings to activate that option. Once you have chosen your AutoArchive settings, save them by clicking on the Ok button. That will close the window, and now I am going to click on the Ok button to close the outlook options window. To auto archive your emails you can click on the File tab, and when the File backstage opens make sure info is selected and in the Info page click on Tools. This will open a menu where you can clean up Old Items, Empty the deleted Items Folder, or do a Mailbox cleanup, I am going to click on that option. This opens the Mailbox Cleanup window.

 

From there, you can then click on the AutoArchive button to run AutoArchive. I am going to click, and the AutoArchive has been run. To clean up old items in your inboxes, click on the Tools button again and click on Clean Up old Items from the menu. This will open the Archive window. From here, you can choose whether all folders are archived according to their AutoArchive settings, or you can use the currently selected option Archive this folder and all subfolders and choose those folders in the list below. For example, I am going to scroll down and in my other account I am going to click on the Inbox to archive that folder. You can then choose which items are archived and choose the date by clicking on the dropdown menu button and clicking on the data from the calendar that opens. I am going to click away to keep the current date.

 

You can also choose to include these items with Do not AutoArchive checked, and if you want to activate that option click on the checkbox button. Finally, you can choose where the file is sent and saved by clicking on the Browse button. This will open the File Explorer window and you can choose the location. I am going to scroll up and click on Desktop, and now I am going to click on the Ok button. I am now going to clean up that inbox by clicking on the Ok button in the Archive window. You will notice as you clean up your different files, the size of your mailbox will decrease when you delete and archive items.

Changing the View of Outlook Items

In Outlook, it is possible to change or customize the view of your messages, tasks, contacts and calendar items. Discover how to change the display of Outlook items by changing the font size or style. With the Outlook application open, you can use the view settings to give yourself different ways to visualize items in an area of Outlook. Each area, such as mail or Calendar, allows you to customize your view and change the organization of the items, fonts, and many other settings as well. For example, if I wanted to change the font settings in mail, I am going to click on the View tab, and in the View tab go to the Current View group and click on the View Settings tool. This will open the Advanced View Settings window. You have different options here, for example you could change different settings such as Columns, Group By, Sort, Filter, etc… and Other Settings.

 

I am going to click on this option to open the Other Settings window. From here, I am going to go to the Message preview option and click on the font button. This will open the Font window. You can change the font by using the scroll bar to scroll through the different options and click on the font that you want to use. You can also apply a style by clicking on Regular, Italic, Bold, or Bold Italic, and you can also change the size by again scrolling through and clicking on the size that you want to use. You can see a sample of your settings before saving them, and to save click on the Ok button, and then click on the Ok button in the Other Settings window, and then in the Advanced View Settings compact window.

 

Having done so, I can now see the font has changed in the email preview in my email list. I am now going to go to Tasks by clicking on the Tasks icon. Now in Tasks, if I wanted to modify the view, I am going to click again on the View tab and click on the view Settings tool, and in the Advanced View Settings window I am going to click on Other settings. In the Other Settings window in Tasks, I am going to change the position of the reading pane. For example, you have the option right, Bottom, or Off. I am going to click on the radio button next to Bottom and then click on the ok button to save, and click on Ok in the Advanced View Settings window.

 

Having clicked Ok, the change now appears and I can see the view change in the interface. You can also change the view of your calendars by clicking on the Calendar icon. When Calendar opens, click on the view tab and then the View Settings tool. In the Advanced View Settings Calendar window, click on Other Settings. From here, you can change the time scale option, for example. 30 minutes is selected, but if I click on the dropdown menu, a menu opens where I can choose between 5,6,10,15,30, and 60 minutes. I am going to click on 15 and click on Ok to save, and click on Ok in the Advanced View Settings window as well. I can see the view change has been applied to the Calendar interface.

 

If you want to change the view for your contacts, click on the People icon. When the interface opens, click on the View tab and the View Settings tool. In the Advanced View Settings window for people, there are two options available: Sort and Filter. I am going to click on sort. The Sort window has opened and you can change how your contacts are organized. For example, File As is selected in an Ascending order, but if I click on the dropdown menu button I can click on another option from the menu, such as full name, and then click on the radio button next to Descending, and click on ok to save, and then click on Ok in the Advanced Settings window. I can see that the view of my contacts has been modified.

 

If when making changes to the views of the different areas of Outlook you decide that you want to go back to the default mode, you can reset the settings in the same way for all four areas. For example, I am going to demonstrate this by going back to mail and clicking on the Mail icon, clicking on the View tab, and in the current View group, I am going to click on the Reset View tool. A dialog box will open asking if you are sure you want to reset the view to its original settings, and to confirm click on the yes button. The dialog box will close and you will see the default settings will reappear in the interface.