Fresh Outlook 365 Tips and Tricks to Boost Your Productivity
Staying on top of your inbox can be a challenge. Outlook 365 packs in powerful features that most users overlook. Here are the latest tips and tricks to help you work smarter, stay organized, and make Outlook work for you.
1. Use Sweep for Instant Inbox Cleanup
Sweep lets you bulk-manage emails from a sender in one click. Select a message, click Sweep on the ribbon, and choose to keep only the latest message, delete older emails, or schedule a recurring sweep. It’s perfect for newsletters and notifications you don’t need to see every day.
2. Schedule Emails with Delay Delivery
Need to send emails during business hours but write them late at night? Compose your message, then go to Options → Delay Delivery. Set the delivery date and time. Outlook holds the message in your Outbox and sends it exactly when you choose.
3. Add Email Templates with Quick Parts
If you often send the same response, save time with Quick Parts. Highlight the text you want to reuse, go to Insert → Quick Parts → Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery. Next time, insert it with a couple of clicks.
4. Boost Focus with My Day Pane
Turn on the My Day pane to see your calendar alongside your inbox. Click the calendar icon in the top right. Drag emails into My Day to create tasks or appointments instantly. It’s a great way to turn messages into action items without switching windows.
5. Create Custom Search Folders
Search folders surface important emails automatically. Right-click Search Folders in the folder pane, choose New Search Folder, then pick or customize criteria (e.g., unread mail from your manager). Your custom folder updates in real time.
6. Pin Frequent Folders and Groups
Pin your most-used mail folders and groups to the top of the folder list. Right-click any folder or group and select Pin to Favorites. You’ll spend less time hunting for the right spot to file or check messages.
7. Use @Mentions to Grab Attention
Type “@” followed by a colleague’s name in your email body. Outlook flags the person and adds them to the To: line automatically. It helps ensure the right people see your message and prevents emails from getting buried.
8. Automate with Rules and Alerts
Set rules to move, flag, or forward messages automatically. In Home → Rules → Manage Rules & Alerts, create conditions (like emails with specific words in the subject) and actions (such as moving them to a folder). This keeps your inbox organized without manual effort.
9. Take Control of Notifications
Too many alerts can distract you. Go to File → Options → Mail and scroll to Message arrival. Uncheck sounds and pop-ups, or set Outlook to show desktop alerts only for high-priority emails flagged with importance.
10. Access with Focused Inbox
Turn on Focused Inbox to split your mail into Focused and Other tabs. Outlook uses machine learning to surface your most important messages first. You can train it by moving messages between tabs until it learns your preferences.
These Outlook 365 tips help you tame your inbox, automate routine tasks, and work more efficiently. Try one or two today and see how much smoother your day can run.
