Tag: Outlook

Tech Tip : Make Important Emails Stand Out Automatically

Posted on by Paul Stradling

If important emails sometimes get lost among everything else in your inbox, Outlook can automatically make messages from particular people, or about particular subjects, appear in a different colour so they immediately catch your eye.

Why Is This Useful?

Unlike an Outlook rule that moves messages into another folder, Conditional Formatting leaves emails in your normal inbox but changes how particular messages appear.

For example, you could make emails from an important customer appear in red, messages from your manager appear in blue, or emails containing a particular project name appear in green. This makes important messages much easier to spot when quickly scanning a busy inbox.

How To Set It Up In New Outlook

In new Outlook:

  1. Click Settings.
  2. Select Mail > Conditional Formatting.
  3. Click + Add rule.
  4. Give the rule a name, such as “Important Customer”.
  5. Choose the condition you want to use, such as a particular sender.
  6. Choose the colour you want those messages to appear in.
  7. Click OK, then Save.

New Outlook has fewer conditional formatting options than classic Outlook, but it is ideal for straightforward rules such as highlighting messages from particular people.

How To Set It Up In Classic Outlook

Classic Outlook gives you more control:

  1. Select View > View Settings.
  2. Click Conditional Formatting.
  3. Click Add and give your rule a name.
  4. Click Font and choose the colour, font or style you want Outlook to use.
  5. Click Condition and tell Outlook which emails should receive that formatting.
  6. Click OK to save your changes.

For example, you can highlight messages from a particular person or make emails containing certain words in the subject stand out automatically.

A Simple Way To Make Your Inbox Easier To Scan

Once configured, Outlook applies the formatting automatically whenever a matching email appears, helping important customers, projects or colleagues stand out without moving messages around or requiring you to remember to flag them manually.

Note: Conditional Formatting is available for work or school accounts with a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. The feature is more comprehensive in classic Outlook, so some of the more advanced options may not be available in new Outlook.

Tech Tip : Find Email Attachments Faster In Outlook

Posted on by Paul Stradling

If you’re trying to find a PDF, Word document or spreadsheet someone emailed you weeks or even months ago, Outlook’s search tools can narrow down the results in seconds, saving you from scrolling endlessly through your Inbox.

Why It Works

Rather than searching every email, Outlook lets you filter messages that contain attachments, making it much quicker to locate important files without remembering exactly when they were sent or who sent them.

You can then narrow the results even further by searching for a particular attachment type or combining the search with other keywords.

How To Do It

Click in Outlook’s search box.

Type hasattachments:yes and press Enter to display only emails that contain attachments. This works across Outlook versions.

If you’re using classic Outlook for Windows, you can narrow the results even further by searching for a specific attachment type. For example:

  • ext:pdf – finds emails with PDF attachments.
  • ext:docx – finds emails with Microsoft Word documents.
  • ext:xlsx – finds emails with Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.

You can also combine these searches with other keywords or a sender’s name to pinpoint exactly the attachment you’re looking for.

Things To Remember

The hasattachments:yes search works across Outlook versions, while the ext: search operator is available in classic Outlook for Windows. Even if you only use the attachment filter, it’s a quick and easy way to track down important files without remembering when they were sent.

Tech Tip: Insert Screenshots Directly Into Outlook Emails

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Outlook includes a built in Screenshot tool that lets you quickly capture a window or part of your screen and insert it straight into an email, saving time and avoiding the need to use separate screenshot tools.

How to do it

Outlook:

– Open a new email message.
– Place your cursor where you want the image to appear.
– Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.
– Click Screenshot.

Choose a full open window, or select Screen Clipping to capture a specific area.

The screenshot is then inserted directly into your email, making it easier to explain issues clearly and keep conversations moving without extra attachments or back and forth.

Note: This feature is only available in the desktop version of Outlook on Windows.

Tech Tip: See Your Google or Apple Calendar in Outlook for One Clear Schedule

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Viewing external calendars in Outlook lets you keep everything in one place, helping you avoid clashes, missed meetings, and constant switching between apps. Here’s how.

How To Add A Google Calendar To Outlook (Unified View)

This method subscribes Outlook to your Google Calendar using an iCal link. It is ideal for visibility rather than editing.

– Open Google Calendar in a web browser.
– In the left-hand calendar list, hover over the calendar you want and select Settings.
– Open Settings and sharing for that calendar.
– Scroll down to Integrate calendar.
– Copy the Secret address in iCal format.
– Open Outlook Calendar (Outlook on the web or the new Outlook app).
– Select Add calendar.
– Select Subscribe from web.
– Paste the iCal link.
– Select Import.

Your Google Calendar will now appear alongside your Outlook calendar and update automatically, although changes must still be made in Google Calendar.

How To Add An Apple (iCloud) Calendar To Outlook

For Apple calendars on Windows, the most reliable option is syncing via iCloud for Windows.

– Download and install iCloud for Windows.
– Sign in using your Apple ID.
– Enable Calendars and Contacts.
– Confirm the option to sync with Microsoft Outlook.
– Open Outlook and check your calendar list.

Your Apple Calendar should now appear inside Outlook and stay in sync.

Things Worth Knowing

– Google Calendar subscriptions in Outlook are usually view-only
– Updates can take a short time to appear after changes
– Most other calendar services will also work if they provide an iCal or ICS subscription link.

Tech Tip: Give Yourself a Safety Net Before Hitting Send

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Rushed emails are one of the easiest ways to create unnecessary confusion, embarrassment, or rework, and using delayed or scheduled sending gives you a short buffer after pressing send to catch mistakes, rethink tone, or make sure your message lands at the right moment.

How to do it:

Outlook

Compose email > Options tab > Delay Delivery
Choose a delay of 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, or 120 minutes, or set a specific date and time > Close > Send

Gmail

Compose email > Down arrow next to Send > Schedule send
Select a suggested send time or set a custom date and time, as Gmail supports scheduled sending rather than short delay options > Send

Why it helps

That short delay or scheduled send acts as a safety net, giving you time to correct typos, rethink wording that could be misread, or avoid sending messages outside working hours, helping your emails land more clearly and professionally.

Please note

It isn’t currently possible to delay or schedule messages natively in WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, so once you hit send, the message goes immediately with no built-in buffer to catch mistakes. Also, most other email platforms focus on scheduled sending rather than true send delays. Apple Mail, Yahoo Mail, Proton Mail, and Zoho Mail allow emails to be sent at a chosen future date and time.

Tech Tip: Use Outlook To Find the Best Meeting Time Fast

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Streamline meeting planning in Outlook by creating a poll to find the perfect meeting time, boost attendee turnout, and save hours of back-and-forth emails. Here’s how:

How to do it

– Create a new meeting in Outlook.
– Click ‘New Meeting’, then select ‘Scheduling Poll’ in the toolbar.
– Enter meeting details and select 2 to 5 time slots for attendees to choose from.
– Send the poll; attendees’ responses will help you pick the best time.

Why it helps: Minimise back-and-forth emails, save time, and ensure more people can attend.

Tech Tip: Ignore Noisy Threads in Outlook

Posted on by Paul Stradling

End repetitive email chains with a single click, keeping your inbox focused and readable without missing the full conversation if you need it later.

How to do it:

– Select the email thread you want to silence.
– Click ‘Ignore’ in the toolbar, or right-click the message and choose ‘Ignore’.
– Outlook moves the entire conversation to ‘Deleted Items’.
– Any future replies to that thread are automatically sent there as well.

Why it helps:

Clean up your inbox instantly and reduce distractions caused by long reply-all chains. It’s a simple way to protect your focus and keep important emails visible.

Tech Tip – Remember To Add Important Folders To Favorites in Outlook

Posted on by Paul Stradling

It sounds like a simple idea, but taking a minute to do it could save you many more minutes each day by keeping the folders you use most right at the top of the navigation pane.

How to do it:

– In Microsoft Outlook, in the folder pane, right‑click the folder you want quick access to.
– Choose ‘Show in Favorites’.
– To remove it later, right‑click the same folder in the Favorites section and pick ‘Remove from Favorites’.

Why it helps – One click takes you straight to the folder you need, saving seconds that add up over the day. It’s a tiny change that can make a big difference in your workflow. Give it a try!

Tech Tip: Use Outlook’s “Groups” (Contact Groups) to Email Faster

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Did you know you can bundle any set of contacts into a single group and send a message to everyone with just one address? It’s a huge time‑saver and eliminates the risk of forgetting a recipient.

How to create a group – Desktop (Outlook 365)

– Switch to People (the icon at the bottom of the navigation pane).
– Click New Contact Group (or New → Contact Group).
– Give the group a clear name.
– Click Add Members, choose From Outlook Contacts or From Address Book, select the people you want, then click OK.
– Click Save & Close.

How to create a group – Web (Outlook.com / Outlook on the web)

– Open People, then click New contact list (or New → Contact List).
– Name the list, click Add Members, pick contacts from your address book or type new email addresses, then hit Create.

Why it’s so handy: One click in the To field expands the whole group, keeping your message tidy and ensuring everyone gets the same info instantly. Updating a group is as easy as editing the list with no need to rewrite dozens of addresses.

Give it a try next time you need to reach a project team, club, or family list!

Tech Tip: Create a Search Folder in Outlook

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Did you know you can save a custom query, like “all emails from my boss flagged as high importance”, as a folder that stays up‑to‑date automatically? This lets you jump straight to the results without re‑running the search each time.

How to create a Search Folder

1. In Outlook (desktop or web), switch to Folder view.

2. Right‑click Search Folders (or click the “New Search Folder” button in the ribbon) and choose New Search Folder.

3. Pick a template (e.g., “Messages from specific people”) or select Custom Search Folder> Create a custom search folder.

4. Click Choose to set the criteria:
– From: type your boss’s name or email address
– Importance: select High
-Add any other filters you need (date range, subject keywords, etc.).

5. Give the folder a clear name (e.g., “High‑Priority from Boss”) and choose where to save it (usually under Search Folders).

6. Click OK.

With this built‑in feature in Outlook 365 (desktop and web), Outlook creates the folder and automatically populates it with matching messages. Whenever a new email meets the criteria, it appears in the folder instantly, no manual refresh required.

Why it helps: No more repeating the same search. Click the folder and the latest results are right there, saving you time and keeping critical emails front‑and‑centre.