Outlook on the web - Create and Manage Rules

Overview

You can create rules that tell Outlook how to handle incoming email messages. There are several unique ways you can do this in Outlook on the web and the New Outlook for the desktop app (if you have it turned on), each feature serves a unique purpose.

Create a Sweep

Creating a sweep is a rule that you set to run at specific intervals. Its purpose is for automating bulk actions on your emails. A sweep will only run once per day.

1. Log into Outlook on the web.
2. Authenticate your account via MFA if your not logged in already.
3. Click on the Sweep icon in the ribbon bar.
4. Choose the option as appropriate for how you want to handle the email.
   • Move all messages from the Inbox folder: Moves all emails from the selected sender to a specified folder.
   • Move all messages and any future messages: Moves all current and future emails from the sender to a specified folder.
   • Always keep the latest message and move the rest: Keeps only the most recent email from the sender in your Inbox and moves the rest.
   • Delete all messages older than 10 days: Deletes emails from the sender that are older than 10 days.
5. Select the folder to move the email to.
6. Click OK to save the Sweep rule.

Creating Rules

Rules help you automatically manage incoming emails based on specific criteria. You can create rules from the Home tab, Rules, from the gear icon (upper-right of your screen) or right click the email. Rules are more customizable (e.g.  sender, subject, keywords, and more), and are applied as soon as an email arrives to your Inbox.

Create a rule from a selected email

1. Log into Outlook on the web.
2. Authenticate your account via MFA if your not logged in already.
3. Your Inbox is selected by default. Right-click an email from which you want to create a rule.
4. Select Rules > Create Rule > More Options
5. In the text field, type in a title for your rule.
6. Specify the conditions: Choose criteria like sender, subject, or keywords.
7. Choose an action: Decide what happens to emails that meet the criteria (e.g., move to a folder, mark as read, delete).
8. Add exceptions (optional): Specify any conditions where the rule should not apply.
9. Click Save to create your rule.

Creating Quick Steps

Quick Steps allow you to automate a sequence of actions you frequently perform, similar to rules but is manual per message. Creating a quick step allows you to take multiple actions, after its set up you can perform them in one click.

Create a Quick Step

1. Log into Outlook on the web.
2. Authenticate your account via MFA if your not logged in already.
3. On the Home tab, click Quick Steps.
4. Click the drop-down arrow next to Quick Steps and select Manage Quick Steps.
5. In the Outlook Settings window, click + Add quick step.
6. Name your Quick Step: Enter a short and concise name.
7. Choose an action: Select the desired action from the dropdown menu (e.g., move to a folder, categorize, flag).
8. Repeat step 7 to add more actions, then click Add another action.
9. Add a description (optional): This tooltip will appear when you hover over the Quick Step.
10. Assign a shortcut (optional): Select a key combination for a keyboard shortcut (e.g., Ctrl + Shift + 5).
11. Click Save to create your Quick Step.