Hidden Tools in Microsoft Outlook for Windows and Web

Quick Steps

Quick Steps in Outlook is an incredibly useful feature that allows you to automate common tasks and manage your inbox more efficiently.

If you find yourself performing the same action over and over, such as forwarding emails to your team, moving messages to a specific folder, or marking emails as read, Quick Steps can automate these processes.

Using Quick Steps

1) Head to the “Home” tab, click on the three dots right at the end, then “Quick Steps,” and choose “Create New.”

2) From here, you can build a custom set of actions. For instance, you could create a Quick Step that marks an email as read, moves it to a project folder, and sends a follow-up email – all in one click.

This is particularly valuable if you handle repetitive tasks regularly, saving you time and keeping your inbox organised.

Focused Inbox

Focused Inbox is a smart feature designed to filter your emails and ensure that you see the most important ones first. It automatically sorts your emails into two tabs—Focused and Other.

Important emails, such as those from your colleagues or clients, will appear in the Focused tab, while newsletters or promotions get sent to the Other tab.

Using Focused Inbox

If focused inbox isn’t turned active, follow these instructions.

Windows (Classic Version)

Click ‘View’ and then ‘Show Focused Inbox’.

Windows (New Outlook)

Click ‘View’, and then ‘View Settings’, ‘Mail’, ‘Layout’, ‘Sort Messages into Other and Focused’.

Ignore Conversation

Ever find yourself caught in an endless email thread that’s no longer relevant to you?

The Ignore Conversation feature lets you instantly remove yourself from such conversations without the need to individually delete emails.

Using Ignore Convo

Select the unwanted email thread, click on the “Ignore” button in the ribbon, and Outlook will automatically delete all future replies in that thread.

This tool is particularly useful for large team discussions that have moved past the point where your input is required, helping you stay focused on what really matters.

Search Folders

Outlook’s Search Folders are a hidden gem for people who frequently search for specific types of emails, such as those from a particular sender or with certain attachments.

Instead of manually searching through your inbox each time, you can create a Search Folder that updates automatically with all emails matching your criteria.

Using Search Folders

In the “Folder” tab, select “New Search Folder.”

Choose from predefined options (like mail from specific people or emails with attachments), or set your own custom criteria.

Once created, the Search Folder acts as a dynamic folder that always contains the latest messages that meet your requirements, saving you from having to sift through hundreds of emails.

Delay Delivery

Delay Delivery is an underused feature that lets you specify when your email will be sent, ensuring it lands in your recipient’s inbox at the perfect time.

Unlike schedule send, which can delay a batch of emails for a certain time, Delay Delivery allows you to control exactly when each message gets sent.

Using Delayed Delivery

Compose your email, then click the “Options” tab and select “Delay Delivery.”

Set your preferred date and time for sending the message.

This feature is handy when you’re working late but don’t want to disturb the recipient until the next business day, or when you’re sending an email to someone in a different time zone.