Create an Inbox Rule

Overview

A rule is a set of criteria and automatic actions that will be applied to new messages as they arrive in your inbox. Outlook will first check to see if a new message meets the conditions you have specified, then it will perform an action such as move it to a folder. Rules can be used to manage your email by automatically moving messages into folders or assigning messages to categories as they arrive.

Steps

Outlook on the Web

1. Click the Settings icon.
2. From the left navigation panes, click Mail > Rules.
3. Click Add new rule.
4. Every rule needs at least three things: a name, a condition, and an action. Rules can also contain exceptions to conditions. You can add multiple conditions, actions, and exceptions at each step by choosing Add a condition, Add an action, and Add an exception.
5. If you don't want any more rules to run after this one does, check the Stop processing more rules box.
6. Click Save to create your rule.

To edit an existing rule, click the Edit Rule icon  .

Outlook for Windows

1. Click File > Info.
2. Click Manage Rules & Alerts.
3. Click New Rule....
4. Select a template or a blank rule, then edit the rule description by clicking the underlined values.
5. Continue clicking Next to make changes to the rule's conditions, actions, and exemptions.
6. Specify a name for the rule.
7. Click Finish to create your rule.

To edit an existing rule, double click on the rule name.

Outlook for MacOS

1. From the menu bar, click Tools > Rules....
2. Click New Rule.
3. Every rule needs at least three things: a name, a condition, and an action. Rules can also contain exceptions to conditions. You can add multiple conditions, actions, and exceptions at each step by choosing Add a condition, Add an action, and Add an exception.
4. If you don't want any more rules to run after this one does, check the Stop processing more rules box.
5. Click Save to create your rule.

To edit an existing rule, click the Edit Rule icon .