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In Outlook, you can set up rules to automatically perform specific actions on email that arrives in your inbox. For example, you can create rules that will automatically move emails to other folders as they come in or delete them based on certain criteria.
Creating and managing rules is only supported in the desktop and web versions of Outlook. Click the button below to view specific instructions for using inbox rules in each Outlook application:
Outlook for Windows (Classic)
In Classic Outlook for Windows, you have the option to create a rule, create a rule from a template, edit a rule, and delete a rule.
Creating a Rule:
1. In Outlook, right-click on an existing email message and select Rules > Create Rule.
2. Select a condition and what to do with the message based on the condition. In the example below, a rule is being created to move any email messages that are received from Auburn News to an email folder titled "Auburn News". When you are done creating the rule, click OK.
3. A message will appear stating the rule has been successfully created. To use the rule immediately, check the box beside Run this rule now on messages already in the current folder, and click OK. The message now appears in that folder.
Creating a Rule from a Template:
1. In Outlook, click File and Manage Rules & Alerts. Under the Email Rules tab, click New Rule.
2. This will bring up the Rules Wizard window. In Step 1, select a template, and in step 2, click an underlined value to edit the rule description.
For example, in Step 1, you can use a rule template to move messages from someone to a folder. In Step 2, you would click people or public group to choose the person you are receiving the messages from, and you would click specified to select which folder to move the message to after it is received. Click Next.
3. Review the rule conditions (click Next), what you want to do with the message (click Next), and if there are any exceptions (click Next), name the rule, and click Finish.
Edit an Existing Rule:
1. Click File > Manage Rules & Alerts. You will see your existing rules under the Email Rules tab.
2. Click the rule you wish to edit, and click Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings. Apply the changes you wish to make and click Finish.
Delete an Existing Rule:
1. Click File > Manage Rules & Alerts. You will see your existing rules under the Email Rules tab.
2. Click the rule you wish to delete, and click Delete and Yes. Click Apply and OK.
Additional information on inbox rules, including running rules manually, can be found on Microsoft's Inbox Rules (Classic Outlook) Support Page.
Outlook for Windows (New)
In New Outlook for Windows, you have the option to create a rule, edit a rule, and delete a rule.
Creating a Rule:
1. In Outlook, if you want to quickly create a rule that moves all email from a specific sender to a folder, right-click an existing email message, and click Rules > Create Rule.
2. Choose the folder where you want all messages from that sender to be moved, and click OK. After selecting OK, the rule will be applied to all incoming messages.
3. If you would like to do more than just move the message from a specific sender to a folder, click More Options to open the rule settings menu.
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.
If you do not want any more rules to run after this one does, select the Stop processing more rules checkbox.
Click Save to create the rule or Discard to cancel rule creation.
Alternatively, you can create a new rule at any time by clicking Settings (Gear Icon) > Mail > Rules > + Add New Rule.
Edit an Existing Rule:
1. At the top of the page, click Settings (Gear Icon).
2. Under Settings, click Mail > Rules. You will see a list of all current rules that you have set up.
3. Next to the rule you want to edit, click Edit Rule (Pencil Icon).
4. Make changes to your rule, and click Save to save your edited rule.
Delete an Existing Rule:
1. At the top of the page, click Settings (Gear Icon).
2. Under Settings, click Mail > Rules. You will see a list of all current rules that you have set up.
3. In the rule you want to delete, click Delete Rule (Trash Can Icon).
4. Click OK to confirm deletion.
Additional information on inbox rules, including inbox rules order and running rules manually, can be found on Microsoft's Inbox Rules (New Outlook) Support Page.
Outlook for Mac
In Outlook for Mac, you have the option to create a rule, edit a rule, and delete a rule.
Creating a Rule:
1. In Outlook, right-click on an existing email message and select Rules > Create Rule.
2. Edit the name of your rule, the conditions of the rule, and the action of the rule. You can also add an exception to a rule on this same screen. Click Save.
Alternatively, you can create a new rule at any time from the Outlook main menu by clicking Settings or Preferences and selecting Rules. This will bring up the main email rules window where you can click New Rule.
Edit an Existing Rule:
1. From the Outlook main menu, click Settings or Preferences and click Rules.
2. Next to the rule you want to edit, click Edit Rule (Pencil Icon).
3. Make changes to the rule and click Save.
Delete an Existing Rule:
1. From the Outlook main menu, click Settings or Preferences and click Rules.
2. Next to the rule you want to edit, click Delete Rule (Trash Can Icon).
3. Click OK to confirm deletion.
Additional information on inbox rules, including inbox rules order and running rules manually, can be found on Microsoft's Inbox Rules (Outlook for Mac) Support Page.
Outlook on the Web
In Outlook on the web, you have the option to create a rule, edit a rule, and delete a rule. Navigate to owa.auburn.edu and login with your Auburn credentials (username@auburn.edu and password) to access Outlook on the web.
Creating a Rule:
1. In Outlook, if you want to quickly create a rule that moves all email from a specific sender to a folder, right-click an existing email message, and click Rules > Create Rule.
2. Choose the folder where you want all messages from that sender to be moved, and click OK. After selecting OK, the rule will be applied to all incoming messages.
3. If you would like to do more than just move the message from a specific sender to a folder, click More Options to open the rule settings menu.
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.
If you do not want any more rules to run after this one does, select the Stop processing more rules checkbox.
Click Save to create the rule or Discard to cancel rule creation.
Alternatively, you can create a new rule at any time by clicking Settings (Gear Icon) > Mail > Rules > + Add New Rule.
Edit an Existing Rule:
1. At the top of the page, click Settings (Gear Icon).
2. Under Settings, click Mail > Rules. You will see a list of all current rules that you have set up.
3. Next to the rule you want to edit, click Edit Rule (Pencil Icon).
4. Make changes to your rule, and click Save to save your edited rule.
Delete an Existing Rule:
1. At the top of the page, click Settings (Gear Icon).
2. Under Settings, click Mail > Rules. You will see a list of all current rules that you have set up.
3. In the rule you want to delete, click Delete Rule (Trash Can Icon).
4. Click OK to confirm deletion.
Additional information on inbox rules can be found on Microsoft's Inbox Rules (Outlook on the Web) Support Page.