Changed Outlook version and can now no longer find your favorite feature? Feel like test driving Outlook 2013? Or have you heard of a feature but don’t know where to find it in Outlook?
This guide will help you on your way. It contains a list of most commonly used features and options that have been shifted around or renamed between Outlook versions and are sometimes hard to find back. In addition, a couple of options have links to them to find out more about how to use the feature.
Several options have multiple ways of accessing them. We will only list one method as the intention of the guide is only to locate the feature. The main focus will be on accessing the options via the main interface by using a standard click (left mouse button).
With the Office Logo we refer to the 
icon in Outlook 2007 and with “File” we refer to the tab like File menu 
icon (also known as Backstage) in Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013.
With the Ribbon we refer to the new tabbed interface for command buttons in Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013 also known as Fluent UI.
With the Expand icon we refer to the 
or 
icon on the Ribbon (in the the right bottom corner of some tab groups).
The features have been grouped in the following categories;
- Global Outlook options and features
- Outlook management and maintenance
- Account and data file management
- Views
- Exchange
- Receiving Settings
- Messages (composing and reading)
- Calendar
- Contacts/People
This guide is not a full feature list of Outlook. Its intention is to serve as a Quick Reference guide. Feel free to submit feedback if you can’t find a specific feature or think that certain features should be listed here as well.
Global Outlook options and features
| Default message format | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Mail Format Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Mail Format Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Mail-> group Compose messages… Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Mail-> group Compose messages… |
| Signatures (define) | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Mail Format-> button Signatures… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Mail Format-> button Signatures… Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Mail-> button Signatures… Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Mail-> button Signatures… (more about creating signatures) |
| Mark as Read behavior | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Other-> button Reading Pane… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Other-> button Reading Pane… Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button Reading Pane… Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button Reading Pane… |
| Print Options | Outlook 2003: File-> Page Setup/Print… Outlook 2007: File-> Page Setup/Print… (main Outlook window) Outlook 2007: Office Logo-> Print (opened item) Outlook 2010: File-> Print Outlook 2013: File-> Print |
| Advanced Find | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Find-> Advanced Find… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Instant Search-> Advanced Find… Outlook 2010: Click in the Instant Search field-> the Search tab appears-> Search Tools-> Advanced Find Outlook 2013: Click in the Instant Search field-> the Search tab appears-> Search Tools-> Advanced Find |
| Startup Folder | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Other-> button Advanced Options…-> Startup in this folder Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Other-> button Advanced Options…-> Startup in this folder Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: Outlook start and exit-> Start Outlook in this folder Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: Outlook start and exit-> Start Outlook in this folder |
| Tracking Options | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Preferences-> button E-mail Options…-> button Tracking Options Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Preferences-> button E-mail Options…-> button Tracking Options Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Mail-> option group: Tracking Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Mail-> option group: Tracking |
| Macros | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Macro-> Macros… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Macro-> Macros… Outlook 2010: tab Developer-> section Code-> button Macros Outlook 2013: tab Developer-> section Code-> button Macros (read here how to enable the Developer tab) |
| International Options (encoding) |
Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Mail Format-> button International Options… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Mail Format-> button International Options… Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: International Options… Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: International Options… |
Outlook management and maintenance
| About (show version number) |
Outlook 2003: Help-> About… Outlook 2007: Help-> About… Outlook 2010: File-> section Help-> text link: Additional Version and Copyright Information Outlook 2013: File-> section Office Account-> About Outlook |
| Repair | Outlook 2003: Help-> Detect and Repair… Outlook 2007: Help-> Office Diagnostics… Outlook 2010: Removed from interface. Outlook 2013: Removed from interface. (you can also run Repair from CD/DVD via setup or via Control Panel) |
| Check for Updates | Outlook 2003: Help-> Check for Updates… Outlook 2007: Help-> Check for Updates… Outlook 2010: File-> section Help-> button Check for Updates… Outlook 2013: Removed from interface. (you can also configure Windows Updae to get Office Updates) |
| Add-ins (enable/disable) |
Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Other-> button Advanced Options…-> button Add-In Manager…/button COM Add-Ins… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Trust Center…-> section Add-Ins Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Add-Ins Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Add-Ins More details can be found here. |
| Disabled Items | Outlook 2003: Help-> About…-> button Disabled Items… Outlook 2007: Help-> Disabled Items… Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Add-ins-> drop down list Manage-> Disabled Items-> button Go… Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Add-ins-> drop down list Manage-> Disabled Items-> button Go… |
Account and data file management
| Mail Account Settings (add/remove/edit account) |
Outlook 2003: Tools-> E-mail Accounts…-> option: View or change existing e-mail accounts-> button Next Outlook 2007: Tools-> Account Settings…-> tab tab E-mail Outlook 2010: File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab E-mail Outlook 2013: File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab E-mail (use these configuration settings for using Live Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo or AOL and AIM) |
| Mailbox Cleanup | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Mailbox Cleanup Outlook 2007: Tools-> Mailbox Cleanup Outlook 2010: File-> section Info-> button Cleanup Tools-> Mailbox Cleanup… Outlook 2013: File-> section Info-> button Cleanup Tools-> Mailbox Cleanup… (cleanup tips) |
| AutoArchive | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options-> tab Other-> button AutoArchive… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options-> tab Other-> button AutoArchive… Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button AutoArchive Settings… Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button AutoArchive Settings… (troubleshoot common AutoArchive issues) |
| Archive | Outlook 2003: File-> Archive… Outlook 2007: File-> Archive… Outlook 2010: File-> section Info-> button Cleanup Tools-> Archive… Outlook 2013: File-> section Info-> button Cleanup Tools-> Archive… |
| Empty Deleted Items (upon exit) |
Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Other-> option: Empty Deleted Items folder upon exiting Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Other-> option: Empty Deleted Items folder upon exiting Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: Outlook start and exit-> Empty Deleted Items folders when exiting Outlook Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: Outlook start and exit-> Empty Deleted Items folders when exiting Outlook |
| Add new Personal Folders (pst-files) |
Outlook 2003: File-> New-> Outlook Data File… Outlook 2007: File-> New-> Outlook Data File… Outlook 2010: tab Home-> button New Items-> More Items-> Outlook Data File… Outlook 2013: tab Home-> button New Items-> More Items-> Outlook Data File… |
| Open existing Personal Folders (pst-files) |
Outlook 2003: File-> Open-> Outlook Data File… Outlook 2007: File-> Open-> Outlook Data File… Outlook 2010: File-> section Open-> Open Outlook Data File… Outlook 2013: File-> section Open & Export-> Open Outlook Data File… (errors when opening a pst-file can often be fixed via scanpst.exe) |
| Data File Management (list connected pst-files, their locations, close them, set as default) |
Outlook 2003: File-> Data File Management… Outlook 2007: File-> Data File Management… Outlook 2010: File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab Data Files… Outlook 2013: File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab Data Files… |
| New folder | Outlook 2003: File-> New-> Folder… Outlook 2007: File-> New-> Folder… Outlook 2010: tab Folder-> section New-> New Folder Outlook 2013: tab Folder-> section New-> New Folder |
| Import | Outlook 2003: File-> Import and Export Outlook 2007: File-> Import and Export Outlook 2010: File-> Open-> Import Outlook 2013: File-> Open & Export-> Import/Export |
| Export | Outlook 2003: File-> Import and Export Outlook 2007: File-> Import and Export Outlook 2010: File-> Open-> Import (also contains Export options) Outlook 2013: File-> Open & Export-> Import/Export |
Views
| Field Chooser | Outlook 2003: Right click a column-> Field Chooser Outlook 2007: Right click a column-> Field Chooser (single line layout) Outlook 2007: Right click a column-> Custom…-> Fields… (multi line layout) Outlook 2010: Right click a column-> Field Chooser (single line layout) Outlook 2010: Right click a column-> View Settings…-> Columns… (multi line layout) Outlook 2010: tab View-> button Add Columns (any list layout style) Outlook 2013: Right click a column-> Field Chooser (single line layout) Outlook 2013: Right click a column-> View Settings…-> Columns… (multi line layout) Outlook 2013: tab View-> button Add Columns (any list layout style) (for more info about multi line and single line layout see this post) |
| AutoPreview | Outlook 2003: View-> AutoPreview Outlook 2007: View-> AutoPreview Outlook 2010: tab View-> button Change View-> Preview (this view has the Reading Pane turned off by default) Outlook 2013: tab View-> button Message Preview-> … |
| Organize | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Organize… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Organize… Outlook 2010: tab View-> button View Settings-> button Conditional Formatting Outlook 2013 tab View-> button View Settings-> button Conditional Formatting (for more info about Conditional Formatting see this guide) |
| Define Views | Outlook 2003: View-> Arrange By-> Current View-> Define Views… Outlook 2007: View-> Current View-> Define Views… Outlook 2010: tab View-> button Change View-> Manage Views… Outlook 2013: tab View-> button Change View-> Manage Views… (how to apply a custom view to all folder) |
| Reading Pane (enable/disable, position right/bottom) |
Outlook 2003: View-> Reading Pane-> … Outlook 2007: View-> Reading Pane-> … Outlook 2010: tab View-> Reading Pane-> … Outlook 2013: tab View-> Reading Pane-> … |
Exchange
| Out of Office Assistant | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Out of Office Assistant Outlook 2007: Tools-> Out of Office Assistant Outlook 2010: File-> section Info-> button Automatic Replies Outlook 2013: File-> section Info-> button Automatic Replies (for Exchange administrators: verify if Out of Office to the Internet is allowed) |
| Delegates | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Delegates Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Delegates Outlook 2010: File-> button Account Settings-> Delegate Access Outlook 2013: File-> button Account Settings-> Delegate Access (more about Permissions) |
| Recover Deleted Items | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Recover Deleted Items… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Recover Deleted Items… Outlook 2010: tab Folder-> section Cleanup-> button Recover Deleted Items Outlook 2013: tab Folder-> section Cleanup-> button Recover Deleted Items |
| Add secondary mailbox | Outlook 2003: Tools-> E-mail Accounts…-> option: View or change existing e-mail accounts-> button Next-> select your Exchange account-> button Change…-> button More Settings…-> tab Advanced-> button Add… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Account Settings…-> tab E-mail-> select your Exchange account-> button Change…-> button More Settings…-> tab Advanced-> button Add… Outlook 2010: File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab E-mail-> select your Exchange account-> button Change…-> button More Settings…-> tab Advanced-> button Add… Outlook 2013: File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab E-mail-> select your Exchange account-> button Change…-> button More Settings…-> tab Advanced-> button Add… |
| Open Folder from Other User | Outlook 2003: File-> Open-> Other User’s Folder… Outlook 2007: File-> Open-> Other User’s Folder… Outlook 2010: File-> section Open-> button Other User’s Folder Outlook 2013: File-> section Open-> button Other User’s Folder |
Receiving Settings
| Send/Receive Settings | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> tab Mail Setup-> button Send/Receive… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> tab Mail Setup-> button Send/Receive… Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button Send/Receive… Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button Send/Receive… |
| New Email Alerts | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options-> tab Preferences-> button E-mail Options…-> button Advanced E-mail Options…-> option group: When new items arrive in my Inbox Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options-> tab Preferences-> button E-mail Options…-> button Advanced E-mail Options…-> option group: When new items arrive in my Inbox Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Mail-> option group: Message arrival Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button Send/Receive… (configure the New Mail Desktop Alert to stay longer and show for all messages) |
| Rules and Alerts | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Rules and Alerts… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Rules and Alerts… Outlook 2010: tab Home-> section Move-> button Rules-> Manage Rules & Alerts… Outlook 2013: tab Home-> section Move-> button Rules-> Manage Rules & Alerts… |
Messages (composing and reading)
Unless specified otherwise, these instructions are about the message window, both composing and reading.
| Change message format; HTML/Plain Text/Rich Text |
Outlook 2003: Format-> Plain Text/HTML/Rich Text (Outlook as the editor) Outlook 2003: E-mail toolbar-> dropdown list next to Options… button (Word as the editor) Outlook 2007: Ribbon-> tab Options Outlook 2010: Ribbon-> tab Format Text Outlook 2010: Ribbon-> tab Format Text |
| From and BCC field (enable/disable) |
Outlook 2003: View-> From Field/Bcc Field (Outlook as the editor) Outlook 2003: E-mail toolbar-> dropdown button on Options… button-> From/Bcc (screenshot) Outlook 2007: Ribbon-> tab Options Outlook 2010: Ribbon-> tab Options Outlook 2013: Ribbon-> tab Options (in Outlook 2010/2013, From is automatically selected when multiple accounts are configured and can’t be hidden) |
| Resize picture attachments | Outlook 2003: Insert-> File…-> after attaching: button Attachment Options… Outlook 2007: tab Message-> section Include-> button Attach File…-> after attaching: expand icon on Include Outlook 2010: File-> section Info Outlook 2013: File-> section Info |
| Message Options (composing) | Outlook 2003: View-> Options… (Outlook as the editor) Outlook 2003: E-mail toolbar-> Options… (Word as the editor) Outlook 2007: tab Options-> section More Options-> expand icon Outlook 2010: tab Options-> section More Options-> expand icon Outlook 2013: tab Options-> section More Options-> expand icon |
| Message Options (reading) (message header) |
Outlook 2003: View-> Options… Outlook 2007: tab Message-> section Options-> expand icon Outlook 2010: File-> Properties Outlook 2013: File-> Properties (to view the message header without opening the message first see this tip) |
| Save Attachments (all) | Outlook 2003: File-> Save Attachments Outlook 2007: File-> Save Attachments Outlook 2010: File-> Save Attachments Outlook 2013: File-> Save Attachments |
| New message with stationery (start from main Outlook window) |
Outlook 2003: Actions-> New Mail Message Using-> More Stationery… Outlook 2007: Actions-> New Mail Message Using-> More Stationery… Outlook 2010: tab Home-> section New-> button New Items-> E-mail Message Using-> More Stationery… Outlook 2013: tab Home-> section New-> button New Items-> E-mail Message Using-> More Stationery… |
| Signatures (insert) | Outlook 2003: Insert-> Signature (Outlook as the editor) Outlook 2003: E-mail toolbar-> dropdown button on Options-> E-mail Signature… (Word as the editor) Outlook 2007: tab Message-> button Signature Outlook 2010: tab Message-> button Signature Outlook 2013: tab Message-> button Signature (note that this is a signature switching feature (except for Outlook 2003 with Outlook as the editor)) |
| Do not AutoArchive | Outlook 2003: File-> Properties…-> Do not AutoArchive Outlook 2007: File-> Properties Outlook 2010: File-> Properties (or press ALT+ENTER for the old dialog) Outlook 2013: File-> Properties (or press ALT+ENTER for the old dialog) |
Calendar
| Show week numbers | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> button Calendar Options…-> option: Show week numbers in the Data Navigator Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> button Calendar Options…-> option: Show week numbers in Month View and Data Navigator Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Calendar-> group: Display options-> option: Show week numbers in the month view and the Data Navigator Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Calendar-> group: Display options-> option: Show week numbers in the month view and the Data Navigator |
| Import holidays | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options…-> button Calendar Options…-> button: Add Holidays… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options…-> button Calendar Options…-> button: Add Holidays… Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Calendar-> group: Calendar options-> button: Add Holidays… Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section Calendar-> group: Calendar options-> button: Add Holidays… (Missing Holidays? See; Holiday updates) |
Contacts/People
| Default File As format | Outlook 2003: Tools-> Options-> tab Preferences-> button Contact Options… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Options-> tab Preferences-> button Contact Options… Outlook 2010: File-> section Options-> section Contacts-> group: Names and filing Outlook 2013: File-> section Options-> section People-> group: Names and filing |
| Default Display format Address Book | Outlook 2003: Tools-> E-mail Accounts…-> select: View or change existing directories or address books-> button Next-> select: Outlook Address Book-> button Change… Outlook 2007: Tools-> Account Settings…-> tab Address Books-> select: Outlook Address Book-> button Change… Outlook 2010: File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab Address Books-> select: Outlook Address Book-> button Change… Outlook 2013: File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab Address Books-> select: Outlook Address Book-> button Change… |
| Mail Merge | Outlook 2003: Select Contacts folder-> Tools-> Mail Merge… Outlook 2007: Select Contacts folder-> Tools-> Mail Merge… Outlook 2010: Select Contacts folder-> tab Home-> section Actions-> button Mail Merge Outlook 2013: Select Contacts/People folder-> tab Home-> section Actions-> button Mail Merge (more about mail merge) |
| New Contact from same Company | Outlook 2003: Select Contacts folder-> select a contact-> Actions-> New Contact from Same Company Outlook 2007: Select Contacts folder-> select a contact-> Actions-> New Contact from Same Company Outlook 2010: Select Contacts folder-> select a contact-> tab Home-> group New-> button New Items-> Contact from the Same Company Outlook 2013: Select Contacts folder-> select a contact-> tab Home-> group New-> button New Items-> Contact from the Same Company |
