Where do I find…?

Where? buttonChanged Outlook version and can now no longer find your favorite feature? 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. In most cases, 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).

Within this guide…

  • “File” refers to the tab like File menu Office 2016 File "tab" in the top left (also known as Backstage).
  • “Ribbon” refers to the tabbed interface for command buttons also known as Fluent UI.
  • “Simplified Ribbon” refers to the new single line Ribbon that is available in Outlook for Microsoft 365 (Version 1908 and later).
  • “Expand icon” refers to the Expand icon on Classic Ribbon. icon on the Ribbon (in the the right bottom corner of some tab groups).
  • “Ellipsis” refers to the 3 dots (…) on the right side of the Simplified Ribbon which expands the command list.

Simplified Ribbon of Outlook as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription with the ellipsis (…) menu shown all the way on the right side.
Simplified Ribbon of Outlook as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription with the ellipsis (…) menu shown all the way on the right side.

The features have been grouped in the following categories;

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.

Tips!
If you regularly use a feature, you can check whether there is a keyboard shortcut for it in our Keyboard shortcuts guide.

Another way to find commands in Outlook is by using the “Tell me” feature that shows next to the Help tab in Microsoft 365 (up to Version 2004).

When you have the Search bar at the top in Microsoft 365 (in Version 2005 or later), then you can also type the command that you are searching for in the Search bar itself.


Global Outlook options and features

Default message formatFile-> section Options-> section Mail-> group Compose messages…
Signatures (define)File-> section Options-> section Mail-> button Signatures…
(more about creating signatures)
Mark as Read behaviorFile-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button Reading Pane…
Print OptionsFile-> Print
Advanced FindSimplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
Click in the Search field-> the Search tab appears-> click on the ellipsis (…) button on the right-> Search Tools-> Advanced Find…
Classic Ribbon
Click in the Search field-> the Search tab appears-> Search Tools-> Advanced Find…
Startup FolderFile-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: Outlook start and exit-> Start Outlook in this folder
Tracking OptionsFile-> section Options-> section Mail-> option group: Tracking
Macrostab Developer-> section Code-> button Macros
(read here how to enable the Developer tab)
International Options
(encoding)
File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: International Options…

Outlook management and maintenance

About
(show version number)
Outlook 2010
File-> section Help-> text link: Additional Version and Copyright Information
Outlook 2013 / 2016 / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
File-> section Office Account-> About Outlook
RepairWindows 7 and Windows 8
Start-> Control Panel-> Uninstall a program-> select your Microsoft 365 or Office installation-> press the Change or Repair button an not the actual Uninstall button.
Windows 10 and Windows 11
Start-> Settings-> Apps-> select your Microsoft 365 or Office installation-> press the Modify button.
(you can also run Repair from CD/DVD via setup or via Control Panel)
Check for UpdatesOutlook 2010
File-> section Help-> button Check for Updates…
Outlook 2013 / 2016 MSI
Removed from interface.
Outlook 2013 C2R / 2016 C2R / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
File-> section Office Account-> Office Updates
(additionally see; Not getting Office updates via Windows Update)
Add-ins
(enable/disable)
File-> section Options-> section Add-Ins
More details can be found here.
Disabled ItemsFile-> 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)
File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab E-mail
(use these configuration settings when using Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo or AOL/AIM or iCloud)
Mailbox CleanupFile-> section Info-> button Tools-> Mailbox Cleanup…
(cleanup tips)
AutoArchiveFile-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button AutoArchive Settings…
(troubleshoot common AutoArchive issues)
ArchiveOutlook 2010 / 2013
File-> section Info-> button Cleanup Tools-> Archive…
Outlook 2016 / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
File-> section Info-> button Tools-> Clean Up Old Items…
Empty Deleted Items
(upon exit)
File-> section Options-> section Advanced-> option group: Outlook start and exit-> Empty Deleted Items folders when exiting Outlook
Add new Personal Folders
(pst-files)
Simplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
tab Home-> expand New Email button-> More Items-> Outlook Data File…
Classic Ribbon
tab Home-> button New Items-> More Items-> Outlook Data File…
Open existing Personal Folders
(pst-files)
Outlook 2010
File-> section Open-> Open Outlook Data File…
Outlook 2013 / 2016 / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
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)
File-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab Data Files…
New folderSimplified Ribbon
Removed from interface. Right click on an existing folder in the Folder Pane instead and choose: New Folder…
Classic Ribbon
tab Folder-> section New-> New Folder
ImportOutlook 2010
File-> Open-> Import
Outlook 2013 / 2016 / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
File-> Open & Export-> Import/Export
ExportOutlook 2010
File-> Open-> Import (also contains Export options)
Outlook 2013 / 2016 / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
File-> Open & Export-> Import/Export

Views

Add Columns
(Field Chooser)
Simplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
tab View-> Current View-> View Settings…-> Columns…
Classic Ribbon
tab View-> button Add Columns
(for more info about multi line and single line layout see this post)
AutoPreviewOutlook 2010
tab View-> button Change View-> Preview (this view has the Reading Pane turned off by default)
Simplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
tab View-> Current View-> Message Preview
Classic Ribbon
tab View-> button Message Preview
OrganizeSimplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
tab View-> Current View-> View Settings…-> Conditional Formatting…
Classic Ribbon
tab View-> View Settings-> Conditional Formatting…
(for more info about Conditional Formatting see this guide)
Define Viewstab View-> Change View-> Manage Views…
(how to apply a custom view to all folder)
Reading Pane
(enable/disable, position right/bottom)
Simplified Ribbon
tab View-> Layout-> Reading Pane
Classic Ribbon
tab View-> Reading Pane

Exchange

Automatic Replies
(Out of Office Assistant)
(OOF)
File-> section Info-> button Automatic Replies
(for Exchange administrators: verify if Out of Office to the Internet is allowed)
DelegatesFile-> button Account Settings-> Delegate Access
(more about Permissions)
Recover Deleted ItemsOutlook 2016 / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
Select the Deleted Items folder and use the link “Recover items recently removed from this folder”.
Simplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
Removed from interface.
Classic Ribbon
tab Folder-> section Cleanup-> button Recover Deleted Items
Add secondary mailboxFile-> 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 UserOutlook 2010
File-> section Open-> button Other User’s Folder
Outlook 2013 / 2016 / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
File-> section Open & Export-> button Other User’s Folder

Receiving Settings

Send/Receive SettingsFile-> section Options-> section Advanced-> button Send/Receive…
New Email AlertsFile-> section Options-> section Mail-> option group: Message arrival
(configure the New Mail Desktop Alert to stay longer and show for all messages)
Rules and AlertsFile-> section Info-> 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
Simplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
tab Format Text-> ellipsis (…) button on the right-> Message Format
Classic Ribbon
tab Format Text-> Group: Format
(this option is not available when using Reading Pane Reply. Press on the Pop Out button to open the reply in its own window)
From and BCC field
(enable/disable)
Simplified Ribbon
tab Options-> ellipsis (…) button on the right
Classic Ribbon
tab Options
(From is automatically enabled when multiple accounts are configured and can’t be hidden)
Resize picture attachmentsFile-> section Info
Message Options (composing)Simplified Ribbon
tab Options-> ellipsis (…) button on the right-> Message Options…
Classic Ribbon
tab Options-> section More Options-> expand icon
Message Options (reading)
(message header)
File-> Properties
(to view the message header without opening the message first see this tip)
Save Attachments (all)File-> Save Attachments
New message with stationery
(start from main Outlook window)
Simplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
tab Home-> expand New Email button-> E-mail Message Using-> More Stationery…
Classic Ribbon
tab Home-> section New-> button New Items-> E-mail Message Using-> More Stationery…
(you can also add your own Stationery)
Signatures (insert)tab Message-> button Signature
or
tab Insert-> button Signature
(note that this is a signature switching feature)
Do not AutoArchiveFile-> Properties
(or press ALT+ENTER for the old dialog)

Calendar

Show week numbersFile-> section Options-> section Calendar-> group: Display options-> option: Show week numbers in the month view and the Data Navigator
Import holidaysFile-> section Options-> section Calendar-> group: Calendar options-> button: Add Holidays…
(Missing Holidays? See; Holiday updates)

Contacts/People

Default File As formatOutlook 2010
File-> section Options-> section Contacts-> group: Names and filing
Outlook 2013 / 2016 / 2019 / 2021 / Microsoft 365
File-> section Options-> section People-> group: Names and filing
Default Display format Address BookFile-> section Info-> button Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab Address Books-> select: Outlook Address Book-> button Change…
Mail MergeSimplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
Select Contacts/People folder-> tab Home-> press the ellipsis (…) button on the right-> button Mail Merge…
Classic Ribbon
Select Contacts/People folder-> tab Home-> section Actions-> button Mail Merge
(more about mail merge)
New Contact from same CompanySimplified Ribbon
Select Contacts folder-> select a contact-> tab Home-> expand the New Contact button-> Contact from the Same Company
Classic Ribbon
Select Contacts folder-> select a contact-> tab Home-> group New-> button New Items-> Contact from the Same Company