Outlook notes

From raju

Configuration

My Configuration

  • File -> Options -> Mail -> Other -> After moving or deleting an open item -> open the previous item -> ok
  • copy pasting related
File -> Options -> Mail -> Compose Messages -> Click "Editor Options" button 
-> Advanced -> Cut, copy, and paste -> Pasting from other programs:
-> choose "Merge Formatting" in the dropdown
-> OK -> OK
  • View -> Show as Conversations -> check the box -> All Folders
  • View -> Conversation Settings -> Always Expand Conversations -> Check

Do not mark items as read when you just view them

File -> Options -> Advanced -> Outlook panes -> Reading Pane -> 
uncheck "Mark item as read when selection changes" -> ok -> ok

You can also access the "Reading Pane" via

File -> Options -> Mail -> Outlook panes -> Reading Pane

force formatting when copy pasting text

To use "Keep Text Only" as the default option when copy pasting

File -> Options -> Mail -> Compose Messages -> Click "Editor Options" button 
-> Advanced -> Cut, copy, and paste -> Pasting from other programs:
-> choose "Keep Text Only" in the dropdown
-> OK -> OK

Difference between various options in the dropdown menu

  • Keep Text Only - When you copy paste an hyperlink, only the text will be pasted.
  • Merge Formatting - When you copy paste an hyperlink, it will be pasted as a hyperlink with both the text and the underlying link.

Threaded display in Outlook 365

Threaded display in older outlook versions

Search only in current folder even when searching from Inbox

    File -> Options -> Search
    -> "Results" section -> Include results only from:
    -> select "Current folder"
    

Add the unread mail folder to favorites

    Right click on Search Folders -> Reding Mail -> Unread mail -> ok
    Right click on the newly created "Unread Mail" folder in "Search Folders" -> Show in Favorites
    

Ref:- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2510047

Disable message preview

    View -> Message Preview -> Off
    

move up after delete

    File -> Options -> Mail -> <In the right panel scroll all the way to the bottom>
    -> Other -> After moving or deleting an open item -> Open the previous item -> ok
    

conversation history

The default is to delete the conversations after 30 days. The idea here is to store them for longer by setting the folder to use the parent folder policy.

    Right click on the "Conversation History" folder -> Properties
    -> Policy -> Folder Policy -> In the dropdown, select "Use Parent Folder Policy" -> ok
    

desktop alerts on all messages

By default, outlook will display a desktop alert only for messages arriving in the inbox. If you have a rule that filters messages into sub folders, then it will not display any alerts on the filtered ones. One way around this is to set up a filter that displays desktop alerts on all the emails.

    File -> Manage Rules & Alerts -> New Rule -> Start from a blank rule
    -> Apply rule on messages | receive -> Next
    -> Do not specify any conditions and hit Next
    -> Choose Yes in the popup that asks for confirmation
    -> In the actions, select "display a Desktop Alert" -> Next
    -> Do not specify any exceptions and hit Next
    -> Finish -> Ok -> Ok
    

Move this rule to the top.

Ref:- https://superuser.com/questions/89511/outlook-does-not-show-desktop-notifications-on-a-message-receive

Miscellaneous

outlook help

Press F1 to get help in outlook.

tested on | Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016

Outlook version

answers | what version of outlook am I running?

    File -> Office Account -> Product Information
    

Tested on | Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016

To check whether you are running 32-bit or 64-bit

    In the Product Information screen
    -> click on "About Outlook" button
    -> On the top, it will show whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit.
    

Tested on | Microsoft Outlook 2016 MSO 32-bit

folder size

    click on a folder -> Folder tab (in the top left)
    -> Folder Properties icon -> General tab -> Folder Size
    

Keyboard Shortcuts

functionality shortcut comments
Advanced search ctrl+shift+f
Reset formatting ctrl+space Useful after copy pasting


Move up the message - <SHIFT>-<SPACE>

Move down a message - <SPACE>

remove attachments

To delete attachment but keep the email

    Open the mail -> right click on the attachment -> "Remove Attachment"
    

search functionality

use case syntax Comments
Check emails with attachments hasattachment:yes
Check emails from an email address from:foo@bar.com
find unread emails read:no alternative way

For a complete list, see https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Learn-to-narrow-your-search-criteria-for-better-searches-in-Outlook-d824d1e9-a255-4c8a-8553-276fb895a8da

missing features

  • Is there a way to hide folders that do not have any unread emails? i.e. only show folders if they have some unread emails?
  • In Outlook 2010, there is no way to disable the popup that comes up when you hover over a message.

Useful links