Creating Folders in Outlook
So, why create folders? Because they allow you to optimise your email organisation, making your daily life more productive, it also means you no longer lose or forget about important emails!
You can add as many folders as you wish to help keep track of your emails for your personal life, and your work life.
If you are new to Outlook, check out our guide about how to use Outlook.
How to Create Folders in Outlook.com
You can follow these instructions to add folders on desktop, an iPhone, or Android device. However, it is easier to add folders using the web version.
How To Create New Folders in Outlook on the Web
To create Outlook folders on the web simply follow these steps:
- Right-click the inbox → choose New Folder.
- Type in a name for it → press Enter.
Visit our Blog to learn more about how to create folders in Gmail.
Create Folders on Mobile App
Here’s how to create a folder in Outlook using your mobile:
- Press and hold a message you want to move.
- Click move to a folder.
- You may see the + sign, click this to add a new folder.
- Type a name.
- Finally, choose to move to confirm your action.
How to Add Folders in Outlook Email Client
You can add a new folder by doing the following:
- Right-click within the folder pane where you want the folder to be.
- Choose New folder.
- Type in a name and press Enter.
To add a new calendar, right-click on the calendar option within the pane and select add a new calendar.
How to Organize Folders in Outlook.com
Here are a few ways you can organize Outlook folders.
1. Move Emails
You can move messages to another folder.
- Select a message you want to move.
- Drag and drop this message to the folder in the sidebar.
If you want to move multiple messages, hold the shift key to select the messages you want to move, then drag and drop them in the desired folder.
2. Add Folders to Favourites
To make your email organisation even better, you can add folders to your favourites.
- Right-click on a folder.
- Then click show in favourites.
3. Create Folders for Priority
A quick way to organise your emails is to create folders in Outlook depending on priority. For example:
- A 'To-do list' folder that you check daily.
- A 'Follow-up' - for emails you have sent.
- A 'Read later' - for emails that aren’t urgent.
4. Use Automated Outlook Rules
Use automated rules to instantly move emails as soon as it hits your inbox.
Here’s how to do it:
- Right-click on a message.
- Choose Rules, then add a rule.
- Fill in the criteria within the pop-up.
- Choose to move the item and select a folder.
- Press OK to apply.
Read more about how to move Outlook incoming emails into specific folders automatically and how to filter emails in Outlook.
5. Use Categories
Finally, you can create categories to help organise your inbox that one step further. Categories can be colour coded and you can add as many as you wish.
For now, let’s just look at how to create a category.
- Click on the Inbox tab and select categories → All categories.
- Select a category and rename it.
- Or add a new category.
- Choose a name and colour and click save.
- Apply the category to a message by selecting an email and clicking the category button.
How to Create Folders in Outlook.com with Clean Email
As an alternative to manually organising incoming messages in your inbox, you can use an email management tool like Clean Email. Here is how to create folders in Outlook within the Clean Email app.
- Make sure your mail account is connected, then choose Inbox, or All mail on the left dashboard.
- Next, mark the checkbox next to the group of emails, or separate emails you want to move to a folder.
- Click the Move button located in the actions bar along the top, choose New Folder or an existing folder, and click move again.
You can organise your Outlook mailbox using Clean Email’s other handy tools and features.
Smart Views feature automatically bundles likewise emails into their groups, sort of like labels! This makes it easier to view groups of similar messages to allow you to organise them further.
When using Smart Views, you can choose to view emails via their group, and then sort them via a different option, allowing you to narrow down your search. For example, you can view emails from your top senders, from the most recent date.
Auto Clean feature allows you to create automated rules for managing incoming messages. With Auto Clean, you can automate many routine tasks to be done with no manual effort. You can move emails to different folders by creating a rule when selecting a message.
Wondering to learn more how to organise your inbox effectively? Check out our guides on how to clean your Outlook inbox, how to add a shared mailbox in Outlook, and how to send files that exceed the Outlook attachment size limit.
How to Create Folders in Outlook - FAQs
Can you create folders in Outlook?
Yes, you can add as many folders as you want within Outlook.
Can you search for folders in Outlook?
To search, click on the header that says Search Folder and select New Search Folder.
How do I create a new folder and subfolders in Outlook?
To add a new folder, right-click on the inbox and select create a new folder. To add a subfolder, right-click on an existing folder and click create a subfolder.
How do I create a new folder in Outlook on my iPhone?
Press and hold an email you want to move. Then, click move to a folder. You may see the + sign, click this to add a new folder. Type a name. Finally, click to move to confirm your action.
