Send and receive email, manage your inbox, and use the calendar for the first time.
Outlook handles email, calendar, contacts, and tasks in one application. This guide covers the email and calendar basics that you will use every day.
A note on versions: Microsoft updates these apps constantly, and the exact wording, button placement and menu options can differ between versions, update channels and license types (perpetual vs Microsoft 365). If something on your screen does not match exactly what you see here, the feature is almost always still there, just in a slightly different spot or under a slightly different name. Use these guides as a map, not a pixel-perfect match.
The Interface
Outlook has a left sidebar, a message list in the middle, and a reading pane on the right.
- Folder pane (left): Your inbox, sent items, drafts, deleted items, and any folders you create
- Message list (center): Emails in the selected folder
- Reading pane (right): Preview of the selected email without opening it
At the bottom of the folder pane, icons switch between Mail, Calendar, People (contacts), and Tasks.
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Reading Email
Click any email in the message list to preview it in the reading pane. Double-click to open it in a full window.
Unread emails are bold. A blue bar on the left also indicates unread status.
Sending a New Email
Click New Email in the top left (or Ctrl+N while in the mail view).
Fill in:
- To - the recipient’s email address. Press Tab or Enter after each address if sending to multiple people.
- Cc - copy others who should see the message but are not the main recipient
- Subject - a clear, specific subject line
- Body - your message
Click Send when ready.
Reply, Reply All, and Forward
- Reply - responds only to the person who sent the email
- Reply All - responds to the sender and everyone in the To and Cc fields
- Forward - sends the email to someone new
Before using Reply All, check who is in the To and Cc fields. Only use it when everyone on that list needs to see your response.
Attachments
Sending an attachment: In the compose window, click Attach File (the paperclip icon) and browse to the file. Or drag a file from File Explorer directly into the compose window.
Opening an attachment: Click the attachment in an email to preview it in Outlook. Double-click to open it in the full application. Right-click for options including Save As.
Organizing Your Inbox
Creating a folder: Right-click Inbox in the folder pane and choose New Folder. Type a name and press Enter.
Moving an email to a folder: Drag it from the message list to the folder in the folder pane. Or right-click, Move, Other Folder, and pick the destination.
Deleting email: Select it and press the Delete key, or click the trash icon. Deleted items go to the Deleted Items folder, not permanently removed until you empty that folder.
Marking as read or unread: Right-click an email and choose Mark as Read or Mark as Unread.
Searching
The search bar at the top searches the current folder by default. Click the dropdown in the search bar to search All Outlook Items. Type a name, subject, or keyword and press Enter.
Calendar Basics
Click the Calendar icon at the bottom of the folder pane to switch to calendar view.
Views: Use the Day, Week, Work Week, and Month buttons at the top to change how much time is shown.
Creating an event: Double-click any time slot on the calendar. Fill in the title, location, start time, and end time. Click Save and Close.
All-day events: Check the All day box in the event window. The event appears as a banner at the top of the day instead of taking up a time slot.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New email | Ctrl+N |
| Reply | Ctrl+R |
| Reply All | Ctrl+Shift+R |
| Forward | Ctrl+F |
| Send | Ctrl+Enter |
| Delete | Delete |
| Switch to Mail | Ctrl+1 |
| Switch to Calendar | Ctrl+2 |
| New appointment | Ctrl+Shift+A |
| Search | Ctrl+E |
Links
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Ready to go further? Microsoft Outlook Intermediate: Rules, Signatures, and Meeting Requests