Are you struggling to organize your email in the web version of Outlook? Outlook online isn’t as robust as the desktop version. However, Microsoft is constantly improving it with Project Monarch. Until Monarch is ready to spread its wings, though, we’re stuck with what we have. 

Today we’re going to explain how to organize messages in Outlook email for the web. If you want more Outlook tips, check out Simona Millham’s Outlook Online class at CBT Nuggets.

An Overview of How to Organize Outlook Email for the Web

In this video, CBT Nuggets trainer Simona Millham walks through some tips and shortcuts on how to organize Outlook Email to work better for you.

How to Create Folders in Outlook mail for the Web

Creating folders in Outlook for the web is easy! Right-click on a root-level folder in the Outlook web client and choose the ‘Create New Subfolder’ option from the pop-out menu. 

All user-created folders must live under a root-level folder. Root-level folders are Inbox, Drafts, Spam, Archive, etc. Root folders cannot be deleted, either.

Deleting a sub-folder is as easy as creating a new one. Right-click on the sub-folder you wish to delete. Then choose the ‘Delete’ option. 

One final tip. Folders can delete old emails automatically. Right-click on any folder and choose the ‘Assign Policy’ option. There are various settings to choose from. For instance, emails can be auto-archived after one year or deleted altogether after 6 months. 

How to Move Emails in Outlook Mail for the Web

Nobody likes a messy inbox. I’ll let you in on my dirty secret. I get to inbox zero every day with this one simple trick! I move them to different folders. Here’s how to do that. 

Toolbar options

Select an email. Then choose the ‘Move To’ option in the toolbar along the top of Outlook. Next, select the folder that you want to move the email to. 

Move multiple emails at the same time

Each email in the email list view in Outlook has a circle next to the subject line on the left side of it. Clicking that circle will mark an email as selected. When you click those circles, it will turn blue with a checkmark. Click multiple circles to select multiple emails. 

After multiple emails are selected, use the ‘Move To’ drop-down menu in the toolbar in Outlook to move all those emails at one time.  Likewise, you can right-click on any of the selected emails and use the ‘Move To’ option from the pop-out window. 

Click and drag

Drag and Drop functions are not something that every website supports, but Outlook mail for the web does. If you want to move a folder, it’s as easy as dragging and dropping it to another folder. 

How to Organize Folders in the Web Version of Outlook

The Outlook website falls short on folder organization features. You can create subfolders to your heart’s content. However, those subfolders will always be listed alphabetically. So, if you want quick access to a folder, add it to your favorites. When a folder is marked as a favorite, it will always appear in the list of favorites in the side navigation panel of Outlook. That way you don’t need to dig for it. 

Right-click the folder that you want to add to your favorites list. Then choose the ‘Add to Favorites’ option. 

It's important to note that emails cannot be moved to two different folders in the web version of Outlook. Emails can be copied to another folder, but you’re stuck with two different copies of the same email. 

Instead, add an email to a category. Right-click any email and then choose ‘Categorize.’ There will be a bunch of different options to choose from. Categories can be re-labeled, and you can create new ones, too. If you want faster access to a specific category, add that category to your favorites list. 

Categories are a great way to organize emails. For instance, if you have specific folders created in Outlook for different projects, and you have emails regarding multiple projects, that email can be saved in the category for quick access instead of duplicating it. 

How to Add an Email to a To-do List in Outlook?

If you are a to-do list kind of person, you’ll love this feature. Microsoft has a to-do app like every other productivity suite. It’s simply called Microsoft To Do. It can be found in the far left-hand navigation window in Outlook online. Look for the checkmark icon. 

If you need to add an email to your to-do lists, first flag the email by clicking on the flag icon next to the subject line of the email in the email list pane. Next, right-click that flag icon. You’ll have a list of deadlines. Choose the appropriate deadline and that email will be added to your default to-do list in Microsoft To Do. 

Ready to Leverage Outlook?

Are you ready to become a wizard with Outlook email for the web? Simona Millham is ready to teach you the dark arts of Outlook. So go ahead and get started with online Outlook training today!