Setting Up Email Filters and Rules in Outlook

The purpose of this article is to detail the process for setting up email filters and rules in Outlook to help manage and organize your inbox more efficiently.

• General Public

• Vanderbilt University Community

  • Faculty and Staff

  • Undergraduate Students

  • Graduate and Professional Students

• VUIT Internal Knowledge  

• Microsoft Outlook is installed on your computer

• Have access to your email account through Outlook

Email filters and rules in Outlook allow users to automate the organization of their inbox. By setting up filters and rules, you can automatically move, categorize, or respond to incoming messages based on specified criteria, helping to reduce clutter and improve productivity.   

Windows

• Open Outlook:

  • Launch Microsoft Outlook on your computer.

• Access Rules:

  • Click on the File tab in the top-left corner.

  • Select Manage Rules and Alerts.

• Create a New Rule:

  • Click on New Rule.

  • Choose a template under Start from a blank rule or select a predefined rule option.

• Set Rule Conditions:

  • Select the conditions that will trigger the rule (e.g., from a specific sender, subject contains certain words).

  • Click Next to proceed.

• Specify Actions:

  • Choose the actions to apply to emails that meet the specified conditions (e.g., move to a folder, mark as read).

  • Click Next to continue.

• Set Exceptions (Optional):

  • If you want to set exceptions to your rule, select any exceptions and click Next.

• Finish the Rule Setup:

  • Name your rule and choose whether to run it on existing messages in your inbox.

  • Click Finish to save the rule.

Mac 

• Open Outlook:

  • Launch Microsoft Outlook on your Mac.

• Access Rules:

  • Click on Tools in the menu bar.

  • Select Rules from the dropdown menu.

• Create a New Rule:

  • Click on + or the New Rule button to create a new rule.

• Set Rule Conditions:

  • Define the conditions that will trigger the rule (e.g., if the sender is, subject includes).

• Specify Actions:

  • Select the actions to take on emails that meet the criteria (e.g., move to a specific folder, mark as read).

• Name and Save the Rule:

  • Give your rule a name and click OK to save it.

We can help if there are issues. To get assistance, please place a Communication and Collaboration General Request.

• Rules Not Running:

  • Ensure that Outlook is open when messages are received, as rules may not run if Outlook is closed.

• Rules Conflicting:

  • Review your rules to ensure there are no conflicts that may prevent them from functioning correctly.

• Filters Not Working:

  • Verify the criteria set for the filters to ensure they accurately reflect the intended emails.

• Regularly review and update your rules as your email needs change.

• Utilize folders and categories in conjunction with rules for better organization.

• Manage email messages by using rules in Outlook

• Create a rule in Outlook for Mac