Create Folders and Rules (Outlook Web App)

Microsoft Outlook is loaded with productivity tools to help you take charge of your email.

Creating folders is the best way to stay organized in Outlook. If you move certain items into their own designated folders, you save yourself the time of having to sift through hundreds of emails.

Rules allow you to keep your inbox nice and tidy. If you receive lots of emails from work, school, or certain subscriptions, rules will allow you to file those emails away into their own sub-folder, so you don't have to miss important emails that can get buried by spam.

In this guide, we will walk you through the basics of Outlook, focusing on two essential tasks:

If you need the desktop version, visit our guide on adding accounts, folders, and rules for Windows desktop.

By mastering these fundamental skills, you'll be able to streamline your email management and boost productivity. Let's dive in. 

Login to Outlook web app via ACES.

Select Email.

access outlook web app

The Outlook web application will open.

Create Folders & Subfolders

In Outlook, in the navigation panel, you can find your mailbox, inbox, and and other folders listed. Notice the drop-down arrows, which reveal additional options and folders.

Folders are additional places that can contain important files, emails, etc.

A subfolder is the same, but is located inside of another folder such as your inbox.

folders and subfolders outlook web app

To create a new folder, right click your name > New Folder.

create new folder outlook web app

A textbox will appear. Type the name of the folder you would like to create.

Press Enter to save folder.

save new folder outlook web app

To create a subfolder in your inbox, right click your inbox > Create new subfolder.

create a subfolder outlook web app

A textbox will appear. Type the name of the folder you would like to create.

Press Enter to save folder.

save subfolder outlook web app

Create Rules for filing emails

Let's say for example, we would like to create a rule for a subscription service that is used for work or school. We want to file it away into it's own folder, so we will create a rule that says when a message arrives from "subscription service email", move the email into the Subscription folder.

Right click on the email from the sender you want to file away. Select Create rule.

create a rule outlook web app

The fields will be automatically filled in for you.

Note: If you want ALL emails from this sender to be filed away, [1]remove the condition about the subject line, otherwise it will only file emails with that subject.

Then, select where you would like to file all future incoming emails. Click Select one.[2]

edit rule in outlook web app

Choose the folder to file the emails to. Press OK.

choose folder for email filing rules outlook web app

Now your rule is ready. It states:

When a message arrives from "Subscription service" and was sent to "Your name", move the message to "Subscriptions" folder.

Press OK to confirm the rule.

save rule in outlook web app

To see all of your rules, go to Settings > Options > Inbox and sweep rules.

Here, you can add, edit, turn off, and delete rules.

view rules in outlook web app
add, edit, pause rules in outlook web app

Success! You have officially mastered the basics of Outlook. Now you can stay organized and keep all of your emails in the right place.

Additional Resources

Want to learn more about Outlook's features? Visit the Microsoft Outlook Guides.

Need tech support? Contact your local or district IT help desk.

If you enjoyed this guide, leave a like or comment below, and let us know if there is something else you would like us to cover in Outlook.

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