After you finish processing your messages, you should have a clean Inbox and can switch your focus to your calendar and tasks. If you find that you are repeatedly applying the same categories and flags, create a new Quick Step that flags, categorizes, and files. Quick Steps give you the ability to perform multiple actions in one click. They are a useful tool to help you keep a clean inbox Fix Outlook and Office 365 Errors 2025 and to generally be more efficient at using Outlook.

How can I manage complicated tasks?

This guide represents our advice on how to get the most out of Outlook. A few core scenarios are covered to help you leverage Outlook into your information management needs. Go to File → Office Account → Update Options → Update Now.

I have 10 minutes: What should I read first in my Inbox?

• These would be your Archive Folders at the bottom of the Navigation (Folder) Pane.
• To view the Scheduling Assistant when composing a meeting request, on the Meeting tab, in the Show group, select Scheduling Assistant.
• Let me share a few Outlook tips that will improve your email management.
• To select a meeting time, select a time suggestion in the Room Finder pane in the Suggested times section, or pick a time on the free/busy grid.
• In these cases, reply and include the person you're delegating the message to on the To line.
• Go to File → Office Account → Update Options → Update Now.
• A best practice is to use separate mail accounts for work and personal communications.
• Your calendar should be treated as your real plan for your time — if you have scheduled it, then that is what you are committed to doing at that time.

After you process your messages, you can tackle your task list. This is when you respond to those messages that you have deferred. Sometimes you receive a message that is really meant for someone else to deal with.

Fix Tech Issues Fast

Create Contact Groups (formerly known as personal distribution lists) in Outlook when you want to make it easier to send messages to a group of people outside your corporation. For all groups inside your corporation, create a public Contact Group (ask your IT administrator about how to do this). Send your calendar in a message when you set up meetings with people who can’t see your free/busy how to fix Outlook not opening today information, such as people outside of your company.

Advanced: How do I create a Search Folder for email messages?

Outlook and Office 365 sync issues can be frustrating but are almost always fixable. Start with basic network checks, enable Cached Exchange Mode, and repair your data files if needed. For persistent problems, rebuild your Outlook profile or use FixTechGuide’s free diagnostic tools to automate detection of authentication and fix MFA prompts not working IMAP errors in seconds.

Recommended Reads

This is a simple feature that is perfect for any professional who is constantly in and out of meetings every day. If possible, keep your personal and business tasks in one place. Keeping one list reduces the number of places that you need to look for what needs to be done. Even if you already have only one list, use categories to sort your personal from business tasks and manage your list effectively. Your personal tasks will be stored on your company's Exchange Server and could be visible to your IT department, so only put appropriate personal tasks on your list.

Set Up Quick Steps

Let rules help you to read what is most interesting and pertinent to you. Read and unread states in Outlook help by showing you quickly which messages have been read at least once and which have not. However, the read and unread states of messages can be easily be triggered by clicking around your messages so they aren’t a perfect record — just a tool.