Boost Your Productivity: 10 Outlook Tips and Tricks for Power Users

Even though Gmail may be more popular, Microsoft Outlook remains the go-to choice for enterprises and millions of Microsoft 365 users. With Microsoft's latest project, Project Monarch, Outlook is set to have a unified user interface and experience across platforms. In this article, we will explore some of the best Outlook web tips and tricks to help you boost your productivity.

Use Microsoft To Do Integration

Did you know that you can access the Microsoft To Do task management web app through Outlook? By flagging an email, you can send it directly to the Flagged email section in the Microsoft To Do app. This is a great way to keep important receipts and credit card bills organized.

flag an email in outlook

Explore Sticky Notes Integration

Sticky Notes is another useful add-on in the Microsoft ecosystem, and it's integrated into the Outlook web app. You can access, edit, and create new Sticky Notes either by clicking on the OneNote icon or using the Notes section in the Mail menu. You can also access them using the OneNote app on iOS and Android or the native Windows Sticky Notes app.

sticky notes in outlook

Add Google Calendar

While Outlook Mail has its own calendar functionality, many people prefer using Google Calendar. Luckily, you can easily access, view, and edit Google Calendar entries through the Outlook web interface. Simply integrate your Gmail account into Outlook, and you'll be able to access your Google Calendar data seamlessly.

google integration in outlook

Add Sports and TV Calendar

Outlook allows you to follow sports events by adding their schedules to your calendar. You can do this by navigating to Calendar > Add calendar and selecting either Sports or TV calendar. Outlook will offer you the option to add major sports leagues or follow your favorite sports or team to keep track of upcoming matches.

add sports calendar in outlook

Explore Outlook Rules

Outlook Rules is Microsoft's version of IFTTT (If This Then That) for your inbox. With Outlook Rules, you can automate actions such as auto-deleting or auto-archiving irrelevant emails. By creating custom rules based on your preferences, you can keep your inbox clean and junk-free.

outlook rules

Unsubscribe Email Accounts

Tired of receiving marketing and spammy emails? Outlook has a built-in feature that allows you to unsubscribe from such emails. Simply go to Outlook Mail Settings > Subscriptions, and unsubscribe from all those unwanted emails from a single screen.

unsubscribe email in outlook

Outlook Spaces

Outlook Spaces, also known as Project Moca, is Microsoft's modular productivity app integrated into Outlook web. Currently in beta testing, Outlook Spaces offers a range of templates and serves as an alternative to a bunch of tools with Microsoft 365 integration.

outlook spaces

Change Outlook Theme

Tired of the default blue theme in Outlook? You can change the theme to a dark theme or choose from a variety of banner wallpapers. Microsoft 365 users even have access to premium banners. We hope Microsoft will allow users to import wallpapers from their device storage in the future.

outlook theme options

Add Outlook Signature

To add a professional touch to your emails, consider adding a personalized signature at the bottom. Go to Outlook Settings > Mail > Compose & reply and create a custom Outlook signature. You can use a picture or create a professional signature using the built-in word editor.

outlook web signature

Use Automatic Replies

When you're out of the office, you can set up automatic replies in Outlook to inform people that you're unavailable. Simply go to Outlook Settings > Mail > Automatic replies and set the timeframe and personalized message for your automatic replies. You can also choose to send automatic replies to only your contacts.

automatic replies in outlook

These tips and tricks will help you make the most of Outlook web. While some features mentioned here may eventually make it to the native Outlook app, using the web version will give you access to the most feature-rich version of Outlook. Apply these tips and tricks to improve your daily workflow and boost your productivity.