Setting up rules in Outlook

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This article guides you on setting up rules in Outlook desktop application (the one you download and install in your computer) and Outlook for the web.

It also explains how to block / unblock a sender and how to add a sender to the list of safe senders.

Setting up rules

Outlook Web Access (OWA) accessible from every browser

1. Log in to your mailbox from Outlook

2. Right-click an existing message

3. From the bottom of the menu, select "Advanced actions"

4. From the drop-down menu select "Create Rule"

5. You can now create a rule for this sender. For example, you can set to always move the messages from this sender ("UX London" in the example below) to a specific folder.

To explore all the conditions and actions available, select the link "More options".

6. When you have created the rule, select "OK".

7. You can apply this rule to every email received from that address by applying the following settings:

Select the "Run this new rule now on messages already in the current folder" checkbox
Select "OK" to confirm your choice

Outlook desktop application for Windows

1. Select the email you want to apply a rule

2. Select the "Rules" icon from the ribbon

3. From the drop-down menu select the option "Create a Rule…"

4. Now select the condition(s) and the rules.

To see all the option available, please select the button "Advanced Options…"

5. When you have created the rule, select "OK".

6. You can apply this rule to every email received from that address by applying the following choices:

Select the "Run this new rule now on messages already in the current folder" checkbox
Select "OK" to confirm your choice

Outlook desktop application for Apple macOS

You can set up rules in Outlook for macOS in 2 ways:

Accessing the Rules settings from an email
Opening the Rules from the Tools button on the menu bar

Step-by-step instructions starting from an email on your inbox:

1. Right-click on the email you want to apply a rule

2. Select "Rules" from the menu

3. Select the option "Create Rule…"

4. It will appear a new window called "Rules"

The fields related to the name of the rule, the sender, and the recipient will be automatically populated. You can change them as you need.

5. Set up your rule. Once finished, select the button "Save"

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Creating a rule to filter student emails

Lecturers and Academics that receive many emails from students can filter them by creating a rule base on the header x-soton-user:student.

Following the instructions below you will be able to mark your messages with a specific category.

Outlook Web Access (OWA) accessible from every browser

1. Log in to your mailbox from Outlook

2. Select the Settings icon (a cog) close to your profile picture on the top-right corner of the page

3. From the Setting window, please:

Select Email from the sidebar
Select Rules
Select the link +Add new rule

4. Name your rule

5. From the drop-down menu Add a condition, please:

select the option Message header includes
Enter x-soton-user: student

6. Add the action you want, for example Categorise

7. From the drop-down menu, select New category

8. Create a new category by:

Naming the category
Selecting a colour to characterise it (for example: steel green)
Selecting Save

9. Tick or untick the option to run the rule now

10. Select Save

Outlook desktop application for Windows

Step 1

1. Select File from the menu bar

2. Select the button Manage Rules and Alerts

3. Select the tab New Rule

4. Go to the section Start from a blank rule and select the option Apply rule on messages I receive

5. Select Next

Step 2

1. Tick the boxes "with specific words in the message header" and "assigned to category category"

2. Select the underlined rule "specific words"

3. Enter x-soton-user: student into the message header filter

4. Select Add and then OK

5. Select the underlined category

6. Create your new category as follows:

Select the button New...
Enter the name of your new category
Select the colour
Select

7. Select Next

Step 3

1. Tick one or more conditions

2. Select any underlined actions just added to set them up

3. Select Next

Step 4

1. Tick one or more exceptions, if necessary

2. Select any underlined exception just added to set them up

3. Select Next

Step 5

1. Tick or untick the options related to setup up the rule options

2. Select the button Finish to save the settings and turn on your rule

Outlook desktop application for Mac

1. Select Microsoft Outlook from the menu bar (close to the Apple icon on the top-left of the corner)

2. Select Settings... from the drop-down menu

3. Select the Rules button from the Email section

4. Select the button New Rule

5. Name your rule

6. From the drop-down menu Select a condition, please:

select the option Message header includes
Enter x-soton-user: student

7. Add the action you want, for example Categorise

8. From the drop-down menu, select New category

9. Create a new category by:

Naming the category
Selecting a colour to characterise it (for example: steel green)
Selecting Save

10. Tick or untick the option to run the rule now

11. Select Save

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Importing or exporting rules

The following instructions are for the desktop version of Outlook for Windows.

At present the options to import or export rules are not available neither on Outlook for Mac nor on Outlook Web Access.

Importing a set of rules

Select the File tab
Select the button Manage Rules & Alerts
Select Options
Select Import Rules
Select the rules file you want to import
If you want to import a file that contains rules other than those in the Rules and Alerts Wizard, such as rules that are compatible with previous versions of Microsoft Outlook, click the file type in the Files of type list.
Select Open