Setting Up Rules in the Outlook Desktop App

1. Open Outlook and Access Rules

1. Launch Outlook:

   • Open the Outlook desktop application on your computer.

2. Access Rules:

   • Navigate to the "Home" tab on the ribbon.
   • Click on "File" in the top menu
   • Select "Manage Rules & Alerts."
     

2. Create a New Rule

1. Rules and Alerts Window:

   • In the "Rules and Alerts" window, click on "New Rule..." to start the rule creation wizard.
     

1. Choose a Rule Template:

   • Under "Start from a blank rule," choose "Apply rule on messages I receive" and click "Next."
     

3. Specify the Rule Conditions

1. Select Conditions:

   • Check the boxes for the conditions that determine when the rule will apply. Common conditions include:
     • From people or public group: Apply the rule to emails from specific senders. Click on the underlined "people or public group" to specify the sender.
     • With specific words in the subject: Apply the rule based on keywords in the subject line. Click on the underlined "specific words" to enter the keywords.

2. Add Multiple Conditions: You can select multiple conditions if needed. The rule will only apply if all conditions are met.

3. You will need to edit the rule description by clicking on the blue underlined value.

4. Click "Next" once you've set the conditions.
   

4. Set the Actions

1. Select Actions:

   • Choose what action should be taken when an email meets the conditions. Common actions include:
     • Move it to the specified folder: Automatically move the email to a specific folder. Click on the underlined "specified" to select or create a folder.
     • Permanently delete it: Automatically delete the email, bypassing the Deleted Items folder.

2. Additional Actions: You can add more actions if necessary. For example, you might want to move the email to a folder and mark it as read.

3. Click "Next" after setting the actions.

5. Add Exceptions (Optional)

1. Specify Exceptions:

   • If there are cases where the rule should not apply, you can specify exceptions, such as excluding emails from certain contacts or with certain words in the subject line.

2. Click "Next" once exceptions are set (if any).

6. Finish Creating the Rule

1. Name the Rule:

   • Give your rule a descriptive name for easy identification.

2. Rule Options:

   • Run this rule now on messages already in "Inbox": Check this box if you want to apply the rule to existing messages in your inbox.
   • Turn on this rule: Ensure this box is checked so the rule is active.

3. Click "Finish" to save and activate the rule.

7. Review and Manage Rules

1. Apply and Close:

   • In the "Rules and Alerts" window, click "Apply" to apply the rules to your mailbox and then "OK" to close the window.

2. Managing Rules:

   • To modify, disable, or delete rules, return to the "Rules and Alerts" window. Rules are processed in the order they appear, so use the "Move Up" and "Move Down" buttons to prioritize rules.

Additional Tips

• Test Your Rule: Send test emails to yourself to ensure the rule works as expected.
• Keep Rules Simple: Overly complex rules may be difficult to manage and troubleshoot. Try to keep rules straightforward.
• Backup Rules: You can export and import rules for backup or transfer between computers using the "Options" button in the "Rules and Alerts" window.

By setting up these rules, you can streamline your email management, ensuring that specific types of emails are automatically organized or removed as they arrive.