Applies ToOutlook on the web

Organizing your inbox is paramount to keep you productive. Making the switch from Gmail to Outlook, here are a few differences in terminology and functionality between the two apps:

  • Outlook uses Folders, while Gmail uses labels, to organize messages.

  • Outlook uses Rules to sort your emails into folders and categories as they are delivered. Gmail uses filters. Outlook also has filters, but in Outlook it is a way to sort the inbox or a folder.

  • Flagging an email in Outlook is a lot like starring an email in Gmail.

Use Folders to organize your email

To move an email to a folder:

  1. Select a message.

  2. Select Move to.

  3. Choose a folder.

Or, drag and drop an email into a folder.

Moving an email to a folder in Outlook on the web

Create Rules to filter your email automatically

You can make your Rules as complicated or as simple as you want. Here's how you quickly send all messages from a single sender to a specific folder:

  1. Right-click a message and select Create rule.

  2. Select the folder you want to move messages from the sender to.

    Note: Select More options to customize your rule.

  3. Select OK.

Creating a rule in Outlook on the web

Flag email for follow up

  • Right-click an email and select Flag.

    Or, hover over the message and select Flag Flag this message.

  • Select Filter > Flagged to see all your flagged messages.

Flagging an email in Outlook on the web

Archive email

Use Archive when you want to keep a clean inbox, but don't want to delete certain emails. Unlike deleted messages, archived messages can be searched.

  1. Select one or more messages.

  2. Select Archive.

Archiving messages in Outlook on the web

Note: Features and information in this guide apply to Outlook on the web as available through Microsoft 365.

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