Rules allow you to have incoming (or outgoing) messages sorted, filed, marked, or otherwise handled automatically.
- This article covers creating, deleting or managing profiles in Outlook 2016 for Mac. It may be necessary to create a new profile if there are problems opening Outlook. Add a new profile: From Finder, open the Applications folder. Ctrl+click or right-click Microsoft Outlook, and then click Show Package Contents.
- See You cannot open a shared calendar in Outlook 2016 for Mac for instructions. In the Search box, type the name of the person who has granted you access to.
- Microsoft Outlook 2016 for Mac is the most popular email client that supports multiple accounts and provides support for different protocols which also features a built-in calendar and an address book.
- We give you an easy video of how to configure Outlook 2016 for Mac. With all the upgrades and changes they have added a much easier interface and your emails.
We recommend that you use Outlook on the Web to create and manage your rules.
Why do we recommend Outlook on the Web?
In Outlook, click Help Check For Updates. If an update is found, download and install it. Restart Outlook. If the problem continues, click Help Contact Support.
Our Create Rules in Outlook on the Web article
The rest of this page is for those people who decide to set up their rules in Outlook 2016 for Mac anyway.
Rules are a way to have incoming (or outgoing) messages sorted, filed, marked, or otherwise handled automatically. You teach Outlook what to look for and what to do when it sees a message that meets the conditions you've set. For example:
- move messages from a particular address into a specified folder
- assign a category or flag to messages with a particular word in the subject
- forward all messages with attachments to another address
Here we'll talk about two ways to create rules:
Be aware that the order in which your rules are listed affects what happens. Notes on rule order below.
![2016 Outlook For Mac 2016 Outlook For Mac](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126413872/205810631.png)
Creating a Rule Manually
- From the Tools menu choose Rules. A Rules dialog box will open.
- On the left, under Server Rules, click your account name (there may be only one account listed, and that's okay).
- Click the plus sign near the bottom of the dialog box. An Edit Rules dialog box will open.
- Give your rule a name (so you can find it later).
- Under When a new message arrives that meets all these conditions, use the drop-down lists to specify which messages meet the criteria for this rule. Start with the left-most drop-down list, as each selection determines the choices available in the other lists.
- If you have more than one criterion, click the plus sign at the right side of the criterion you just entered.
- Under Do the following, use the dropdown lists to set the action or actions you want taken on messages that match the criteria.
- If you have more than one action, click the plus sign at the right side of the action you just entered.
- If there are exceptions to the criteria, click the plus sign next to Except if, then use the drop-down lists to set the exception conditions.
- When finished defining the rule, click OK.
- Close the Rules dialog box.
Creating a Rule Based on a Message
You can create a rule that will look for messages that look like one you've already received, rather than starting with a blank slate.
First, select a message by highlighting it, then, in the Home ribbon, click Rules and select Create Rule.
The dialog box that opens will have three criteria pre-filled, based on the message you selected: From, Sent To, and Subject. Click the minus sign next to the conditions you do not want. You can also edit the conditions and the action as described in the Creating a Rule Manually section above.
Putting Your Rules in Order
The rules are checked in the order you have them listed. You can change the order of your rules by dragging and dropping them in the Rules dialog box.
The Do not apply other rules to messages that meet these criteria checkbox controls what happens when a message matches more than one rule. As a message is checked against each rule, the first time it matches a rule's criteria, Outlook looks at this checkbox on the rule that was matched.
2016 Outlook For Mac Download
- If the box is checked (which is the default), Outlook will stop checking rules on this particular message and go on to the next message.
- If the box is unchecked, Outlook will continue evaluating this message against the remaining rules.
Some actions automatically check the box AND gray it out so that you cannot uncheck it. If you Delete a message or Move it to a folder, the message is no longer available to be evaluated against the remaining rules. (If you Copy a message to a folder, this doesn't happen.)
Outlook 2016 for Mac provides searching at various levels of complexity. Here are two methods that many find useful.
Quick Search (one mail folder)
Advanced Find (multiple folders, more options)
Quick Search (one mail folder, but can be modified)
You can search for a particular message by clicking on the folder where the message is stored, then using the search bar in the upper-right corner of the Outlook window. This method searches only the folder you've selected. It does NOT include sub-folders of that folder (but see the bullets below).
- While typing in the search box, you'll be offered the option of specifying where in the message to search (from, to, subject, etc.). If you do not select any of these specifics, Outlook will search all the basic headers, the subject, and the body of the message.
- When the search results are displayed, a Search ribbon will appear, allowing you to further refine your results.
To return to a full view of all messages, click the X icon next to the search text box or click Close in the Search ribbon.
Advanced Find (multiple folders, more options)
Advanced Find offers more detailed options for locating items.
![Outlook 2016 for mac update Outlook 2016 for mac update](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126413872/531533209.png)
From the Edit menu, choose Find, then Advanced Find.
A Search row will appear at the top of your messages. Use the drop-down list to select a search criteria, then fill in the field or fields associated with that criteria.
Outlook 2016 For Mac Not Accepting Password
To add additional criteria, click the plus sign at the right edge of the search row. Multiple criteria are treated as 'and' statements, that is, a message will be displayed only if it matches ALL the criteria you've specified.
2016 Outlook Forms
The icons on the Search ribbon allow you to further refine your results.
To return to a full view of all messages, click the X icon next to the search text box or click Close in the Search ribbon.