Microsoft Outlook users can search their emails for a specific word or phrase by using the Filter Email feature. The Filter Email feature filters email messages to only show certain features such as unread or flagged items in your inbox. You can filter emails in Outlook by Sender, Date, Attachments, Importance, etc. This tutorial will show you how to do it properly.
How to Filter Emails in Outlook
Follow the steps below to filter emails in Outlook:
- Launch Outlook.
- Click the folder you want to filter.
- On the Home tab, in the Find group, click the Filter Emails group.
- Choose a Filter from the menu.
- The folder will be filtered, depending on the filter you have chosen.
Go to Message and select Rules > Create Rule.
In the Create Rule dialog box, select the From [sender] check box.
In the Do the following section, select the Move the item to folder check box.
In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, choose the folder where incoming messages from the sender will be moved.
To create a new folder, select New, enter a name for the folder, and select OK.
Select OK when you're done. New emails you receive from the specified sender are stored in the folder you selected.
How to Filter Emails in Outlook on the Web
To send messages from a particular sender to a designated folder using the web version of Outlook for Microsoft 365:
Sign in at Outlook.com and select Settings (the gear icon in the upper-right corner).
Select View all Outlook settings.
In the Settings window, go to Mail, select Rules, then choose Add new rule.
Enter a name for your rule.
Select the Add a condition dropdown arrow, select From, then enter the sender's email address.
Select the Add an action dropdown arrow, choose Move to, then select the target folder.
Select Save. Incoming emails from that sender automatically move to the folder you selected.
How to Forward Emails to a Folder in Outlook 2013
Forwarding incoming emails to a specific folder in Outlook 2013 is very similar to later versions of Outlook, with some small variations.
Follow these steps to create a similar rule in Outlook 2013.
- Open the email from the sender you want to filter.
- Go to the Home tab.
- Select Rules > Always Move Messages From: [Sender].
- Highlight the target folder.
- Select OK.
How to Filter Emails in Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2007
To instruct Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2007 to file a particular sender's messages automatically:
- Right-click a message from the sender whose messages you want to filter.
- In Outlook 2010, select Rules > Create Rule. In Outlook 2007, select Create Rule then select the From Sender check box.
- Select the Move the item to folder check box.
- Choose Select Folder.
- Highlight the desired target folder.
- Select OK twice to finish.
To move all existing messages from the sender located in the current folder to the filter's target folder, select the Run this rule now on messages already in the current folder check box and select OK.