Looking to keep your emails organized? Want to reference certain messages quickly without having to resort to search? Find out here how to create a a folder for emails in Outlook for Windows.
First, Turn to 1980s Synth Beats for Kitchen Advice
When you have dough to prepare and butter to add—in the fridge, then it’s good to remember timeless advice harking back to the debut single of Euro/Italo-disco producer from Munich: slice me nice.
Slice hard butter, that is a tip handed out from time to time, to soften it faster and make it easier to knead.
I have admittedly never tried this, so I have no idea whether it works. I have no reason to doubt the genre, though, and I know what works for adding folders to Outlook. No slicing needed, it all works smoothly:
How to Create a Folder in Outlook for Windows
Using the Outlook Folder Pane
Time needed: 2 minutes
To add a new folder for emails to Outlook for Windows:
- Go to Mail in Outlook for Windows.
Outlook keyboard shortcut: You can press Ctrl 1 to switch to Mail in Outlook.
- In the folder list, click on the folder under wich you to place the new email folder with the right mouse button.
Top level: To make a folder at the top level (not a subfolder of any existing folder), click the account’s name or email address in the folder list.
No folder list: If you do not see the list of existing email folders, click the Click to expand Folder Pane right-pointed arrowhead.
Archive: You can also set up and designate an “Archive” folder in Outlook separately. - Select New Folder… from the menu that has appeared.
- Write the name for the new folder in the empty text field that has appeared.
- Press Enter.
Using the “Create New Folder” Dialog
To add a new folder for any Outlook item (emails, contacts, calendar entries, notes, etc.) using a keyboard shortcut:
- Press Ctrl Shift E in Outlook.
Using the ribbon: In Outlook Mail (though not in other areas), you can also select New Folder from the Folder tab in the classic ribbon; the simplified ribbon offers no direct access to the dialog. - Type the name for the new folder under Name:.
- Under Folder contains:, choose what type of Outlook item you want to store in the folder.
Mail: For email folders, select Mail and Post Items. - Choose a parent folder under which the new folder will be created using Select where to place the folder:.
- Click OK.
In “New” Outlook for Windows
To add a new folder to an email account in new Outlook for Windows:
- Click on the folder under which you want to set up the new folder with the right mouse button.
Top level: To create a new top-level folder, right-click on the email account’s root (typically the email address) in the folder list. - Select Create new subfolder (or Create new folder for a top-level folder) from the menu that has appeared.
- Type the name you want to use for the new folder or sub-folder.
- Press Enter.
How to Create a Folder in Outlook for Windows: FAQ
What happens when I add an IMAP folder that exists on the server, but Outlook is not subscribed?
When you create a new folder in an IMAP account that already exists on the server, but has previously not been visible in Outlook because it was not on the list of subscribed folders, outlook will not create a folder only locally and not create a duplicate on the server but
- add the folder from the server to the folder list (including the messages in it on the server).
I created the folder in the wrong place. Can I move it?
Yes.
In the Outlook for Windows folder list, you can drag and drop folders to move them.
(How to create a folder in tested with Outlook for Windows Version 2307–1401 for Microsoft 365; updated August 2023)