Outlook Keyboard Shortcuts
50+ Microsoft Outlook shortcuts for mail, calendar, formatting, and navigation. Mac and Windows reference.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New email message | |
| Reply | |
| Reply all | |
| Forward | |
| Send message | |
| New mail message (from anywhere) | |
| Mark as read | |
| Mark as unread | |
| Flag message | |
| Delete message | |
| Search | |
| Move to folder |
Formatting
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Bold | |
| Italic | |
| Underline | |
| Insert hyperlink | |
| Font size | |
| Increase font size | |
| Decrease font size | |
| Left align | |
| Center align | |
| Right align |
Navigation
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Switch to Mail | |
| Switch to Calendar | |
| Switch to Contacts | |
| Switch to Tasks | |
| Switch to Notes | |
| Go to folder | |
| Go to Inbox | |
| Go to Outbox | |
| Search |
Calendar
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New appointment | |
| New meeting request | |
| Go to date | |
| Day view | |
| Work week view | |
| Full week view | |
| Month view | |
| Next / previous time period |
Tasks
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New task | |
| New contact | |
| New contact group |
General
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Save | |
| Undo | |
| Send/Receive all | |
| Switch to Inbox | |
| Check spelling | |
| Send |
Pro tips
Quick Steps for Automation
Create Quick Steps (Home tab) to perform multiple actions with one click - move to folder + mark as read + reply with template. Assign keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+Shift+1-9) to your favorites.
Rules for Auto-Organization
Set up Rules (Home → Rules) to automatically move, flag, or categorize incoming emails. Route newsletters to folders, auto-forward from VIPs, or play sounds for important senders.
Search Folders Are Dynamic
Create Search Folders to auto-collect emails matching criteria (unread, flagged, from specific people). They update dynamically - like saved searches that work across all folders.
Templates Save Hours
Create email templates: compose your message → File → Save As → Outlook Template (.oft). Access via New Items → More Items → Choose Form → User Templates.
Delay Delivery for Safety
Set a rule to delay all outgoing messages by 1-2 minutes: Rules → New Rule → Apply to sent messages → Defer delivery. This gives you a window to catch mistakes.
Categories for Visual Organization
Right-click any email and assign a color category. Categories work across mail, calendar, tasks, and contacts. Rename default colors to match your workflow (e.g., 'Urgent', 'Client', 'Follow-up').
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Outlook desktop and Outlook web shortcuts?
Desktop Outlook (Windows/Mac app) has more shortcuts than Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com). The web version supports many of the same core shortcuts, but some differ. This page covers the desktop app.
How do I search effectively in Outlook?
Press Ctrl+E to focus search. Use operators: from:name, to:name, subject:keyword, hasattachment:yes, received:this week. Combine them for precise results across all folders.
Can I customize Outlook keyboard shortcuts?
In Outlook desktop, you can assign shortcuts to Quick Steps (Ctrl+Shift+1-9) and to macros. For broader customization, use the Ribbon customization or third-party tools.
How do I set up an out-of-office reply?
File → Automatic Replies (Out of Office). Set date ranges, separate messages for inside/outside your organization, and optionally create rules to handle specific senders during your absence.
How do I recall a sent email?
Open the sent message → Actions → Recall This Message. This only works if the recipient uses Exchange/Microsoft 365 and hasn't read the message yet. It doesn't work with external recipients.
What's Focused Inbox?
Focused Inbox uses AI to sort mail into 'Focused' (important) and 'Other' (everything else). Toggle it via View → Show Focused Inbox. Train it by moving messages between tabs.
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