Microsoft Outlook is one of the most widely used email applications in the world, and for good reason. Not only does it help streamline email communication, but it also offers multiple features that can help make inbox management easier. One such feature is the ability to organize messages with categories, which makes it possible for users to group similar messages together and quickly locate them when needed. Here are some steps on how to organize messages with categories in Outlook.

1. View your inbox by categories

The first step to organizing messages with categories in Outlook is to view your inbox by categories. This can be done by selecting the “Categorized” option from the dropdown menu located next to the “Arrangement” tab in the View menu. Doing this will display all of your emails organized by their respective categories.

2. Create categories

To create a new category, navigate to the “Home” tab in the Outlook menu and select the “Categorize” button. From there, choose the “All Categories” option, which will display a list of all the currently available categories. To create a new category, click the “New” button and enter the name of the new category. Select a color for the category so that it’s easier to recognize, and press “OK.” Your new category will now be available.

3. Categorize messages

To add a category to an email, at first open the email message you want to categorize. Select the “Categorize” button in the Outlook menu, then hover over the category you’d like to assign to the message. Click on the category to apply it to the message. You can add as many categories to an email as you need, and you can remove categories by following the same steps.

4. Filter messages by category

To filter messages by category, select the “Filter Email” button from the “Home” tab dialog box, then choose the “Categorized” option. Outlook will then display all the emails assigned to each category. This makes it easier to locate specific emails based on their category, rather than scrolling through piles of emails to find the specific message.

5. Adjust the category list

To adjust the category list, navigate to the “Home” tab and select “Categorize,” then choose “All Categories.” From here, you can rename, assign a new color, or remove existing categories. By keeping your category list up-to-date and relevant, you can improve your email organization and quickly locate important messages.

In conclusion, learning how to organize messages with categories in Outlook can help users make the most of their inbox and streamline their email management. By using categories, it’s easier to sort and locate important emails, and it can help reduce the time spent browsing and searching through messages. With these simple steps, anyone can use categories to organize their emails and make the most of Outlook’s features.