Outlook Search Folder for Items Flagged for Follow-Up This Week: Setup

You want Outlook to automatically gather all emails and tasks you flagged for follow-up this week into a single folder. Outlook includes a built-in Search Folder called “Flagged for Follow Up This Week” that does exactly this without any manual sorting. This article explains how to create and customize that Search Folder so you never miss a flagged item during your work week.

Search Folders are virtual folders that display items matching a set of search criteria. The “Flagged for Follow Up This Week” folder shows any message or task with a flag whose due date or start date falls within the current calendar week. Once set up, the folder updates automatically as you add or complete flags.

Below you will find the step-by-step setup instructions, how to adjust the flag date rules, and what to do if the folder does not show the items you expect.

How the Flagged for Follow Up This Week Search Folder Works

The Search Folder uses the flag due date and flag start date fields in Outlook items. When you apply a flag to an email or task, Outlook records the due date and optionally the start date. The built-in Search Folder compares those dates against the current calendar week, which Outlook defines as Monday through Sunday.

An item appears in the folder if either the due date or the start date falls on any day from Monday to Sunday of the current week. Items with no specific date but a generic “This Week” flag also appear because Outlook assigns them a due date equal to the end of the current week.

The folder does not include completed flags or items where the flag is cleared. It updates every time you restart Outlook or manually press F9 to send and receive.

Prerequisites

Your mailbox must be hosted on Microsoft 365, Exchange Server 2016 or later, or Outlook.com. IMAP and POP3 accounts support Search Folders only if the Outlook data file is in the .ost or .pst format. If you use a Gmail or Yahoo account with IMAP, Search Folders work but may not include items from the server until they are downloaded.

You need at least one item flagged with a due date or start date that falls within the current week. If no items meet that condition, the folder will appear empty.

Steps to Create the Flagged for Follow Up This Week Search Folder

1. Open the New Search Folder dialog
   In Outlook, go to the Folder tab on the ribbon. Click the New Search Folder button. The New Search Folder dialog box opens.
2. Select the correct Search Folder type
   In the left pane of the dialog, scroll down to the section labeled “Custom” or look for “Flagged for Follow Up This Week” under “Organizing Mail.” Click that entry once to select it.
3. Choose the mailbox or data file
   At the bottom of the dialog, click the Search Mail In button if you have multiple mailboxes or Outlook data files. Select the mailbox where you want the folder to search. Click OK.
4. Click OK to create the folder
   Press OK in the New Search Folder dialog. Outlook creates the folder under the Search Folders group in the folder pane. The folder name appears as “Flagged for Follow Up This Week.”
5. Verify the folder content
   Click the new folder in the folder pane. If you have flagged items due this week, they appear in the list. If the folder is empty, flag an email with a due date of today and check again.

Customizing the Search Folder Criteria

The built-in folder uses a fixed date range of the current calendar week. You can change the criteria to use a rolling 7-day window instead, or to include only items with a specific flag color.

1. Open the Customize dialog
   Right-click the “Flagged for Follow Up This Week” folder in the folder pane. Choose Customize This Search Folder from the context menu.
2. Adjust the date criteria
   Click the Criteria button. In the Search Folder Criteria dialog, go to the Advanced tab. Click the Field button, point to Frequently-Used Fields, and select Due Date. Set the condition to “on or after” and the value to “today.” Click Add to List. Then add another line with Due Date set to “on or before” and the value to “in 7 days.”
3. Filter by flag color
   On the Advanced tab, click Field > Frequently-Used Fields > Flag Color. Set the condition to “equals” and choose a color such as Red. Click Add to List.
4. Save the changes
   Click OK in all open dialogs. The folder now uses your custom criteria instead of the default calendar week rule.

Common Mistakes and Limitations

The Search Folder shows no items even though I have flags set

Check that the flag has a due date or start date that falls within the current Monday-to-Sunday week. A flag set to “Tomorrow” will not appear if tomorrow is next Monday and today is Sunday. Open the flagged email and confirm the date in the flag reminder dialog.

Also verify that the Search Folder is searching the correct mailbox. If you have multiple accounts, the folder may be scoped to a different data file.

The folder includes items from past weeks

This happens when the flag due date is set to a specific date that falls in a previous week but the flag has not been cleared. Open the item and clear the flag, then re-flag it with a current due date. Alternatively, customize the Search Folder criteria to exclude dates before today.

Search Folders do not sync between Outlook desktop and Outlook on the web

Search Folders are a client-side feature. They exist only in the Outlook desktop application. On Outlook on the web, use the built-in “Flagged items” view under the Folders pane instead. That view shows all flagged items regardless of date.

Built-in Search Folder vs Custom Search Folder: Key Differences

Item	Built-in Flagged for Follow Up This Week	Custom Search Folder with Advanced Find
Date range	Current calendar week (Mon–Sun)	Any custom range, such as rolling 7 days or next 30 days
Flag color filter	Includes all flag colors	Can filter by a specific color (Red, Orange, etc)
Mailbox scope	Single mailbox selected at creation	Can be changed later via Customize This Search Folder
Update behavior	Updates on restart or manual send/receive (F9)	Same update behavior
Completion status	Shows all flags regardless of completion	Can exclude completed flags using Advanced Find

The built-in folder is the fastest way to get started. Use a custom folder when you need a rolling date window, a specific flag color, or exclusion of completed items.

You can now create and customize a Search Folder that shows all items flagged for follow-up this week in Outlook. Try changing the date criteria to a rolling seven-day window if your work week does not align with Monday to Sunday. For a quick check, press Ctrl+Shift+F to open Advanced Find and preview your criteria before building a permanent folder.