Classic Outlook Category Favorites in New Outlook: What Changed

You are used to seeing your favorite categories at the top of the message list in classic Outlook. In the new Outlook for Windows, the way categories appear and work has changed significantly. This article explains the differences in category favorites between classic Outlook and new Outlook. It covers what happened to the Favorites section, how categories are now managed, and what you can do to keep using categories efficiently.

How Category Favorites Worked in Classic Outlook

In classic Outlook, the Favorites section at the top of the folder pane could hold shortcuts to your most-used folders and categories. When you added a category to Favorites, it appeared as a clickable link directly under your mailbox name. Clicking that link filtered the message list to show only emails tagged with that category. This feature gave you one-click access to filtered views of your inbox.

The Favorites section was part of the Navigation Pane, which also included your mailbox folders, public folders, and search folders. You could drag any folder or category into Favorites. The section was customizable and persisted across Outlook sessions. Many users relied on Favorites to quickly switch between different category-based views without creating separate search folders.

Adding a Category to Favorites in Classic Outlook

To add a category to Favorites, you first needed to create a search folder that filtered by that category. Then you dragged the search folder into the Favorites section. Alternatively, you could right-click a category in the Categories dialog and select Add to Favorites. Once added, the category appeared as a link with the category color next to it.

What Changed in New Outlook

The new Outlook for Windows, also called the OneNote-based Outlook, removed the Favorites section entirely from the navigation pane. The folder pane now shows only your mailbox folders, groups, and shared mailboxes. The Categories feature still exists, but it is no longer accessible as a clickable filter in the folder pane. Instead, categories are managed through the ribbon and the right-click context menu.

The new Outlook also removed the ability to create search folders that filter by category. In classic Outlook, you could create a search folder that automatically collected all emails with a specific category. In new Outlook, search folders are not supported. The only way to view emails by category is to use the Search bar with a category query.

Where Categories Appear Now

In new Outlook, categories appear in three places:

• Home tab: The Categorize button in the Tags group lets you assign or remove categories from selected emails.
• Right-click menu: Right-click an email and select Categorize to assign a category.
• Message list columns: You can add the Categories column to the message list to see which category is applied to each email.

How to Work with Categories in New Outlook

Even though the Favorites section is gone, you can still use categories effectively. The key change is that you now rely on search queries instead of clickable filters. Here are the steps to manage and view categories in new Outlook.

1. Open new Outlook
   Make sure you are using the new Outlook for Windows. You can switch from classic Outlook by toggling the Try the new Outlook button in the top-right corner.
2. Assign a category to an email
   Select an email in your inbox. On the Home tab, click Categorize in the Tags group. Choose a category from the list. The category color appears as a small bar on the left side of the email in the message list.
3. View all emails with a specific category
   Click the Search bar at the top of the message list. Type category:"Category Name" and press Enter. Replace Category Name with the exact name of your category. The message list now shows only emails tagged with that category.
4. Save a search query for quick access
   New Outlook does not support saved search folders. As a workaround, you can pin the search results by clicking the Pin button in the Search tab. This adds the search to your Favorites folder list, but it is not a permanent folder. The pin disappears when you restart Outlook.
5. Add the Categories column to the message list
   Right-click any column header in the message list, such as From or Subject. Select Column Settings. In the Available columns list, find Categories and click Add. Click OK. The Categories column now shows the name of the assigned category for each email.

Common Issues and Workarounds

I cannot find the Favorites section in new Outlook

The Favorites section does not exist in new Outlook. There is no option to enable it. You must use the Search bar to filter by category. If you need a permanent filter, consider using a third-party add-in or continue using classic Outlook.

Search for categories returns no results

The search query syntax is case-insensitive, but the category name must match exactly. If your category is named “Blue Category”, type category:"Blue Category". If you use a partial name, the search may not work. Also, new Outlook indexes categories differently. Make sure your mailbox is fully synced by waiting a few minutes after assigning a category.

I want to use categories as clickable filters like in classic Outlook

New Outlook does not support clickable category filters in the folder pane. As a workaround, you can create a Quick Step that applies a category and moves the email to a specific folder. This does not create a filter, but it helps automate categorization. To create a Quick Step, go to Home > Quick Steps > Create New. Choose Categorize & Move.

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Favorites section in folder pane	Present and customizable	Removed entirely
Category filter as clickable link	Yes, via Favorites or search folders	No clickable filter; use Search bar
Search folders by category	Supported	Not supported
Category assignment locations	Ribbon, right-click menu, and Favorites	Ribbon and right-click menu only
Categories column in message list	Available	Available
Permanent saved category filter	Yes, via search folders	Not possible; pinned searches are temporary

You can now manage categories in new Outlook using the ribbon and search queries. The removal of the Favorites section means you need to adjust your workflow. Try using the Search bar with the category: query to filter your inbox. If you rely heavily on category favorites, consider switching back to classic Outlook until the feature is added to new Outlook in a future update.