If you recently switched from Classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows, you may have noticed that the familiar Follow Meeting button is no longer in the Ribbon. This button allowed you to quickly mark a meeting request as followed up, adding it to your task list with a flag. In the new Outlook, the feature still exists, but it has moved to a different location and works slightly differently. This article explains exactly where to find the Follow Meeting option in new Outlook and how to use it.
Key Takeaways: Locating the Follow Meeting Feature in New Outlook
- Right-click the meeting request in your calendar: The Follow Up option appears in the context menu, not in the Ribbon.
- Customize Quick Access Toolbar > Add Follow Up: You can add the Follow Up button to the Quick Access Toolbar for one-click access.
- Flagged meetings appear in To Do: Followed-up meetings sync to the Microsoft To Do app as flagged items with the meeting date.
Why the Follow Meeting Button Moved in New Outlook
Classic Outlook placed the Follow Meeting button directly in the Calendar Ribbon under the Meeting Occurrence tab. New Outlook uses a simplified Ribbon design that hides many advanced options by default. The Follow Up feature is now accessed through the right-click context menu or the Quick Access Toolbar. This change aligns new Outlook with the modern Microsoft 365 design philosophy of reducing visible buttons to minimize clutter. The feature itself is unchanged: you can still flag a meeting for follow-up, set a due date, and have the flag appear in your task list.
Steps to Follow a Meeting in New Outlook
- Open your Calendar
Click the Calendar icon in the left navigation pane of new Outlook. - Locate the meeting request
Find the meeting you want to follow up on. It can be a single occurrence or a recurring series. - Right-click the meeting
Right-click on the meeting block in your calendar grid. Do not double-click to open it. - Select Follow Up
From the context menu, choose Follow Up. A submenu appears with flag options: Today, Tomorrow, This Week, Next Week, No Date, and Custom. - Choose a flag option
Click the desired time frame. The meeting now shows a small flag icon in the calendar view. The flagged meeting also appears in the Microsoft To Do app under the Flagged Email list.
Add Follow Up to the Quick Access Toolbar
If you prefer a single-click button, you can add Follow Up to the Quick Access Toolbar.
- Right-click the Ribbon
Right-click anywhere on the Ribbon (the toolbar at the top of the window) and select Customize Quick Access Toolbar. - Choose All Commands
In the dropdown menu at the top left of the dialog, select All Commands. - Find Follow Up
Scroll down the list until you see Follow Up. Click it to select it. - Add the button
Click the Add button in the middle of the dialog. Follow Up moves to the right column. - Click OK
The Follow Up button now appears in the Quick Access Toolbar at the top of the window. Click it on any selected meeting to open the flag options.
What Happens After You Follow a Meeting
Flagging a meeting does not change the meeting itself. The meeting remains on your calendar with all original details. The flag is a separate marker that appears in the Microsoft To Do app as a task. The task title is the meeting subject, and the due date matches the flag option you chose. For example, if you select Tomorrow, the task is due the next day. If you select a date in the past, the flag appears overdue. You can mark the task as complete in To Do, which removes the flag from the calendar item. This synchronization works only if you are signed into the same Microsoft 365 account in both Outlook and To Do.
Common Issues When Using Follow Up in New Outlook
Follow Up option is grayed out
The Follow Up option appears grayed out when you right-click a meeting that is part of a recurring series and you have not selected Open Series. Right-click the meeting and choose Open Series, then right-click the individual occurrence. Alternatively, right-click a single occurrence and choose Open This Occurrence before right-clicking again.
Flagged meeting does not appear in To Do
This happens if your Outlook and To Do apps are not connected to the same mailbox. Open To Do and check the account in the top left corner. It must match the email address used in Outlook. If they match, force a sync by clicking the refresh icon in To Do or restarting Outlook.
Flag disappears after closing the meeting
This is by design. The flag is a temporary marker. If you close the meeting window without saving, the flag is lost. Always right-click the meeting in the calendar grid to apply the flag. Do not open the meeting item and try to flag it from inside the open window because the flag may not persist.
| Item | Classic Outlook | New Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Button location | Ribbon under Meeting Occurrence tab | Right-click context menu or Quick Access Toolbar |
| Flag options | Today, Tomorrow, This Week, Next Week, No Date, Custom | Same six options |
| Sync with tasks | Synced to Outlook Tasks folder | Synced to Microsoft To Do app |
| Flag icon in calendar | Small flag in the top-right corner of the meeting block | Same appearance |
| Custom flag color | Available from the Custom flag dialog | Not available in the right-click menu; use Quick Access Toolbar Custom option |
You can now find and use the Follow Meeting feature in new Outlook by right-clicking any meeting in your calendar. Add the Follow Up button to the Quick Access Toolbar if you want faster access. Remember that flagged meetings sync to Microsoft To Do, not to the old Outlook Tasks folder. For recurring meetings, always open the series first before applying a flag to an individual occurrence.