Outlook Rules

You open the Outlook Rules Wizard, create a new rule, and see the message “On this computer only” next to certain conditions or actions. This label appears because some rule components rely on local hardware, software, or data that cannot be processed by the Exchange server. Understanding why this limitation shows helps you decide whether … Read more

You want to apply a retention policy tag to a specific Outlook folder so that emails in that folder are automatically deleted or archived after a set period. Retention policies are set by your Microsoft 365 administrator, but you can apply a policy tag to a folder without waiting for the default policy to take … Read more

When you compose an email in Outlook, a MailTip may appear warning you that the recipient is out of office. By default, Outlook displays this tip for every recipient who has an automatic reply set. For large distribution groups or frequent bulk mailings, this generates excessive on-screen warnings that slow down message composition. This article … Read more

You want an Outlook rule to process incoming messages only between 9 AM and 5 PM on weekdays. By default, Outlook rules run 24/7 on your local machine when Outlook is open. This can clutter your inbox with after-hours notifications or move emails you want to see during work time. This article explains how to … Read more

You open Outlook AutoArchive settings to change where your archived emails are saved, but the PST file path is grayed out and cannot be edited. This happens because Outlook stores the default archive location in a registry key that is locked once set, or because the current archive file is in use. This article explains … Read more

Outlook Focused Inbox automatically sorts incoming messages into two tabs: Focused and Other. The Focused tab shows your most important emails, while the Other tab collects the rest. When Outlook moves a message to the wrong tab, you can manually correct it using the Move to Other command. This action directly trains the Focused Inbox … Read more

You set up a precise order of inbox rules in Outlook to sort incoming mail. After Outlook syncs with the server, the rule order resets to a different sequence. This happens because Outlook rules are stored server-side on Exchange or Microsoft 365 and the server can reorder rules during sync. This article explains why rule … Read more

You want an Outlook rule that runs on all incoming messages except those that contain a specific header field, such as X-Category or X-Priority. Outlook’s Rules Wizard does not expose a native condition for custom header fields. This article explains how to use a combination of a run-a-script rule and a short VBA macro to … Read more