How to Use the @Mention Feature in Outlook to Get Attention in Group Emails

When you send an email to a large group, important recipients can miss your message. The @mention feature in Outlook solves this by directly tagging specific people. It highlights their name and sends them a special notification. This article explains how to use @mentions in the Outlook desktop app and on the web.

What the @Mention Feature Does in Outlook

The @mention feature is designed to draw specific attention within a group email. When you tag someone using the @ symbol followed by their name, Outlook performs two key actions. First, it formats the name with a highlight, often in a different color and bold text. Second, it can automatically add that person to the To line of the email if they are not already a recipient.

This creates a clear visual cue for everyone on the thread about who the message is directed toward. For the mentioned person, the email is flagged with a unique icon in their inbox. This notification is separate from a standard importance flag. The feature works with contacts from your Global Address List, your personal contacts, and people you have emailed before.

Prerequisites for Using @Mentions

You need a Microsoft 365 subscription or an Outlook.com account to use this feature. It is available in Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, and Outlook on the web. The recipient must also be using a modern version of Outlook or Outlook on the web to see the special notification. If they use an older email client, they will only see the highlighted name in the text.

Steps to @Mention Someone in an Email

The process is similar across different versions of Outlook. Follow these steps to tag someone in your email message.

1. Compose a new email or reply
   Open a new message window or reply to an existing thread. Enter the email addresses of your primary recipients in the To or Cc fields.
2. Type the @ symbol in the body
   In the message body where you want the mention, type the @ symbol. A dropdown list will appear showing suggested contacts from your address book.
3. Select the contact from the list
   Use your mouse or the arrow keys to navigate the list. Press Enter or click to select the correct person. Their full name will be inserted into the text.
4. Complete your message and send
   Finish writing your email. Outlook will automatically add the mentioned person to the To line if they are not already listed as a recipient. Send the email as usual.

Using @Mentions in the Email Subject Line

You can also use @mentions in the subject line to increase visibility. The steps are identical. Click in the subject field, type the @ symbol, and choose a name from the list. The name will appear highlighted in the subject. This method is effective for signaling the email’s primary audience before the recipient opens it.

Common Mistakes and Limitations to Avoid

@Mention Not Triggering the Dropdown List

If the contact list does not appear when you type @, check your connection to the Microsoft 365 service. The feature requires an active internet connection to search the address book. Also, ensure you are not in plain text mode. Go to Format Text > Format > HTML to enable rich text formatting, which is required for @mentions.

Recipient Does Not See a Special Notification

The mentioned person might not see the distinctive notification if they are using an older mail client like Outlook 2016 or a third-party app. They will still see the highlighted name in the message body. For the full effect, all parties should use Outlook for Microsoft 365 or Outlook on the web.

Accidentally Adding Too Many People to the To Line

Outlook automatically adds mentioned contacts to the To line. If you mention someone who was already in the Cc or Bcc field, they will be moved to the To line. Review your recipient list before sending to ensure privacy settings are correct, especially when using Bcc.

@Mention Behavior in Different Outlook Modes

Item	Outlook for Windows/Mac (Desktop)	Outlook on the Web (Browser)
Feature Activation	Type @ in message body or subject	Type @ in message body or subject
Recipient Addition	Auto-added to To line if not a recipient	Auto-added to To line if not a recipient
Visual Highlight	Name appears bold and colored	Name appears bold and colored
Recipient Notification	Email is flagged with an @ icon	Email shows “Mentioned” in preview pane
Required Version	Microsoft 365 subscription	Outlook.com or work/school account

You can now direct questions and action items to specific individuals in group emails. Try using an @mention in the subject line for urgent requests. For managing notifications, explore the Rules feature to automatically sort emails where you are mentioned into a separate folder.