How to Create an Email Filter (Rule) in Outlook on Desktop, Web, and Mobile

Setting up an email filter (rule) in Outlook allows you to automatically sort, move, or delete emails based on specific criteria. Below are step-by-step instructions for Outlook on Windows, Mac, Web, and Mobile.

How to Create an Email Filter in Outlook (Windows & Mac)

Step 1: Open Outlook and Access Rules

1. Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer.
2. Click on the “File” menu (top-left corner).
3. Select “Manage Rules & Alerts” (Windows) or “Rules” > “Edit Rules” (Mac).

Step 2: Create a New Rule

4. In the “Rules and Alerts” window, click “New Rule”.
5. Under “Start from a blank rule”, choose:
   
   • “Apply rule on messages I receive” (to filter incoming emails)
   • “Apply rule on messages I send” (to filter sent emails)
6. Click “Next”.

Step 3: Set the Rule Conditions

7. Choose the condition(s) for filtering emails. Common options include:
   
   • From a specific sender (e.g., noreply-dmarc-support@google.com)
   • With specific words in the subject (e.g., “DMARC Report”)
   • Sent only to me
   • Has an attachment
8. Click “Next”.

Step 4: Choose an Action for the Emails

9. Select what Outlook should do with the emails that match your criteria, such as:
   
   • Move to a specific folder
   • Mark as read
   • Delete the email
   • Forward it to another email address
   • Flag it for follow-up
10. Click “Next”.

Step 5: Add Exceptions (Optional)

11. If you want to exclude certain emails from this rule, add exceptions.
12. Click “Next” if no exceptions are needed.

Step 6: Name and Activate the Rule

13. Give your rule a name (e.g., “DMARC Report Filter”).
14. Check “Turn on this rule” to activate it immediately.
15. Click “Finish”.

How to Create an Email Filter in Outlook Web (Outlook.com)

1. Open Outlook Web in your browser.
2. Click the Settings icon (top-right corner).
3. Scroll down and click “View all Outlook settings”.
4. Go to “Mail” > “Rules”.
5. Click “Add new rule”.
6. Enter a rule name (e.g., “DMARC Reports”).
7. Under “Add a condition”, choose:
   
   • “From” and enter the sender’s email (e.g., noreply-dmarc-support@google.com)
   • “Subject includes” and enter keywords (optional)
8. Under “Add an action”, choose what happens to the email (e.g., move to a folder).
9. Click “Save”.

How to Create an Email Filter in Outlook Mobile (iOS & Android)

Step 1: Open Outlook and Go to Settings

1. Open the Outlook app on your mobile device.
2. Tap the profile icon (top left corner).
3. Tap “Settings” (gear icon at the bottom).

Step 2: Create a New Rule

4. Scroll down and select “Swipe Options” (to apply quick actions) or “Focused Inbox” settings.
5. To create a rule, tap “Rules” (this may be under a “Mail” section depending on your version).
6. Tap “Add New Rule”.

Step 3: Set Conditions and Actions

7. Under “When a message arrives”, set conditions such as:
   
   • From a specific sender
   • Subject contains certain words
   • Has attachments
8. Under “Do the following”, select an action:
   
   • Move to a folder
   • Mark as read
   • Delete
9. Tap “Save”.

Your Email Filter is Now Active

Once the rule is created, Outlook will automatically sort, delete, or move emails based on the settings you chose. You can edit or remove rules at any time by following the same steps and selecting an existing rule.