Outlook: Using and Managing Focused Inbox

Overview

Focused Inbox helps organize your Outlook Inbox by separating messages into two tabs:

  • Focused – Messages Outlook determines are most important to you.
  • Other – Messages Outlook determines are lower priority, such as automated or bulk messages.

All messages are still delivered to your Inbox. Focused Inbox only changes how messages are organized and displayed.

If you prefer to see all messages together in a single Inbox, you can turn Focused Inbox off.

New Outlook for Windows

Turn Focused Inbox On or Off

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Select View > View Settings.
  3. Select Mail > Layout.
  4. If you have more than one account, select your Cedar Crest College account.
  5. Under Focused Inbox, select:
    • Sort messages into Focused and Other to turn Focused Inbox on.
    • Don't sort my messages to turn Focused Inbox off.
  6. Select Save, if prompted.

When Focused Inbox is enabled, Focused and Other tabs will appear at the top of your Inbox.

Move a Sender to Focused or Other

If Outlook places messages in the wrong tab, you can help Outlook learn where you want messages from that sender to appear.

  1. Locate a message from the sender.
  2. Right-click the message.
  3. Select Move.
  4. Choose:
    • Move to Focused inbox or Move to Other inbox to move only that message.
    • Always move to Focused inbox or Always move to Other inbox to have future messages from that sender placed in that tab.

Classic Outlook for Windows

Turn Focused Inbox On or Off

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Select the View tab.
  3. Select Show Focused Inbox.

Selecting Show Focused Inbox toggles the feature on or off.

When enabled, Focused and Other tabs appear at the top of your Inbox.

Move a Sender to Focused or Other

  1. Select the Focused or Other tab.
  2. Right-click the message you want to move.
  3. Choose the appropriate option:
    • Move to Focused
    • Always Move to Focused
    • Move to Other
    • Always Move to Other

Use Always Move if you want future messages from that sender to automatically appear in the selected tab.

Outlook on the Web

These directions apply when accessing Cedar Crest College email through Outlook on the web.

Turn Focused Inbox On or Off

  1. Open Outlook on the web and sign in with your Cedar Crest College account.
  2. Select Settings (gear icon) in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select Mail > Layout.
  4. Locate Focused Inbox.
  5. Select:
    • Sort messages into Focused and Other to turn Focused Inbox on.
    • Don't sort my messages to turn Focused Inbox off.

When Focused Inbox is enabled, Focused and Other tabs appear at the top of your Inbox.

Make Messages from a Sender Appear in Focused

If a message you want is appearing under Other:

  1. Select the Other tab.
  2. Locate the message.
  3. Right-click the message.
  4. Select Move > Move to Focused inbox.

To have future messages from that sender automatically appear in Focused, select Always move to Focused inbox.

You can use the same process from the Focused tab to move a sender to Other.

Outlook for Mac

Turn Focused Inbox On or Off

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Select View.
  3. Select Turn on Focused Inbox or Turn off Focused Inbox.

When enabled, Focused and Other tabs appear at the top of your Inbox.

Move Messages Between Focused and Other

  1. Select the message you want to move.
  2. Select Message.
  3. Choose Move to Focused or Move to Other.

To have future messages from that sender automatically placed in the selected tab, choose Always Move to Focused or Always Move to Other.

Outlook Mobile App – iPhone, iPad, and Android

Turn Focused Inbox On or Off

  1. Open the Outlook app.
  2. Tap your profile picture or Inbox at the top of the screen to open the navigation menu.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Select Mail.
  5. Locate Focused Inbox.
  6. Turn the setting On or Off.

When Focused Inbox is enabled, Focused and Other tabs appear in your Inbox.

Move Messages Between Focused and Other

If Outlook places a message in the wrong tab:

  1. Open the message.
  2. Tap the More options (...) button.
  3. Select Move to Focused Inbox or Move to Other Inbox.
  4. If prompted, choose whether you want to move only the selected message or always move messages from that sender.

Can't Find an Email?

If Focused Inbox is enabled and you cannot find a message you expected to receive, check the Other tab.

Also check your:

  • Junk Email folder
  • Deleted Items folder
  • Outlook search results

If a legitimate message frequently appears under Other, use Always move to Focused inbox so future messages from that sender appear under Focused.

Note: Focused Inbox is different from Junk Email filtering. Moving a message between Focused and Other does not mark the message as junk or change your Junk Email settings.

Which Setting Should I Use?

Focused Inbox is optional. You can choose whichever view works best for you.

Keep Focused Inbox on if you like Outlook separating higher-priority messages from other email.

Turn Focused Inbox off if you prefer to see all messages together in one Inbox.

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