Outlook: Email Tips & Tricks

 Summary

This article details some email tips & tricks for using Microsoft Desktop Apps for both Windows and MacOS users.

Table of Contents

For Windows
1 - Conquer Outlook with keyboard shortcuts
2 - Turn that email into a PDF
3 - Send a link
4 - Tame your inbox with Clean-up
5 - Adding or updating your photo

For Mac
1 - Conquer Outlook with keyboard shortcuts
2 - Turn that email into a PDF
3 - Send a link
4 - Adding or updating your photo

Tips & Tricks for Windows

1 - Conquer Outlook with keyboard shortcuts

Speed through Outlook with keyboard shortcuts.

Do you want to create a new email message? Press Ctrl+Shift+M.

For a new contact, try Ctrl+Shift+C.

Outlook has you covered with appointments and meetings too. Ctrl+Shift+A creates an appointment, while Ctrl+Shift+Q opens a new meeting request.

What's the most popular Outlook keyboard shortcut? Ctrl+Enter sends your message.

More information available at Microsoft - Complete list of keyboard shortcuts

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2 - Turn that email into a PDF

Need to create a PDF from your email message? Print it with Windows 10!

Step 1 - Click Ctrl+P to open the Print dialog, then select Microsoft Print to PDF as your printer.

Step 2 - Once you select Print, pick a folder, name your PDF, then select Save.

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3 - Send a link

Collaborating with colleagues on a report or project? Don't send copies. Send a link instead.

The trick is to upload files to OneDrive or SharePoint and then send everyone a link to the files. Your recipients can collaborate on the same file at the same time, and you don't have to scour your inbox for multiple copies.

Select Attach File > Browse Web Locations > OneDrive or SharePoint

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4 - Tame your inbox with Clean-up

Overwhelmed trying to achieve Inbox Zero? Folder Clean-up can help.

From your Inbox (or any other email folder), select Home > Clean Up. You can Clean Up Conversation, Clean Up Folder, or Clean Up Folder and Subfolders. Outlook will automatically move redundant, read messages to the Deleted Items folder. Folder clean-up will never remove unread messages.

More information available at Microsoft - Use Conversation Clean Up to delete redundant messages

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5 - Adding or updating your photo

This will change it both in the Outlook client and in a browser.

Note: It may take up to 24 hours for the photo to update

Step 1 - Open your Outlook Desktop App

Step 2 - Click File

Step 3 - Hit the Change button or click the picture that currently displays

Step 4 - This will take you to outlook.office.com to change the photo

Step 5 - Click the upload photo button

Step 6 - Select the photo you wish to use as your profile picture then hit Open

Step 7 - Click Save

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Tips & Tricks for MacOS

1 - Conquer Outlook with keyboard shortcuts

Speed through Outlook with keyboard shortcuts.

Do you want to create a new email message? Press Cmd + N in the mail view.

A new appointment is Cmd + N in the calendar view.

What's the most popular Outlook keyboard shortcut? Cmd+ Return sends your message.

Go to Mail view - Cmd + 1

Go to Calendar view - Cmd + 2

Go to Contacts view - Cmd + 3

Go to Tasks view - Cmd + 4

Go to Notes view - Cmd + 5

More information available at Microsoft - Complete list of keyboard shortcuts for Mac 

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2 - Turn that email into a PDF

Need to create a PDF from your email message? Print it!

Step 1 - Click Cmd + P to open the Print dialog, then select the PDF dropdown box and select Save as PDF

Step 2 - Once you select Save as PDF, pick a folder, name your PDF, then select Save.

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3 - Send a link

Collaborating with colleagues on a report or project? Don't send copies. Send a link instead.

The trick is to upload files to OneDrive or SharePoint and then send everyone a link to the files. Your recipients can collaborate on the same file at the same time, and you don't have to scour your inbox for multiple copies.

Select Attach File or press Cmd + E and select the file from your collaborative folder.

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4 - Adding or updating your photo

This will change it both in the Outlook client and in a browser.

Step 1 - Login to Outlook on the Web

Step 2 - In the top right click the User badge then select My profile from the drop-down menu (it will be your initials or your old profile picture).

Step 3 - On the left side of the page click the camera icon that overlaps with your old profile picture or the default image

Step 4 - This will display a change your profile photo pop-up. Click Upload a new photo.

Step 5 - After selecting your photo Click Save.

If you are having trouble, try running the Microsoft SARA tool.

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