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How to Add or Edit Categories in Outlook
Use color to organize your email messages, contacts, and appointments
By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 11, 2020 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email MS Office Outlook Word Excel Powerpoint What to Know
Add new color category: Go to Home > Categorize > All Categories > New. Type a name for the new color and select a color from the menu.Assign a color category to an email: Right-click the message in the email list. Select Categorize and make a color selection.Edit categories: Go to Home > Categorize > All Categories. Change the name or color of a category, or delete one. This article explains how to add or edit categories in Outlook: adding a new color category, assigning a color category to an email, and editing the available categories in Outlook. Instructions apply to Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, and Outlook for Microsoft 365. How to Add a New Color Category in Outlook
Use categories in Microsoft Outlook to organize all kinds of items including email messages, contacts, and appointments. When you assign the same color to a group of related items such as notes, contacts, and messages, you make these items easier to track. If any of the items are related to more than one category, assign more than one color to it. Outlook comes with a set of default color categories, but it's easy to add your own categories or change the color and name of an existing label. You can even set keyboard shortcuts that apply categories to highlighted items. Categories don't work for emails in an IMAP account. To add a new color category in Outlook: Go to the Home tab and select Categorize in the Tag group. Select All Categories. In the Color Categories dialog box, select New. In the Add New Category dialog box, type a name for the new color category in the Name text box. Select the Color drop-down arrow and choose a color for the category. If you want to assign a keyboard shortcut to the new category, select the Shortcut Key drop-down arrow and choose a keyboard shortcut. Select OK to save the new color category and close the Add New Category dialog box. Select OK to close the Color Categories dialog box. Assign a Color Category to an Email
Assigning a color category to individual emails is useful for organizing your inbox. You may want to categorize by client or project. To assign a color category to a message in your Outlook inbox: Right-click on the message in the email list. You can also assign color categories to appointments and tasks. Right-click an appointment in your Outlook Calendar or right-click a task in your Outlook To-Do List. Select Categorize. If you'd rather use the menu, go to Home and, in the Tags group, select Categorize. Choose a color category to apply it to the email. You may be prompted to change the name of a category the first time you use it. If prompted, type a new name. To sort email by categories, go to the View tab, select Arrange by, and choose Categories. Edit Categories in Outlook
To edit the list of color categories: Go to the Home tab and select Categorize,in the Tags group. Select All Categories. Select the category you want to change and then take one of the following actions: Change the category title: Select Rename, type a new name, and press Enter.Choose a different color: Select the Color drop-down arrow and choose a color or choose None to remove a color from a category.Remove a category from the categories list: Select Delete. This does not remove the category from items it has been applied to previously. Select OK when you're finished. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Create New Folders to Organize Mail in Outlook How to Streamline Conversations in Outlook How to Add Members to a Distribution List in Outlook Contact Categories as Distribution Lists in Outlook How to Organize Messages With Categories in Outlook How to Purge Deleted Outlook Email How to Save an Outlook Email as a PDF Forward Multiple Emails Individually in Outlook How to Remove Paragraph Symbols in Outlook How to Print Your Outlook Address Book How to Fix Outlook Search When It's Not Working How to Clear the Outlook Cache How to Forward an Email as an Attachment in Outlook How to Create an Outlook Group of Contacts How to Delete an Address From the Outlook Autocomplete List How to Move Email Messages in Outlook Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies