How to Effectively Use Outlook- Beginner to Pro

Summary: Microsoft Outlook is a powerful tool for managing emails, calendars, tasks, and contacts. In case, you are new to Outlook or want to enhance your skills, this guide will take you from beginner to pro. By the end of this blog, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge of how to effectively use Outlook. In those terms, if you want to convert Outlook PST files to another format, you can simply use the Outlook Converter Tool to simplify the task. Let’s initiate the process to learn how to use Microsoft Outlook effectively.

Benefits of Using MS Outlook Application

Here, we discuss the features of using Outlook. If you have expertise in Outlook, you can utilize it in several ways for personal and professional needs. Below, we mention the main key advantages of using Outlook.

• If you are an Outlook user, you can frequently integrate with other Microsoft Office applications.
• MS Outlook comes with features like folders, rules, and search to efficiently handle emails.
• For special events or meetings, you can utilize the robust calendar functions for scheduling and reminders.
• Apart from that, you can use the built-in tools of MS Outlook to manage tasks and to-do lists.
• Moreover, individuals can manage and access the contacts with detailed information and categorization.
• Also, it offers advanced security features to protect against accidental data deletion and malware.
• Using MS Outlook, you can synchronize across platforms because it is accessible from multiple devices.
• You get a simple and smooth interface and options to keep your data organized in a hassle-free manner.
• Along with that, it enhances collaboration with features like shared calendars and meeting scheduling.
• If you don’t have an internet connection, it allows you to access emails and calendars even when offline.

For the use of these proficient features of Outlook, individuals want to know how to use Outlook email effectively. Further, we will give you the simple steps to solve this query.

How to Effectively Use Outlook

After configuring the popularity of MS Outlook, it’s essential to learn how to use Microsoft Outlook effectively. In the process of becoming an expert user, you should know basic features of Outlook. If you have not, don’t worry. Further, we will include the basic steps of using MS Outlook. From getting started with Outlook to how to write an email or how to utilize the given features of it. Let’s continue with the next section one by one, for a better understanding. Now, just get started with Outlook to use Outlook email more effectively:

1. Setting Up Your Account

Before knowing about the features, it’s better to learn how to set up your account in MS Outlook. Continue with the given steps to set up your Outlook account:

1. First of all, download and install Outlook on your existing system.
2. You can get Outlook from the Microsoft website or as part of the Office 365 suite.
3. Now, open Outlook and go to File >>Add Account to add your Outlook account.
4. Next, simply follow the prompts to enter your email address and password.
5. Then, adjust settings like your display name, signature, and reply options in Account Settings under the File tab.

2. Free up Space in Your Outlook Account

You can clean your inbox in Outlook, which can help improve your productivity. With the move, you won’t miss important emails. Here are some steps to help you clean your Outlook inbox effectively:

1. Firstly, open MS Outlook on your screen.
2. After that, click on the folder you want to clean up (e.g., Inbox).
3. Next, go to the Home tab >>Delete group.
4. In the Delete group, you will find the Clean Up option.
5. Now, tap on the Clean Up Folder option. It will remove unnecessary messages throughout the selected folder.
6. Subsequently, a dialog box will appear to confirm the action.
7. Lastly, hit the Clean Up Folder option to proceed further.

By using the “Clean Up” feature, you can maintain a cleaner inbox with minimal effort. These steps would be a beneficial part of learning how to effectively use Outlook.

3. Compose and Send an Email in Outlook

Here, we describe the steps to create and send emails in Outlook.

1. Simply open the Outlook application first.
2. Now, click the “New Email” button in the Home tab.
3. In the “To” field, type the email address of the recipient(s).
4. If you want to send a copy to someone, use the “Cc” (carbon copy) field.
5. For a blind copy, use the “Bcc” (blind carbon copy) field.
6. In the “Subject” field, type a brief description of the email’s topic.
7. After that, type your message in the large text box below the subject line.
8. Use the formatting options (bold, italic, underline, bullets, numbering, etc.) available in the toolbar above the message box.
9. Next, click on the “Attach” (paperclip icon) button in the toolbar.
10. Thereafter, select the files you want to attach from your computer or OneDrive.
11. At the end, click the “Send” button to send your email.

That’s it! You’ve successfully created and sent an email using Outlook. To learn how to effectively use Outlook proceed with the next section.

4. Highlight the Important Emails to Organize Your Inbox

Here’s how you can use conditional formatting to highlight important messages in Outlook:

1. Primarily, create folders to categorize your emails.
2. After that, right-click on your inbox and select “New Folder.”
3. Now, automate email sorting by setting up rules.
4. For this, go to File >>Manage Rules & Alerts.
5. Use color-coded categories to label and prioritize emails.

5. Manage Attachments Using MS Outlook

Also, you can manage attachments in MS Outlook. It involves several useful functions to keep your emails organized and efficient:

1. To save attachments, open the email, right-click on the attachment, and choose “Save As” to select a location on your computer.
2. You can remove attachments to save space without deleting the email. Right-click on the attachment and select “Remove.”
3. Outlook allows you to preview certain types of attachments (like images and PDFs) without opening them fully. Just double-click on the attachment to preview it.
4. When forwarding emails with attachments, Outlook gives you the option to include the original attachments or not. It depends on your preferences.

6. Advanced Calendar Tips to Schedule Meetings

1. For New meetings, go to Calendar >>Home >>New Meeting to schedule a meeting with multiple attendees.
2. Moreover, You can send meeting requests that attendees can accept or decline.
3. Along with that, you can use Room Finder to find available meeting rooms to use Outlook email more effectively.

7. Essential Keyboard Shortcuts and Advanced Search

If you have command on keyboard shortcuts, it can significantly speed up your workflow. Apart from that, you can utilize advanced search to find specific emails quickly. Further, we mention both of them:

1. Keyboard Shortcuts
   • Ctrl + N: Create a new email.
   • Ctrl + Shift + M: Open a new message window.
   • Ctrl + 1: Switch to Mail view.
   • Ctrl + 2: Switch to Calendar view.
   • Ctrl + E: Open the search box.
2. Advanced Search
   • Search by Sender: Type from:[email] in the search box.
   • Search by Date: Use received: today, received: this week, etc.
   • Search by Attachment: Use hasattachment: yes.

Above, we mention the simple approaches that we face in the regular use of MS Outlook. When you use the above-mentioned tips, you can learn how to effectively use Outlook. But in some scenarios, users need an ultimate solution to convert and save their email data into another format. To use Outlook email more effectively, they need a reliable tool, which we will discuss further.

8. Automated Solution Save the Outlook Data Files

The Outlook Converter Tool is the appropriate solution to convert or export emails from Outlook in your desired file format. It can be EML PDF, TXT, MSG, MBOX, HTML, EMLX, MHTML, etc. It provides two conversion options: Single mode and Multiple mode, for converting PST files. Moreover, you will get three different modes to save your PST file. Users can convert both individual and multiple Outlook PST files into various file formats. Moreover, it has a feature that intelligently sorts email items based on specified start and end dates. Also, it preserves the folder structure when converting and following the PST file’s directory layout. In terms of contacts, it allows the storage and conversion of Outlook PST contacts into VCF and ICS file formats. Apart from that, individuals don’t need to install MS Outlook on their system to convert the PST files. Additionally, it supports all Microsoft Outlook versions, including Office 365, 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003, 2002, 2000, 98, and 97.

Simple Steps to Convert PST File into Another Format

1. First of all, launch and run the given software on your machine.
2. Now, tap on Select File/ Select Folder to add the PST file to it.
3. Then, preview the tree structure of the folder and confirm it again.
4. In the next panel, you can pick the desired file format for conversion.
5. After that, enter the location of the resulting file according to your choice.
6. Additionally, you can utilize the advanced features of the software.
7. At the end, tap on the Convert Button to begin the process of conversion.

Conclusion

Hopefully, now you know how to effectively use Outlook. After going through the complete blog, you will get smart tips for Outlook that can transform your productivity and organization skills. By starting with the basics of email management, calendar integration, and task organization. Moreover, users can gradually incorporate advanced features such as rules, filters, and customizations to tailor Outlook to their specific needs. Regular practice and exploration of its functionalities will not only enhance your daily workflow but also enhance collaboration and communication within teams. Apart from these, we also discussed the all-in-one solution to convert your Outlook data file into another format accordingly. This utility is helpful for importing your Outlook emails into email clients. Although using this tool can be beneficial in several ways. It has a user-friendly graphical interface for converting PST files into other formats without requiring expertise

About The Author:

Mithilesh Tata is an Email Migration and Data Recovery Expert. He has a keen interest in Technology & Entrepreneurship. Also, he loves cricket, music, and books.