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Use Color Categories (Outlook on the Web)

Categories are markers you create to help you track important messages and events.

This article applies to: Outlook on the Web

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Microsoft frequently updates the design of Outlook on the web, so your version may not match exactly the description given here.

Categories are markers you create to help you track important messages and events. You can assign a color and label to as many categories as you need, then apply those markers to messages and events either manually or, using rules, automatically. Categories can be associated with email messages, calendar items, and tasks.

Create a Category

  1. Select any item on your calendar, in an email folder, or on your task list.
  2. Right-click the item (Mac: ctrl-click).
  3. From the list that appears, select Categorize.
  4. Click New category to create one.

You cannot rename existing categories, but you can delete a category by selecting Categorize, then Manage categories.

You can change the color associated with a category by selecting selecting Categorize, then Manage categories , then clicking the current color shown next to the category.

Assign a Category to a Message, Calendar Event, or Task

Manually

  1. Right-click the item (Mac: ctrl-click).
  2. From the list that appears, select Categorize, then click the category you want to assign to the item.

Automatically

To automatically assign categories to messages, use Rules.

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