Understanding Email Templates in Outlook
Email templates in Outlook are pre-formatted messages that you can reuse whenever you need to send similar emails. Instead of typing the same content repeatedly, you create a template once and then open it whenever necessary. This feature works across all versions of Outlook, including Outlook desktop applications, Outlook on the web, and Outlook mobile apps, though the specific steps vary slightly between versions.
Learn How Credit One Pre-Approval Works Today →
Templates save the complete structure of an email, including the subject line, body text, formatting, images, tables, signatures, and any attachments you include. When you open a template to send an email, you can edit any part of it while keeping the basic structure intact. This is particularly useful for messages you send frequently, such as status reports, client responses, meeting confirmations, or standard inquiries.
According to productivity research, professionals spend approximately 28% of their workday managing email. By using templates for recurring messages, you can reduce this time considerably. For someone who sends just five templated emails per week, using templates could save roughly two to three hours monthly. That time adds up significantly across a year, especially in organizations where multiple team members use similar message formats.
The distinction between templates and other Outlook features matters here. Quick Steps automate actions like moving emails to folders or assigning categories. Signatures are standard text added to all outgoing emails. Templates, by contrast, are complete message drafts that you actively choose to use and then customize for each recipient.
Practical takeaway: Identify three to five emails you send regularly with similar content. These are ideal candidates for templates and will provide the most time savings in your daily workflow.
How to Create Email Templates in Outlook Desktop
Creating an email template in Outlook Desktop (Windows or Mac) involves composing your message exactly as you want it to appear each time you use it. Start by opening a new email message. Click the "New Email" button or press Ctrl+N on Windows or Command+N on Mac. Compose your message with the subject line, body text, formatting, and any attachments you want to include by default.
Learn Sign Language at Your Own Pace Guide →
Pay attention to formatting details because these will be preserved in your template. Use fonts, colors, bullet points, tables, and spacing exactly as you want them to appear in future messages. If your organization has branding guidelines, apply them now. Insert any images, logos, or signature blocks that should appear in every message created from this template.
Once your message is complete and formatted correctly, save it as a template. On Windows Outlook, click "File" in the top menu, then navigate to "Save As" and select "Outlook Template (*.oft)" from the file type dropdown menu. Name your template something descriptive—for example, "Client Status Update" or "Meeting Follow-Up" rather than "Template 1." The name you choose will appear when you search for templates later, so clarity matters.
On Mac Outlook, the process is similar but slightly different. Click "File" then "Save As," and in the dropdown that appears, select "Outlook Template" as the file type. Mac will automatically save the template in the correct location. Close the message without sending it.
When creating templates, avoid including information that changes every time you send the message. For instance, don't include specific dates, recipient names that vary, or transaction numbers. Instead, you can add placeholder text like "[Client Name]" or "[Date of Service]" that you'll replace when using the template. This approach keeps templates flexible while preserving consistent formatting and structure.
Practical takeaway: When creating a template, include only the elements that remain the same across multiple uses. Use placeholder brackets for variable information so you remember what needs updating each time.
Accessing and Using Saved Templates
Once you've created templates, accessing them is straightforward. In Outlook Desktop (Windows), open a new email message and click the "File" menu. Look for an option labeled "New" or similar, then select "More Templates" or navigate to the templates folder directly. Different Outlook versions place this option slightly differently, but the principle remains consistent. You're looking for a way to browse and select from your saved templates.
Free Home Cold Care Information Guide →
In newer versions of Outlook for Windows, you may see a "Templates" option directly in the ribbon menu at the top of a new message. Click this to see your saved templates displayed as a list. Select the template you want to use, and it will open as a new message ready for editing. This new message is not the template itself—it's a fresh copy that you can modify without affecting the original template.
On Mac, open a new message and click "File," then look for "Templates" in the menu options. Select "Browse Templates" or similar language to see your list. Click the template you want and it opens as a new message.
In Outlook on the web (the browser-based version), the process differs. Open a new email message and look for a three-dot menu icon or similar options button. Select "Templates" or "Saved Drafts" depending on your Outlook version. You should see templates you've saved. Click one to load it into your message composition area.
After opening a template, you can edit every part of it. Change the subject line, modify the body text, adjust formatting, add or remove attachments, and customize the message for the specific recipient or situation. The original template file remains unchanged, so you can use it again without worrying about having altered it.
Practical takeaway: Keep your template names short and searchable. If you have 15 templates, names like "Proposal Response," "Weekly Report," and "Client Welcome" make finding the right one faster than generic names.
Organizing and Managing Multiple Templates
As you create more templates, organization becomes important. Outlook stores templates in a specific folder on your computer. On Windows, this is typically in your user profile under AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates (you may need to enable viewing hidden files to see this). On Mac, templates are usually stored in Users/[Your Name]/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates. Understanding where templates are stored helps if you need to back them up, share them with colleagues, or delete ones you no longer use.
Free Guide to AARP Mahjongg and Online Games →
You can organize templates by creating a logical naming system. For example, prefix template names with categories: "Client-Welcome," "Client-Status," "Internal-Report," "Internal-Approval." This makes them easier to scan through when you have many templates. Some people also organize them by department or function. A sales team might use "Sales-Quote," "Sales-Followup," "Sales-Proposal," while an HR department might use "HR-Offer," "HR-Interview," "HR-Onboarding."
Periodically review your templates to remove ones you no longer use. Templates you rarely need just clutter your selection menu and make finding active templates harder. If you've saved a "Seasonal Promotion" template that you used once per year, consider whether you actually need to save it or whether starting fresh might be faster. A practical approach is to review templates quarterly and delete any not used in the past three months.
If you work on a team, you may want to share templates with colleagues. Templates created in Outlook can be exported and shared as .oft files. You can email a template to coworkers, and they can import it into their Outlook by saving the .oft file in their templates folder. Some organizations keep shared templates on a network drive that team members can access, which ensures everyone uses the same approved language and formatting for standard communications.
Practical takeaway: Start with five essential templates rather than creating many at once. Once you're comfortable using them and see the time savings, expand gradually. This prevents overwhelming yourself with template management.
Template Variations for Different Outlook Versions and Platforms
The specific steps for saving and using templates vary slightly between Outlook versions and platforms. Outlook 2019, Outlook 2021, Outlook 365, and Outlook on the web each have somewhat different interfaces. Understanding these differences helps you use templates effectively regardless of which version you work with.
Learn About IRS Tax Payment Tracking Options →
In Outlook 2019 and 2021 for Windows, templates are saved as .oft files. The process described earlier applies directly—compose your message, go to File > Save As, and select Outlook Template from the dropdown. In Outlook 365 (the subscription version), the process is similar, though the ribbon menu layout may vary. Look for a "Templates" button in the ribbon or use File menu