How to get notifications only for emails you care about in Microsoft Outlook

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Outlook logo

Some emails are more important than others. Instead of receiving alerts every time an email arrives, set Microsoft Outlook to only notify you when important things arrive in your inbox, instead of any old email that can wait until you check your inbox.

If Outlook email alerts distract you, the easiest thing is to deactivate them. But, What if you really need to know when an email arrives from your boss, a client or someone more important to you?

RELATED: How to only receive notifications for emails that interest you on your iPhone

Microsoft Outlook enables you to configure custom alert rules for specific email addresses or entire domains. We have covered the rules in general previously, so take a quick look if you've never used them before.

When you configure a custom alert with a rule, override the default alert permissions you have set. If you have disabled all alerts in Outlook, you will still receive an alert if you have a rule configured to do so.

RELATED: How to get notifications only for emails you care about in Gmail

Create a rule for a specific person

To configure a custom alert rule for a specific person, open Outlook and then find an email from someone for whom you want an alert. Right click on the email and select Rules> Create Rule.

The option "Create rule" in the context menu.

Alternatively, select the email and, on the Home tab of the ribbon, click Rules> Create rule.

The option "Create rule" in the ribbon menu.

Select the check box next to the sender's name, and then choose “Show in new item alert window” Y / O “Play a selected sound”.

Window

If you choose “Play a selected sound”, you will have to select a sound file to play. Most people don't have a selection of .wav files on hand, therefore navigate to C: Windows Media (O / System / Library / Sounds / if you are using Outlook on a Mac) and choose the sound you want. You can use the play button in the window “Create rule” to hear the sound before confirming your choice.

Window

Click on “To accept” in the Create Rule window and your rule is configured. From now on, you will receive an alert every time you receive a message from that email address.

Create a rule for an entire domain

If you want to receive an alert when you receive an email from a particular domain, as a specific customer or your home email domain, you will need to configure a rule from scratch.

On the Home tab, click Rules> Manage Rules and Alerts.

The menu option

In the window “Rules and alerts”, click on “New rule”.

The button

Please select “Apply rule to messages I receive” You have been asked to replace the word “Next”.

The

Move to down, select “With specific words in the sender's address” and then click “Specific words” underlined in bottom panel.

the & quot; with specific words in the return address" option in the Rules Wizard.

Add the domain for which you want to receive an alert, click on “Add” (you can add multiple domains if you want) and then click “To accept”.

The panel

The domain will have replaced “Specific words”. Click Next.”

The Rules Wizard showing the chosen domain.

Now, choose whether you want a sound to play, an alert is displayed or both. If you choose a sound, you will have to click on “A Sound” and select the sound you want. Once this is done, click on “Finalize”.

Alert options in the Rules Wizard.

The rule will be visible in the list “Rules and alerts”. Click on “Apply” to activate it.

Window

From now on, every time an email from that domain arrives, you will receive the alert you chose.

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