Mail merge in Outlook sends the same email to a list of people with each person's name, company, or other details filled in automatically

Mail merge is a feature that lets you write one email template and send it to dozens or hundreds of people with personalized details in each copy. Instead of typing "Hi Sarah" in one email and "Hi Marcus" in another, you create a single template with placeholders like [FirstName], and Outlook fills in the actual names from your contact list or spreadsheet.

Outlook does not have a built-in mail merge button the way Word does. Instead, you use Word to create the merge, then send the emails through Outlook. This takes a few extra steps, but it works reliably and lets you keep a record of what you sent.

Key Takeaways

  • Mail merge in Outlook requires you to create the merge in Word first, then send through Outlook — there is no direct mail merge feature in Outlook itself.
  • You need two files: a Word document with your email template and placeholders like [FirstName], and a spreadsheet or contact list with the actual names and addresses.
  • The merge process takes about five minutes once your files are ready, and you can preview each email before sending to catch mistakes.
  • Merged emails go out from your Outlook account one at a time, so recipients see a personal email from you, not a bulk message.

Set up your contact list or spreadsheet

Start by gathering the names, email addresses, and any other details you want to personalize. The easiest format is an Excel spreadsheet with one row of column headers at the top (FirstName, LastName, Email, Company) and one row per person below.

If you use Outlook contacts instead, open Outlook, go to People, and make sure all the contacts you want to include have their email addresses filled in. You can select multiple contacts later, but a spreadsheet is faster if you have more than a handful of people.

Check your data for typos and missing email addresses before you start the merge. A misspelled email address will cause that message to bounce, and you will have to resend it manually.

Create your email template in Word

Open a blank Word document and write the email you want to send. Use standard greeting and closing — this will be the body of your email, not the subject line.

Wherever you want a personalized detail to appear, type a placeholder in square brackets. Common ones are [FirstName], [LastName], [Company], [Email]. For example: "Hi [FirstName], I wanted to reach out about the project at [Company]." Word will replace [FirstName] with the actual first name from your spreadsheet, and [Company] with the company name, and so on.

Keep the template straightforward. Avoid special formatting, images, or links if you can — they sometimes break during the merge. Plain text with bold or italic is fine.

Start the mail merge in Word

With your template open in Word, go to the Mailings tab at the top. Click Start Mail Merge, then select Normal Word Document (or Email Messages if you see that option — it depends on your Word version).

Next, click Select Recipients. Choose Use an Existing List if you have a spreadsheet, or Choose from Outlook Contacts if you stored your people in Outlook. Browse to your Excel file or select your Outlook contact folder.

Word will show you a dialog asking which sheet or table to use. Select the one with your data and click OK. Word now knows where your names and addresses are.

Insert merge fields and preview the result

Click in your template where you want the first personalized detail to go. Go to Mailings, then Insert Merge Field. A dropdown list appears with the column headers from your spreadsheet (FirstName, LastName, Company, and so on). Click the one you want.

Word inserts the field as <> or similar. Repeat this for each placeholder in your email. When you are done, your template might look like: "Hi <>, Thank you for your interest in <>. I look forward to speaking with you soon."

Click Preview Results to see what the merged emails will actually look like. Use the arrow buttons to flip through a few examples and check that the names and details are in the right places. If something looks wrong, go back and fix your template or your data.

Finish the merge and send through Outlook

Go to Mailings and click Finish & Merge. Select Send Email Messages. A dialog appears asking for the field that contains email addresses — select Email or whatever your column is called.

Word asks you to choose a subject line. Type the subject you want for all the emails. You cannot personalize the subject line in this process, so use something that works for everyone.

Choose whether to send all records or just a range (for example, rows 5 through 10 if you want to test with a small group first). Then click OK. Word creates the emails and hands them to Outlook to send.

The emails appear in your Outlook Outbox and send one at a time over the next few minutes. You will see them in your Sent folder once they go out. Do not close Word or Outlook until all emails have sent.

Troubleshooting common problems

If emails do not send, check that Outlook is open and you are signed in. Mail merge needs Outlook running in the background. Also verify that every row in your spreadsheet has an email address — blank cells cause the merge to skip that row or fail partway through.

If names or details are in the wrong place, go back to your Word template and check that your merge fields match your column headers exactly. [FirstName] will not work if your spreadsheet column is labeled "First Name" with a space. Edit either the template or the spreadsheet to match, then redo the merge.

If you see error messages about the data source, make sure your spreadsheet is closed before you start the merge. Word cannot read a file that is open in another program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I personalize the subject line too?

Not with the standard mail merge process. The subject line is the same for all recipients. If you need different subject lines for different people, you will have to send emails individually or use a third-party tool designed for that purpose.

What if I only want to send to some people on my list?

During the Finish & Merge step, choose "Send Email Messages" and then select "Current record" to send only to the person currently shown in preview, or enter a range like "5 to 10" to send to rows 5 through 10. You can also delete rows from your spreadsheet before starting the merge.

Do recipients see that this is a merged email?

No. Each person receives a regular email from your Outlook account with their name filled in. They see a personal message, not a bulk send or a template. The email looks like you typed it just for them.

Can I add attachments to merged emails?

Yes, but all recipients get the same attachment. Add the attachment to your Word template before you start the merge. If different people need different files, you will have to send those separately or use a mail merge tool that supports conditional attachments.

What happens if the merge fails halfway through?

Check your Sent folder to see which emails actually went out. You can redo the merge with only the rows that failed, or send those manually. Make sure Outlook is fully open and connected before you try again.