Creating a folder takes three clicks in Outlook

To create a new folder in Outlook, right-click on "Folders" in the left sidebar, select "New Folder", type a name, and press Enter. The folder appears when ready below where you right-clicked. You can then drag emails into it or set up rules to send certain messages there automatically.

The process is the same whether you use Outlook on Windows, Mac, or the web version. The folder lives only in your account — it does not sync to your phone unless you add it to your favorites first, which makes it visible in the mobile app.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click "Folders" in the left sidebar, choose "New Folder", type a name, and press Enter to create a folder in seconds.
  • Folders you create are stored on your mail server, so they appear in Outlook on any device where you sign in.
  • You can create subfolders by right-clicking an existing folder instead of the main "Folders" label, which keeps related messages grouped together.
  • Pinning a folder to your favorites makes it appear at the top of your sidebar and shows it in the Outlook mobile app.

Where to find the Folders section

Open Outlook and look at the left side of the screen. You will see a list starting with "Inbox", "Drafts", "Sent Items", and "Deleted Items". Below those, you will see a label that says "Folders" — this is where you right-click to create a new folder.

If you do not see "Folders" at all, your sidebar may be collapsed. Look for a small arrow or menu icon at the top left of the sidebar and click it to expand the full list. Once "Folders" is visible, you are ready to create a new one.

The three-step process

Right-click directly on the word "Folders" in your sidebar. A small menu will pop up with several options. Click "New Folder" from that menu.

A text box will appear asking you to name the folder. Type whatever name makes sense for the emails you plan to put there — for example, "Receipts", "Work Projects", "Family", or "Bills". Avoid using special characters like asterisks or forward slashes, as Outlook will reject them.

Press Enter on your keyboard. The folder is now created and appears in your sidebar below "Folders". You can start moving or dragging emails into it right away.

Creating subfolders to organize further

A subfolder is a folder inside another folder. This is useful when you have many related messages and want to keep them grouped. For example, you might create a "Work" folder, then create subfolders inside it called "Projects", "Meetings", and "Expenses".

To create a subfolder, right-click on an existing folder (not on "Folders" itself) and select "New Folder". Name it and press Enter. The new folder will nest underneath the folder you right-clicked on. You can see it by clicking the small arrow next to the parent folder's name.

You can create subfolders as many levels deep as you want, but most people find that two or three levels is enough. Too many nested folders makes it harder to find things quickly.

Moving emails into your new folder

Once your folder exists, you can move emails into it in two ways. The first is to click and drag: click an email in your inbox, hold the mouse button down, drag it to the folder name in the sidebar, and release. The email moves when ready.

The second way is to right-click an email, select "Move", and choose your folder from the list that appears. This method works better if you are moving many emails at once — you can select multiple emails by holding Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and clicking each one, then right-click and move them all together.

Setting up rules to sort emails automatically

Instead of moving emails by hand, you can tell Outlook to send certain messages to a folder automatically. This is called a rule. For example, you could create a rule that sends all emails from your bank to a "Financial" folder, or all emails with "Invoice" in the subject line to a "Bills" folder.

To create a rule, right-click an email from the sender or with the subject you want to filter. Select "Rules" and then "Create Rule". A dialog box opens where you can choose which folder to send matching emails to. Click "OK" and Outlook will explore the rule to all future emails that match.

Rules work in the background, so you do not have to think about sorting anymore. New emails matching your rule go straight to the folder you chose.

Pinning folders to your favorites

If you create a folder you use often, you can pin it to your favorites so it appears at the top of your sidebar. This saves you from scrolling down to find it. Pinned folders also show up in the Outlook mobile app, so you can access them on your phone.

To pin a folder, right-click it and select "Add to Favorites". The folder moves to the top of your sidebar under a "Favorites" section. If you change your mind, right-click it again and select "Remove from Favorites" to move it back to the regular folder list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rename a folder after I create it?

Yes. Right-click the folder and select "Rename Folder". Type the new name and press Enter. The change takes effect when ready, and any emails already in the folder stay there.

What happens to emails if I delete a folder?

The emails inside the folder move to your Deleted Items. You can recover them from there within a certain time period (usually 30 days), after which they are permanently removed. If you delete a folder by mistake, check Deleted Items right away.

Can I move a folder into another folder?

Yes. Right-click the folder you want to move and select "Move Folder". Choose the destination folder from the list and click "OK". This is useful if you want to reorganize your folder structure later.

Do folders I create in Outlook on my computer show up on my phone?

Folders you create are stored on your mail server, so they appear on any device where you sign in. However, they only show in the Outlook mobile app if you pin them to favorites first. Unpinned folders exist but are hidden in the mobile version.

Can I create a folder with the same name as another folder?

No. Outlook will not let you create two folders with identical names in the same location. If you try, you will see an error message. You can use similar names like "Work 2024" and "Work 2025" if you need to distinguish between them.