Creating a basic reminder in Outlook

A reminder in Outlook is a notification that pops up on your screen at a time you set. You create one by opening any email, task, or calendar event and turning on the reminder feature — Outlook will then alert you before the date arrives. The simplest way is through your calendar: open Outlook, click the calendar icon on the left, then click the date where you want the reminder. A new event box appears. Type what you want to remember, set the date and time, then look for the bell icon or "Reminder" dropdown near the bottom of that box. Click it, choose how many minutes or hours before you want the alert, and click Save.

If you are working from an email instead, open the message, look for the flag icon in the toolbar at the top, and click the small arrow next to it. A menu appears with reminder options — you can flag it for today, tomorrow, this week, or a custom date. Once you flag an email, Outlook adds it to your task list and will remind you on the day you chose. The reminder will appear as a small popup window on your screen, even if Outlook is running in the background.

Key Takeaways

  • Reminders in Outlook work through calendar events, emails, or tasks — you pick the method that matches what you are remembering.
  • Every reminder needs a date, a time, and a lead time (how many minutes or hours before you want the alert).
  • The bell icon or "Reminder" dropdown is where you turn the alert on and choose when Outlook should notify you.
  • Flagged emails automatically become tasks and will remind you on the date you set, without needing a separate calendar event.

Setting reminders through calendar events

Calendar events are the most reliable way to create a reminder because they live in one place and sync across your devices. Open Outlook and click the calendar icon on the left sidebar. Find the date you want, then double-click that date or click the "New Event" button. A window opens where you type the event name — this is what will appear in your reminder. Below that, set the start date and time using the dropdown menus. If the reminder is for something that does not have a specific time (like a birthday or important date), you can set it for 9 a.m. or any time that works for you.

Scroll down in that same window until you see the "Reminder" field. Click the dropdown that says "15 minutes" or shows a number. This is how long before the event Outlook will alert you. If you want the reminder an hour before, click the dropdown and select "1 hour". If you want it a day before, select "1 day". You can also type a custom number of minutes if you need something specific. Once you have set the reminder time, click "Save" or "Save and Close" at the bottom of the window. Outlook will now alert you at the time you chose.

Using flags to turn emails into reminders

Flagging an email creates a reminder without opening a separate calendar window. Open any email in your inbox, then look at the toolbar at the top of the message. Find the flag icon — it usually looks like a small flag or ribbon. Click the small arrow next to it (not the flag itself). A menu appears with options like "Today", "Tomorrow", "This Week", "Next Week", and "Custom". Click the option that matches when you want to be reminded. If none of those fit, click "Custom" and a small window opens where you can pick the exact date and time.

Once you flag an email, it moves to your task list and Outlook treats it like a to-do item. The email stays in your inbox, but you will also see it in your Tasks view on the left sidebar. When the reminder date arrives, Outlook sends you a notification. This method is faster than creating a calendar event if you are already reading the email and just need a quick alert. You can unflag the email later by clicking the flag again — this removes it from your task list but does not delete the email itself.

Creating reminders for tasks and to-do items

If you use Outlook's task list, you can add reminders directly to tasks. Click the "Tasks" icon on the left sidebar (or look for "To Do" if you are using a newer version of Outlook). Click "New Task" or the plus sign to create a new item. Type the task name, then look for the "Due Date" field and click it to set when the task is due. Below that, you will see a "Reminder" checkbox or toggle. Click it to turn the reminder on, then set the time you want to be alerted — usually the same day as the due date, or a day before if you want advance notice.

Tasks are useful when you have a list of things to do and want reminders for multiple items. Unlike calendar events, tasks do not take up a time slot on your calendar — they sit in a separate list. This keeps your calendar cleaner if you have many small reminders. You can mark a task as complete by clicking the checkbox next to it, which removes it from your active list. If you need to change when a reminder fires, open the task, click the reminder time, and select a new one.

Adjusting reminder timing and notifications

Outlook lets you change how far in advance you want to be reminded. The default is usually 15 minutes before an event, but you can set it to anything from 1 minute to several days. Open the calendar event or task, click the reminder dropdown, and choose a different time. If you want to be reminded multiple times — for example, once a week before and once a day before — some versions of Outlook allow you to add a second reminder. Look for an "Add Reminder" button or link in the event window. Not all versions support multiple reminders, so if you do not see this option, you can create two separate calendar events instead.

If you find reminders are popping up too often or at inconvenient times, you can turn off the sound notification without removing the reminder itself. In Outlook settings, look for "Notifications" or "Alerts" and adjust the sound volume or toggle notifications off for certain types of reminders. You can also snooze a reminder when it appears — most reminder popups have a "Snooze" button that delays the alert by 5 or 10 minutes. This is useful if you are busy when the reminder first fires and need a few minutes before you can act on it.

Syncing reminders across devices

If you use Outlook on multiple devices — your computer, phone, and tablet — reminders sync automatically as long as you are signed into the same account. A reminder you create on your desktop will appear on your phone at the scheduled time. This works best if you are using Outlook.com or a Microsoft 365 account, because those accounts store your calendar and tasks in the cloud. If you are using Outlook with a local email account (one that stores data only on your computer), reminders will not sync to other devices.

To check that your reminders are syncing, open Outlook on your phone and look at the calendar or task list. You should see the same events and reminders you created on your computer. If a reminder does not appear on your phone, check that you are signed into the same email account on both devices and that your phone has internet access. You may also need to wait a few minutes for the sync to complete — Outlook does not always update when ready across devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a reminder for something that does not have a specific time?

Yes. Create a calendar event or task and set the due date, but leave the time blank or set it to a default time like 9 a.m. Outlook will still send you a reminder on that date. For tasks, you can set a due date without a specific time, and the reminder will fire sometime during that day.

What happens if I dismiss a reminder by accident?

The reminder is gone for that moment, but the event or task remains on your calendar or task list. You can open the event later and see it is still there. If you want another reminder, you can snooze it when it pops up next time, or you can manually check your calendar or task list to see what is coming up.

Can I set a reminder for an email that is already in a folder?

Yes. Open the email from any folder, click the flag icon, and choose when you want to be reminded. The email will move to your task list and you will get a reminder on the date you set. You can also move the email back to your inbox if you want to see it there as well.

Do reminders work if Outlook is closed?

On a computer, reminders usually do not fire if Outlook is completely closed. On a phone or tablet, reminders will fire even if the Outlook app is closed, because the operating system handles the notification. To make sure you do not miss reminders on your computer, keep Outlook running in the background or set it to start automatically when you turn on your device.

Can I change a reminder after I have already created it?

Yes. Open the calendar event or task, click the reminder dropdown, and select a new time. Click Save and the change takes effect when ready. If the reminder has already fired, you can still edit the event to change when future reminders will appear.