Outlook is one of the most popular email clients used to handle large volumes of correspondence. The ability to select multiple emails at once can make your work much easier by allowing you to quickly move, delete, or archive emails. In this article, we’ll look at how to do this using an out-of-the-box approach to provide you with the most useful information.
Why is it Important to Be Able to Select Multiple Emails at Once?
Selecting multiple emails at once allows you to perform the following actions:
- Delete Unnecessary Emails: Quickly clear your inbox of spam or outdated messages.
- Archive Important Messages: Store important messages in the appropriate folders for easy access in the future.
- Move Messages: Organize emails by category, folder, or project.
Use the Keyboard and Mouse on Your Computer
Method 1: Use the Shift Key
This method is useful for selecting emails that are one after the other in the list.
Steps:
- Open Outlook:
- Start the Outlook program on your computer.
- Navigate to the Folder Where the Emails Are Located:
- For example, your Inbox or any other folder.
- Click on the First Email:
- Select the first email in the list that you want to select.
- Hold Down the Shift Key:
- Hold down the Shift key and click on the last email in the list you want to select. All emails between the first and the last will be selected.
Method 2: Use the Ctrl (or Command on Mac) Key
This method is suitable for selecting emails that are not next to each other.
Steps:
- Open Outlook:
- Launch Outlook on your computer.
- Navigate to the Folder Where the Emails Are Located:
- For example, your Inbox or any other folder.
- Click on the First Email:
- Select the first email in the list that you want to select.
- Hold Down the Ctrl (or Command on a Mac) Key:
- Continue clicking on each email you want to add to the selection. Each selected email will be highlighted.
Select Emails on Mobile Devices
Method 1: Use Touch and Hold
Steps:
- Open the Outlook App:
- Launch the app on your mobile device.
- Go to the Folder Where Your Emails Are Located:
- For example, Inbox or any other folder.
- Tap and Hold the First Email:
- Hold the email until the selection indicator appears.
- Tap Other Emails to Select Them:
- Continue to tap the other emails you want to select.
Method 2: Use the Selection Menu
Steps:
- Open the Outlook App:
- Launch the app on your mobile device.
- Go to the Folder Where the Emails Are Located:
- For example, Inbox or any other folder.
- Click on the Selection Icon:
- In the upper right corner of the screen, click on the selection icon (usually a few squares or a circle with a check mark).
- Select the Emails You Want:
- Tap the emails you want to select.
Use Searches and Filters
Sometimes it’s easier to use search and filters to quickly find the emails you need.
Steps:
- Use the Search Field:
- Enter keywords or email addresses in the search field to find the emails you want.
- Apply Filters:
- Use filters to select emails by date, sender, subject, or other criteria.
- Select the Found Emails:
- Use the selection methods (Shift or Ctrl) to select all the found emails.
More Tips
- Organize Your Folders:
- Create folders for different categories of emails, such as Projects, Reports, and Personal, to help you organize your emails more easily.
- Use Rules for Automation:
- Create rules in Outlook to automatically move or sort emails to the appropriate folders.
- Clean Out Your Inbox Regularly:
- Regularly delete unnecessary emails to keep your inbox organized.
Conclusion
Multiple email selection in Outlook is an important skill that makes managing your inbox much easier. Using the methods described above and an out-of-the-box approach, you will be able to quickly and efficiently select the emails you need both on your computer and on your mobile devices. Keep in mind the importance of organizing and automating processes to make your email work even more productive.