Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 Outlook 2024 Outlook 2021 Outlook 2019 Outlook 2016 Outlook 2013

When you send an email, you might want to look up and select an email address from a specific group of contacts, like a group of coworkers, relatives, or a club. To make this easier, you can create personal address books using the names in your Outlook contact folders.

To do this, create a folder under Contacts, and then make that folder an address book.

  1. Select the People tab at the bottom of your Outlook screen.

    The People tab is at the bottom of your Outlook screen.
  2. On the Home tab, under My Contacts, right-click the Contacts folder, and then click New Folder.

    Under My Contacts, right-click the Contacts folder.
  3. In the Create New Folder dialog box, name the folder, select where to place it, and then click OK. It’s probably best to place the new folder in the Contacts folder.

  4. To make sure your folder is available as an address book, right-click the new folder, and then click Properties.

    Right-click the new folder, and then click Properties.
  5. Click the Outlook Address Book tab, and make sure that the check box for Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book is selected.

    Ensure that the check box for "Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book" is selected.
  6. Confirm that the new contacts folder was added as an address book. From your Inbox, click the Home tab > Address Book.

    The Address Book is on the right side of the Home tab.

    In the Address Book dialog box, verify that the address book you just created appears in the Address Book list.

    Your new address book appears in the Address Book dialog box in the Address Book drop-down list.

Add contacts to your address book

Now that you have your personal address book or custom contacts group created, you can add contacts to it.

See Also

Add a contact

Create a contact group

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