Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 Outlook 2024 Outlook 2021 Outlook 2019 Outlook 2016 Outlook on the web Outlook.com New Outlook for Windows

Color categories in Outlook help you more easily recognize and organize related items. You can apply them to meetings, appointments, emails, notes, contacts, and more. 

Once assigned, the color category indication appears within the individual item and also in collective table views (e.g., Inbox). If needed, you can assign multiple color categories to a single item. You can also customize the names and colors of your available color category set. 

Note: If you apply a color category to a meeting or request that you've received from another person, the color category selection will not affect their Outlook view. Your category selections apply only to items within your calendar. 

Select a tab option below for the version of Outlook you're using. What version of Outlook do I have?

Note: If the steps under this new Outlook  tab don't work, you may not be using new Outlook for Windows yet. Select the Classic Outlook tab and follow those steps instead.

Add a category to a calendar event in new Outlook 

  1. Select Calendar  Calendar icon from the navigation pane.

  2. On your calendar, right-click a calendar event and select Categorize. Or, open the calendar item and from the ribbon under the Event tab, select Categorize.​​​​​​​

    Screenshot showing an event and the category selection list

  3. Select a category from the list. If you want to assign a second or third color category, you can perform this action multiple times. Categorize displays the most recently used categories. If you have additional categories, select Manage categories to see the rest of your list. The same listed categories are available for use on all Outlook item types, such as contacts and messages. If you don't find the category color that you want in the initially displayed list, select All Categories. There you'll see other category options and be able to create and assign new categories. See Create and assign color categories in Outlook.​​​​​​​

Manage categories in new Outlook 

  1. To change the color of categories or create new ones, select Settings > Accounts > Categories.

    Manage Color Categories panel

  2. For any displayed category name, select the appropriate icon for any of these actions:  

  • Select Edit icon (pencil) Edit to rename the category or change the color

  • Select Outlook trashcan delete button icon Delete to remove the category

  • Select   Favorite to add the category under Favorites in the folder pane

Related articles

Create and assign color categories in Outlook 

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