Use Favorites in Outlook
Applies To
In Outlook, Favorites can be found at the top of the folder pane; it includes shortcuts to folders you frequently use. The Inbox and Deleted Items folders are included in Favorites by default.
Select a tab option below for the version of Outlook you're using. What version of Outlook do I have?
Note:Â If the steps under this New Outlook tab don't work, you may not be using new Outlook for Windows yet. Select Classic Outlook and follow those steps instead.
In new Outlook for Windows, you have the option to:
Add or Remove Favorites | Hide or show favorites |Â Pin favorites to the top
Add items to Favorites in the new Outlook
Favorites give you quick access to the folders and views you use most. You can add different types of items to Favorites from the folder pane.
Add a new Favorite
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In Mail, in the left folder pane, right‑click the item you want to add.
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Select Add to Favorites.
The item appears under Favorites at the top of the folder pane.
Tip:Â You can reorder favorites by dragging them up or down in the Favorites list. You can also add a folder to Favorites by dragging it directly into the Favorites section in the folder pane.
Types of items you can add to Favorites
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Mail folders
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Custom folders
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Shared folders (if you have access)
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Contacts or people you email frequently
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Categories
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Search folders
Remove an item from Favorites
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Right‑click the item under Favorites.
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Select Remove from Favorites.
Important: Removing an item from Favorites doesn’t delete it, it only removes the shortcut.
Hide or show favorites in new Outlook
If you want more room in the folder pane, you can select choose to collapse or hide it entirely.
Hide Favorites
Select Mail, and on the folder pane, right-click Favorites and select Hide favorites.
Show Favorites
Select View, and in the Layout group, select Folder pane > Show favorites.
Pin favorites to the top
Pinning Favorites keeps them visible at the top of the folder pane so they don’t scroll out of view.
Option 1: Pin Favorites from the folder pane
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In Mail, locate Favorites in the left folder pane.
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Select the More options (⋯) next to Favorites or right-click Favorites.
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Select Pin favorites.
Favorites will stay visible at the top of the folder list while other folders scroll beneath them.
Option 2: Pin or un pin Favorites from the ribbon
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Select the View tab.
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Choose Folder pane > Favorites.
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Select Pin or Unpin favorites.
Hide or show Favorites in classic Outlook
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Select the View tab, then in the Layout group, select Folder Pane.
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Select Favorites.
Favorites is a toggle control. When it is turned on, a check mark appears next to Favorites on the menu. When Favorites is turned off, the check mark disappears.
Add or remove favorites in classic Outlook
There are several ways to add or remove folders to Favorites. Pick the way that's most convenient for you.
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Select a folder and drag it to Favorites. (You can't remove a folder this way.)
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Right-click the folder you want to add or remove, and then select Add to Favorites or Remove from Favorites.
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In the Folder Pane, select the folder you want to add, and then select the Folder tab on the ribbon. In the Favorites group, select Add to Favorites. (That ribbon command appears highlighted if the selected folder already appears in Favorites.)
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If Favorites is hidden and you want to show it, select the View tab, and in the Layout group, select Folder pane > Favorites.
When a folder is added to Favorites, it's a shortcut to the folder. The actual folder and its content remains at the original location in the folder list. Removing a folder from Favorites doesn't delete the folder or contents—it removes only the shortcut that appears in Favorites.
By default, when a folder is added to Favorites, it appears at the bottom of the list. To re-arrange the folders, drag the folder to the new position in the Favorites list.
Important:Â Ensure you remove folders from the Favorites instead of deleting them. When you remove a folder from Favorites, the original folder in the folder list remains. Deleting a folder from Favorites deletes the folder and its contents from classic Outlook.
Related articles
Use the Favorites folder in Outlook for Mac
Add frequently used folders and groups to Favorites in Outlook mobile
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