One common task that can save us time and effort is selecting multiple emails in Outlook, especially when we need to move, delete, or categorize several messages at once.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the simple process of selecting multiple emails in Microsoft Outlook, whether you’re using the desktop application or the web version.
First, let’s understand that selecting multiple emails in Outlook is quick and straightforward.
The method may differ slightly depending on whether you’re using Outlook on a desktop client or the web version.
By following our straightforward tips, you’ll be able to efficiently manage your inbox and keep your email communication organized.
Stay with us as we delve into the step-by-step process of selecting multiple emails in Outlook, allowing you to take control of your inbox and quickly perform actions on several messages simultaneously.
With these easy techniques, you’ll be able to take advantage of Outlook’s powerful email management tools to optimize your email workflow.
Why select multiple emails in Outlook to delete or move to a specific folder, in this article, you will get step by step tutorial on How to Select multiple emails in Outlook?
How to Quickly Select Multiple Emails in Outlook?
Few known ways how Outlook Selects all emails.
- Press and hold down the Shift key from the keyboard until your selection.
- Press Ctrl and use your mouse to select multiple emails.
- Highlight the first message you want to select in the list press shift and select the last message in the list of emails – Use your mouse.
- Press Ctrl+A to select all the emails in the folder.
In the Quick Access Toolbar, there is an option, you just need to click on this button all your mail is selected.
It’s a professional approach you don’t need to press any shortcut key.
By default, that key is not available in Quick Access Toolbar, you must do some homework to get it to appear.
Using the Checkbox
In Outlook old version, we can easily select multiple emails using the checkboxes provided next to them.
When we hover over an email in our inbox, a checkbox will appear to the left of the email.
By clicking on the checkboxes for each email we want to choose, we can select multiple emails without even touching the keyboard.
Use Shift Key for Consecutive Emails
Another method to select consecutive emails is to use the Shift key on the keyboard.
First, click on the first email you want to select and then hold down the Shift key while clicking on the last email in the range.
This will help us to quickly and efficiently select a long list of consecutive emails without having to click on each checkbox individually.
Use Ctrl Key for Non-Consecutive Emails
If we need to select non-consecutive emails scattered throughout the inbox, the Ctrl key can help.
Simply hold down the Ctrl key while clicking on each email you want to select. This allows us to pick and choose which emails to select without having to follow any particular sequence.
In summary, selecting multiple emails in Outlook is a breeze with these keyboard shortcuts and checkboxes.
By applying these techniques, we can manage and organize our emails in a more efficient and convenient manner.
Managing Selected Emails
Delete Selected Emails
To delete multiple emails in Outlook, first, navigate to your inbox or any other folder where you want to select multiple emails.
Click on the first email you want to select, and then press and hold the ‘Shift‘ key on your keyboard while clicking on the last email in the group.
This will select all emails in between. If you’d prefer to select emails individually, just click the checkbox to the left of each email.
Once you’ve made your selections, click the “Delete” (trash can icon) to remove them from your inbox.
Remember, deleted emails will be moved to the “Deleted Items” folder, so don’t forget to empty that folder periodically.
Move Selected Emails to Folders
Organizing emails in folders can make it easier for us to find and manage important messages.
To move selected emails to folders, follow the same selection process mentioned in the previous sub-section.
After selecting the emails, click on the “Move” or “Move to” option, which can be found under the overflow icon (three dots).
A dropdown menu will appear, allowing you to choose from your existing folders or create a new one.
Select the desired folder, and the emails will be moved accordingly.
Forward Selected Emails with Attachments
Forwarding multiple selected emails with attachments can help us share essential information with others in a single email.
To do this, select the emails with attachments you want to forward by using either the ‘Shift‘ key method or selecting them individually with a checkbox.
Once you have chosen the desired emails, click on the “Forward” or “Send To” option, usually represented by a right-pointing arrow icon.
A new email will be generated with all the selected messages and attachments included.
Just enter the recipient’s email address and hit “Send” to share these emails and their attachments.
Outlook Application Variants
Outlook, a powerful email client from Microsoft, offers various application variants to cater to different user needs.
In this section, we will discuss how to select multiple emails in three main variants: Outlook Desktop, Outlook Web App, and Outlook Mobile App.
Outlook Desktop
Outlook Desktop is the full-featured application installed on your computer.
To select multiple emails, start by opening the folder containing the emails (e.g., inbox, drafts, or sent items).
Once the folder is open, you can use keyboard shortcuts to make your selections.
To select multiple emails individually, press and hold the Ctrl key (on Windows) or Command key (on Mac) while clicking on the desired emails.
If you wish to select a range of consecutive emails, click the first email, hold the Shift key, and then click the last email in the range.
Outlook Web App
In the web version of Outlook, which can be accessed at https://outlook.live.com/, the process of selecting multiple emails is slightly different.
From your inbox view, hover over a message you want to select, and a check box will appear on the left side of that message.
Click the check box to select the message and continue clicking check boxes for all messages you want to choose.
To select a range of consecutive emails, click the check box of the first email, hold the Shift key, and then click the check box of the last email in the range.
Outlook Mobile App
For users who prefer accessing their emails on-the-go, Microsoft provides the Outlook Mobile App for both Android and iOS devices.
To select multiple emails within the app, long press or tap the circle icon of any email to start the selection process.
After the initial email is selected, simply tap on additional emails to add them to your selection.
Once you have selected the desired messages, you can perform actions such as archiving, deleting, moving, or marking them as read or unread.
Advanced Selection and Management Options
Deselect Emails
We understand that sometimes you may accidentally select the wrong emails in Outlook or wish to deselect specific emails from the list you have currently selected.
To do this, simply hold down the Control key (or Command key on Mac) and click on the emails you no longer want to include in your selection.
This will easily deselect them and allow you to proceed with the chosen action for the remaining selected emails.
Using Filter Options
Outlook provides a variety of filters that can help you manage and sort your emails more efficiently.
By navigating to the View tab and selecting the Filter option, you can easily access a dropdown menu with different categories to filter your emails.
You can choose filters based on the sender, subject, time received, and more depending on your needs.
This makes it easier to select multiple relevant emails to apply a specific action to, such as deleting, flagging, or moving to a designated folder.
Search Function for Specific Emails
If you’re looking for specific emails in your Outlook inbox, using the search function can save you time and effort.
The search bar is located at the top of your inbox and is a powerful tool to help locate emails based on specific keywords.
Simply type in the keyword(s) related to the email you’re searching for, either within the subject line or the sender’s name.
Once your results have appeared, you can then select multiple emails by holding the Control key (or Command key on Mac) and clicking on each email.
By utilizing these advanced selection and management options in Outlook, we can optimize our email organization and improve overall efficiency.
Remember to explore various settings and keyboard shortcuts to elevate your email management experience.
How to add “SELECT ALL BUTTON” in Quick Access Toolbar?
Here are step by step process to add the select all button in Quick Access Toolbar ~
- Open Outlook >> Click the arrow key on the left-hand top corner of the screen on the Quick Access Toolbar.
- Select more commands from the list.
- The next step is especially important, the Outlook option popup appears, it consists of tons of options, select All Commands in the Choose commands drop-down list.
- Choose the Select All option from the drop-down list and click ADD.
- Select All is added to customize the quick access toolbar.
- Finally, Click OK.
- You can check to select all options added to Quick Access Toolbar.
Clicking on the image in the red box from the image above you can easily select all your email with a single click.
Once you set up this process and enable select all in customizing quick access toolbar, the option is permanently active.
How To delete multiple emails once they are selected?
We have learned multiple methods to shift emails to a folder, archive, or forwards selected emails, how about if you need to delete or remove selected emails from your inbox?
The process for removing multiple emails is the same no matter what version of Outlook you use.
Once you selected multiple emails, press the Delete key from your keyboard, and it simply goes to the trash folder, where you can repeat the same process to permanently delete it from your inbox or any other folder.
How to Move Multiple Emails in Outlook once Selected?
Moving multiple emails to a specific folder using various methods like Rules, New search folder, and many more, you can also move multiple emails once they all are selected.
There are a couple of quick methods:
- Drap and Drop
- Move function
You can simply select multiple emails using any of the above methods, help yourself with the mouse left button, Hold the mouse left button, and drop an email into the folder you created.
All the emails you have selected are moved to your folder very easily. Once those emails are moved they are disappeared from your main inbox.
The second method is to click on the mouse right button after those emails are selected, select the move option from the list of options, and now select the folder you like to move those emails to.
Use Keyboard Short Shift + Ctrl + F10 to open the option after selection.
These are a couple of smart methods you can move those emails to a folder. Outlook also offers something called Search Folders.
This allows you to create a folder that filters your inbox for emails based on specific criteria you set.
Selecting Multiple Emails in the Outlook Mobile App [iPhone]
Outlook Mobile users somehow select multiple emails by long pressing (tap and hold) any email until a checkmark appears to the left of it and then tapping each email they want to select.
Once you select an email, there is an option to select all on the top left corner of the screen to select all the emails of that account.
Conclusion
In this article, we have provided you with valuable information on how to select multiple emails in Outlook.
We’ve explored various methods, from simply clicking on checkboxes to using the Shift key for bulk selection.
By using these techniques, you can effectively manage your inbox, ensuring that it remains organized and clutter-free.
As you can see, Outlook offers several ways to select multiple emails, and choosing the most suitable one depends on your preferences and needs.
For instance, the click and drag method is excellent for quick selection, while the Shift key technique is ideal for more precise, consecutive selections.
Moreover, there are no strict rules when it comes to selecting multiple emails in Outlook.
We encourage you to try each method mentioned in this article and find the ones that work best for you.
By mastering these techniques, you can significantly enhance your overall experience with the Outlook platform.
As always, staying informed and adapting new strategies for inbox management will help you maintain efficiency in your email communication.
We hope that our guide has not only expanded your knowledge about Outlook but has also streamlined your email management processes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I batch delete emails in Outlook?
In order to batch delete emails in Outlook, first, we need to select multiple emails.
We can do this by clicking on the first email, holding down the Shift key, and clicking on the last email we want to delete.
This will select all the emails in between. After the selection, we can press the Delete key or click on the trash bin icon to delete them.
What is the method to select multiple emails in the Outlook app?
In the Outlook app, we can select multiple emails by long pressing or tapping the circle icon of an email to start the selection process.
Then, we simply tap on the additional messages we want to select. To perform actions like archiving or deleting, we can use the corresponding icons at the top of the screen.
How do I select every email in the Outlook web app?
To select every email in the Outlook web app, click on the checkbox located just above the list of emails.
This will automatically select all emails currently displayed on the page. If we want to select all emails in a different view or folder, we need to navigate to that specific folder first and then follow the same steps.
What steps do I take to select all emails in Outlook on iPhone?
On the Outlook app for iPhone, we start by tapping the edit button located in the top right corner of the screen.
Then, we tap on the “Select All” button on the bottom left corner.
This will select all emails displayed in the current view and allows us to perform actions such as archiving, deleting, or moving to a different folder.
How do I perform multi-selection of emails using the keyboard in Outlook?
To select multiple emails using the keyboard in Outlook, click on the first email we want to select, hold down the Ctrl key (Cmd key on Mac), and click on other emails we want to include in the selection.
If we want to select a range of emails, we can click on the first email, hold down the Shift key, and click on the last email in the range.
What is the way to select multiple emails in Outlook without manually clicking?
We can use search filters and sorting options in Outlook to group similar emails together.
First, we need to arrange the view by any desired criteria, such as sender or category.
Next, click on the first email in the group, hold Shift, and click on the last email in the group.
This will select all the emails in between without having to manually click on each one.
Which key when held down allows you to select multiple nonadjacent Emails?
The “Ctrl” key (Control key) on your keyboard lets you select multiple nonadjacent emails in Outlook.
When you click on individual emails in the email list while holding down the “Ctrl” key, you are able to select multiple emails that are not adjacent to each other.
You can use this feature to delete, move, or categorize multiple selected emails at the same time.
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