How to Create and Use Email Templates in Outlook
You can make and use email templates in Outlook to save time. Templates help you keep your messages the same every time. Email templates let you send ready-made messages. You do not have to write a new one each time. Many people think templates help them look professional. Templates also make it easy to add logos or links. Outlook gives you a few ways to make templates. Some other email programs let you manage templates in more ways.
Using email templates helps you work faster. It makes sure all your emails look the same. It also helps you keep your brand strong.
Key Takeaways
Email templates help you save time. They also make your messages look the same and professional in Outlook.
Classic Outlook lets you save templates as .oft files. These files can have special formatting and attachments.
New Outlook does not support all template features. Outlook for Mac lets you save and use templates again. But some formatting might not work right, so always check your templates.
Use Quick Steps and the My Templates add-in to add templates fast. These tools help you do common email tasks automatically.
Sharing templates with your team helps everyone stay consistent.
Use add-ins like Shared Email Templates to work together better.
Create Email Templates
Creating Email Templates in Outlook helps you send messages faster and keeps your emails looking the same every time. Each version of Outlook has its own way to make templates. Follow the steps below to get started.
Classic Outlook
You can create Email Templates in Classic Outlook using two main methods: saving as an .oft file or using the My Templates add-in.
To create a template as an .oft file:
Open Outlook for Windows and sign in.
On the Home menu, select New Email or press
Ctrl + Shift + M
.Write your message in the new email window. You can use formatting tools like HTML, plain text, tables, and background colors.
Go to File > Save As.
In the Save As dialog, choose Outlook Template (*.oft) as the file type.
Name your template and save it. Outlook saves templates by default in
c:\users\*username*\appdata\roaming\microsoft\templates
.
To use the My Templates add-in:
Start a new email from the Home menu.
On the Message tab, select View Templates to open the task pane.
Click +Template.
Enter a title and your template message.
Click Save to add it to your My Templates pane.
Tip: Use simple layouts and standard fonts like Arial or Verdana. Outlook sometimes changes how emails look, especially with tables or images. Always test your template before sending it to others.
New Outlook
The New Outlook interface does not support Email Templates yet. If you try to open or create templates, you will see a message saying this feature is not available. Many users have asked Microsoft to add this feature. Microsoft plans to include it in future updates, but for now, you cannot use templates in New Outlook.
You cannot save or open .oft files in New Outlook.
Quick Steps with template actions are also not supported.
If you need templates for your work, switch back to Classic Outlook.
Note: Microsoft knows that Email Templates are important. You can give feedback to help them add this feature sooner.
Outlook for Mac
Outlook for Mac lets you create templates, but the steps are a bit different from Windows.
Open Outlook for Mac and sign in.
Click New Email to start a new message.
Write your message and format it as you like.
In the message window, select the three dots (More Actions) and choose Save as Template.
Give your template a name and save it.
You can find your saved templates in the Templates section when you create a new email. This makes it easy to reuse your messages.
Tip: Keep your templates simple. Outlook for Mac may not support all formatting options. Test your template to make sure it looks right.
Common Challenges When Creating Email Templates
Many users face problems when making Email Templates in Outlook. Here is a table that shows some common issues and solutions:
Always test your Email Templates before sending them. This helps you find and fix problems early.
Save & Find Templates
Save Templates
You can save Email Templates in different ways depending on your Outlook version. In Classic Outlook, you create a new email, go to the File tab, and choose Save As. Select Outlook Template (*.oft) as the file type and save it in the default folder. This method lets you reuse your message anytime. If you use New Outlook, you cannot save templates as .oft files. Instead, you use the My Templates add-in from the Message tab. This feature works for short messages but does not support images or attachments. On Outlook for Mac, you select Save as Template from the More Actions menu in a new email. Remember, templates on Mac may not keep all your formatting.
Tip: Turn off automatic signatures before saving a template. This prevents duplicate signatures when you use your template later.
Find Templates
Locating your saved templates depends on your Outlook version. Here is a quick guide:
If you cannot find your template, check the default folder or use the search feature in your file explorer.
Edit Templates
You can edit your templates to keep them up to date. In Classic Outlook, open the template using Home > New Items > More Items > Choose Form. Select your template, make changes, and save it again as an .oft file. Confirm that you want to overwrite the old file. On Mac, open the template file, edit your message, and save it as a new template if needed. For My Templates, open the pane, select the template, and update the text.
Note: If your templates do not appear or work, try running Outlook in Safe Mode or check for updates. Sometimes, add-ins or old software cause problems.
Use Email Templates
Using templates in Outlook helps you send messages faster and keeps your emails consistent. You can insert templates for new emails, reply with saved responses, and even send messages with attachments. Each Outlook version has its own way to use templates.
Insert Templates
You can insert a template when you want to send a new email. The steps depend on which Outlook version you use.
Classic Outlook (Desktop)
Open Outlook.
Go to Home > New Items > More Items > Choose Form.
In the dialog box, select User Templates in File System.
Find your template and open it.
Edit the message if needed and send.
Tip: You can add the "Choose Form" button to your ribbon for quicker access. Right-click the ribbon, select "Customize the Ribbon," find "Choose Form," and add it to your Home tab.
New Outlook (Web App)
Log in to your Outlook account online.
Click New Message.
Select the three dots (More Options) in the message window.
Choose My Templates.
Pick a template from the list.
Edit the message and send.
Outlook for Mac
Go to File > New > Email From Template.
Select your template file (.emltpl).
Click Open.
Edit your message and add recipients.
Send the email.
You can also use the My Templates add-in on Mac. Start a new email, open the My Templates pane, and insert your saved message.
Reply with Templates
You can reply to emails using templates. This saves time and keeps your replies clear and professional. Outlook gives you several ways to do this.
You can avoid mistakes because you use pre-approved text.
You can personalize each reply by editing the template before sending.
Using templates keeps your emails looking professional and on-brand.
Quick Steps let you automate replies with templates. You can set up a Quick Step to reply with a template and even assign a shortcut key. This makes replying even faster.
Send with Attachments
You may need to send a template that includes an attachment. Classic Outlook supports this feature.
Open your template (.oft file) using Choose Form.
Add or update attachments as needed.
Edit your message and send.
Note: Only Classic Outlook lets you save templates with attachments. New Outlook and the My Templates add-in do not support attachments in templates yet. Microsoft plans to add this feature in the future.
If you use Outlook for Mac, you can open your template and attach files before sending. Always double-check that your attachments are included before you send the email.
Using Email Templates with attachments helps you send important documents quickly and ensures you never forget to include files.
Tips for Efficiency
Quick Steps
You can save time by setting up Quick Steps in Outlook. Quick Steps let you automate tasks you do often. For example, you can move emails to a folder, mark them as read, or reply with a set message—all with one click. To create a Quick Step:
Select 'Create New' to start.
Name your Quick Step so you remember what it does.
Pick actions like moving emails, marking as read, or replying with a template.
Add more actions if you need them.
Assign a keyboard shortcut for even faster use.
Save your Quick Step.
Tip: Review your Quick Steps often. Remove ones you do not use. This keeps your shortcuts easy to find.
Some helpful Quick Steps include sorting messages into folders, flagging emails for follow-up, sending quick replies, and forwarding messages to your team. These steps help you handle Email Templates and other tasks quickly.
My Templates Add-in
The My Templates add-in helps you insert short, pre-written messages into your emails. You can use it in both Outlook Desktop and Outlook Online. Many users like it for quick replies, but it has a 32 KB size limit. You cannot share templates with others, and the formatting options are basic. To make it easier to find your templates, give them clear names and organize them well.
My Templates works best for short, simple messages.
You can copy and paste content from Word or Outlook if you need more formatting.
If you need to share templates or use more features, try third-party tools.
Note: Users often ask Microsoft to improve the My Templates add-in. You can send feedback to help make it better.
Shared Templates
Sharing Email Templates with your team can help everyone stay on the same page. Outlook does not have a built-in way to share templates in real time. You can save a template as a file and send it to your team. They can open the file and save it for their own use. For more teamwork, you can use add-ins like Shared Email Templates. These tools let you create, organize, and share templates with your team. You can store templates in shared folders, add fillable fields, and even protect them with passwords.
Always keep your templates up to date and make sure only the right people can edit them. Use shared folders or add-ins to help your team work better together.
Using Email Templates in Outlook helps you get more done. Many people save hours every week by using templates. Templates stop you from doing the same thing over and over. You make fewer mistakes and your emails look neat. Teams who use templates send emails faster and make fewer errors. Quick Steps and My Templates help you do your work faster. They also help your emails look the same every time.
Make your own templates now. You will spend less time on email and have more time for other things.
FAQ
How do you delete an email template in Outlook?
You open the template folder. You right-click the template file you want to remove. You select "Delete." For My Templates, open the pane, click the template, and select the trash icon.
Can you use images in Outlook email templates?
Yes, you can add images to templates in Classic Outlook. You insert the image before saving the template. My Templates add-in does not support images.
Why can't you find your saved template?
You may have saved it in a different folder. Check the default templates folder or use the search tool. For My Templates, open the add-in pane to see your saved templates.
Can you share templates with your team?
You can send the template file to your team. They save it on their computers. For more teamwork, use add-ins like Shared Email Templates.