Filter One Sender's Mail to a Certain Folder in Outlook

Manage your messages with personalized folders for important email

Outlook open on Windows 10 laptop

Zlatko Plamenov/Freepik

by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated March 08, 2019

In Microsoft Outlook, creating a rule that files all mail from a specific address to a certain folder is easy. If you don't already have a folder set up for this purpose, create a new folder for the individual's email by right-clicking your inbox folder and selecting New Folder.

Instructions in this article apply to Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007; Outlook for Office 365, and Outlook on the web. The process for filtering emails may be slightly different in versions of Outlook for Mac.

How to Forward Emails to a Folder in Outlook 2019 and 2016

To send messages from a particular sender to a designated folder:

  1. Open an email from the sender whose messages you want to filter.

  2. Go to the Home tab and select Rules.

    Rules button in Home tab for Outlook

  3. Choose Always Move Messages From: Sender.

    Always Move Messages From: Sender menu item in Outlook

  4. Select the desired target folder.

    Folder to filter messages to and OK button in Outlook

  5. Select OK.

  6. New emails that you receive from the specified sender are stored in the folder you selected.

How to Filter Emails in the Web Version of Outlook

To send messages from a particular sender to a designated folder using the web version of Outlook for Office 365:

  1. Log into Outlook.com and select the gear icon in the upper right corner to open the Quick settings menu.

    Gear icon for Outlook Quick Settings

  2. Select View all Outlook settings.

    View all Outlook settings link in Quick settings

  3. In the Settings window, go to Mail, select Rules, then choose Add new rule.

    Add new rule button in Outlook's Rules settings

  4. Create a name for your rule.

  5. Under Add a condition, select From and enter the sender's email address.

    Add a sender field in Outlook Rules Settings

  6. Under Add an action, select Move to.

  7. Select the adjacent box and choose a target folder, or select New folder.

    New folder action in Outlook Rules Settings

  8. In the upper right corner, select Save.

How to Forward Emails to a Folder in Outlook 2013

To have Outlook 2013 file a particular sender's messages automatically:

  1. Open an email from the sender whose messages you want to filter.

  2. Go to the Home tab in the ribbon.

  3. Select Rules > Always Move Messages From: Sender.

  4. Highlight the desired target folder.

  5. Select OK.

How to Filter Emails in Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2007

To instruct Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2007 to file a particular sender's messages automatically:

  1. Right-click a message from the sender whose messages you want to filter.

  2. In Outlook 2007, select Create Rule from the menu that comes up. In Outlook 2010, select Rules > Create Rule from the contextual menu.

  3. Select the From Sender check box.

  4. Select the Move the item to folder check box.

  5. Choose Select Folder.

  6. Highlight the desired target folder.

  7. Select OK.

  8. Select OK again.

  9. To move all existing messages from the sender that are located in the current folder to the filter's target folder right away, select the Run this rule now on messages already in the current folder check box.

  10. Select OK once more.