How to Move Emails to Folders with One Click in Outlook

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by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated September 18, 2018

Probably the fastest (and best) way to move emails to folders in Outlook is setting up one-click "quick steps."

Frequent Outlook Actions Should Also Be Fast

What we do often, we should do well; or do it fast at least.

If you move messages to folders often, Outlook can help you do that in particularly fast a manner—with a single click.

Move Emails to Folders with One Click in Outlook

Now, to file an email quickly to a designated folder in Outlook:

  1. Make sure you have set up a Quick Step for moving email to the specific folder. (See below.)

  2. Open or highlight the message, messages, conversation or conversations you want to file.

  3. Go to the Home tab in the ribbon.

  4. Click the action you set up before under Quick Steps.

Set up a Quick Step to Move Emails to a Specific Folder in Outlook

To set up marking a message read and moving it to a folder with one click in Microsoft Outlook:

  1. Go to Mail in Outlook.

    ​You can press Ctrl-1, for example.

  2. Make sure the Home tab is active and expanded in the ribbon.

  3. Click Create New under Quick Steps.

  4. Select Move to folder under Choose an Action.

  5. Pick the desired folder under Choose folder.

  6. Click Add Action.

  7. Select Mark as read under Choose an Action.

  8. Optionally, pick a keyboard shortcut under Shortcut key:

  9. Click Finish.

(Moving emails to folders with quick steps tested with Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2016 for Windows)