How to Move Emails to Folders with One Click in Outlook

Automate moving emails with Quick Steps

by Heinz Tschabitscher
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated November 26, 2019

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

Instructions in this article apply to Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, and Outlook for Office 365.

How to Move Emails to Folders with One Click in Outlook

Probably the fastest (and best) way to move emails to folders in Outlook is to set up one-click quick steps. After you set up a quick step, move emails with a single click.

  1. Start Outlook.

  2. Go to the Home tab and, in the Quick Steps group, select Create New. The Edit Quick Step dialog box opens.

    Screenshot of Create New in Quick Steps

  3. Select the Choose an Action dropdown arrow and choose Move to Folder.

    Screenshot of Move to Folder

  4. Select the Choose folder dropdown arrow and select the desired folder.

  5. Select Add Action.

  6. Select the Choose an Action dropdown arrow and select Mark as read.

    Select Choose an Action

  7. Optionally, select the Shortcut key dropdown arrow and choose a keyboard shortcut.

    Screenshot of Shortcut Key

  8. Select Finish.

Using the Quick Step

After you set up the quick step to move email to a specific folder, here's how to use it.

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

    Screenshot of Quick Steps

  2. In the Quick Steps group, select the action you set up.