How to Have Outlook Highlight Mail Sent to You Only

Add color to email messages and make them easier to spot

What to Know

  • In Outlook, go to the View tab and, in the Current View group, select View Settings.
  • Select Conditional Formatting > Add and enter a name.
  • Choose a font, click OK to save the settings, select the rule, select Condition, and choose the only person on the To line.

Messages that are sent to only you in Microsoft Outlook can be formatted in a unique way so that it's easy to glance at your email and know which emails you need to open. Instructions in this article apply to Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010; and Outlook for Microsoft 365.

Highlight Mail Sent to You Only in Outlook

Use Conditional Formatting to make specific messages stand out.

  1. Go to the View tab and, in the Current View group, select View Settings.

    View Settings Windows
  2. Select Conditional Formatting.

    Conditional Formatting button Windows
  3. Select Add.

    Add button Windows
  4. In the Name text box, enter a name for the rule. For example, enter Highlight my messages.

    Conditional Formatting name Windows
  5. Select Font.

  6. Choose the desired formatting style for these messages. Choose a Font, Font style, Size, and Color.

    Font dialog Windows
  7. Select OK to save the settings.

  8. Select the rule you created, then select Condition.

  9. Select the Where I am checkbox and choose the only person on the To line.

    Where I am selected Windows
  10. If you want to apply this formatting style to unread messages so that read messages look like other messages, go to the More Choices tab and select the Only items that are checkbox and select unread

    More Choices Windows
  11. Select OK to close each of the dialog boxes.

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