How to Create an Email Template in Outlook
If you find yourself typing the same email over and over — a project update, a meeting request, a client follow-up — Outlook's template feature can save you a surprising amount of time. The process varies slightly depending on which version of Outlook you're using, but the core idea is the same: write once, reuse endlessly.
What Is an Outlook Email Template?
An Outlook email template is a pre-formatted message file you can open and send whenever you need it, without retyping the content from scratch. Templates preserve your text, formatting, subject line, and even recipient fields if you want them to. They're stored locally on your device as .oft files (Outlook File Template format).
This is different from Quick Parts (reusable text snippets) or Signatures (which auto-attach to new messages). Templates are full standalone drafts — ideal for recurring emails that follow a consistent structure.
How to Create a Template in Classic Outlook (Desktop App)
This applies to Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2019, 2021, and earlier desktop versions.
Step 1: Open Outlook and click New Email to open a blank message window.
Step 2: Write your email — subject line, body text, formatting, attachments if needed. Leave placeholder text (like [Client Name] or [Date]) anywhere the content will change each time.
Step 3: Go to File → Save As.
Step 4: In the "Save as type" dropdown, select Outlook Template (*.oft).
Step 5: Give the template a clear, descriptive name and click Save. By default, it saves to your local Templates folder.
How to Use a Saved Template
To access your template later:
- Go to New Items → More Items → Choose Form
- In the "Look In" dropdown, select User Templates in File System
- Find your template, select it, and click Open
This opens a pre-filled draft you can edit and send normally. 📋
How to Create a Template in New Outlook (2024 and Later)
Microsoft has been rolling out a redesigned New Outlook interface — and the template process works differently here.
My Templates Add-in is the built-in solution for the New Outlook experience:
- Open a new email window
- Click the Apps icon (or Add-ins) in the toolbar
- Search for and open My Templates
- Click + Template, write your content, and save it
My Templates appear as a panel inside your compose window, so they're quick to insert — but they function more like text snippets than full standalone drafts. Subject lines, attachments, and recipient fields aren't saved this way.
Outlook on the Web (outlook.com / Microsoft 365 Web)
The My Templates add-in is also available in the browser version of Outlook. Open a new message, click the Apps or puzzle-piece icon in the compose toolbar, and find My Templates there. The same limitations apply — it's best suited to body text templates, not full message templates with subjects or recipients.
Key Variables That Affect Your Approach 🔧
Not every Outlook user has the same experience with templates. A few factors determine which method works best for you:
| Factor | Impact on Template Approach |
|---|---|
| Outlook version | Classic desktop supports .oft files; New Outlook uses add-ins |
| Account type | Microsoft 365, Exchange, or personal accounts may restrict certain features |
| Use case complexity | Simple text snippets vs. full formatted emails with attachments |
| Device | Desktop app offers more control than mobile or web versions |
| IT/admin restrictions | Corporate accounts may limit add-in installation |
Other Template-Like Features Worth Knowing
Quick Steps (classic Outlook) let you automate multi-action sequences — like creating a reply with preset text and moving the original to a folder. Not a template in the traditional sense, but useful for routine responses.
Signatures can double as light templates if your recurring message is short and doesn't change much — set a signature that contains boilerplate text and toggle it manually when needed.
Power Automate (for Microsoft 365 business users) can generate and send templated emails automatically based on triggers — a much more advanced option for high-volume or conditional email workflows.
Why the Same Steps Don't Always Work the Same Way
A common frustration: following template instructions online and getting a different result. This usually comes down to which Outlook build you're on. Microsoft has been transitioning users from the classic desktop app to the New Outlook, and not all users are on the same version simultaneously.
You can check which version you're running under File → Office Account → About Outlook (classic) or the Settings gear → About in New Outlook. The interface differences are significant enough that a guide written for one version can be genuinely confusing on another.
How useful templates are — and which method makes the most sense — depends heavily on how often you send recurring messages, how much formatting those messages require, and whether you're working solo or inside a managed corporate Microsoft 365 environment. Those details sit with you, not with the tool itself.