How to Create an Outlook Template: Save Time on Repetitive Emails

If you find yourself typing the same email over and over — meeting invites, status updates, client responses — Outlook templates are the fix. They let you save a pre-written message and reuse it anytime, without starting from scratch. Here's exactly how they work and what shapes the experience across different setups.

What Is an Outlook Email Template?

An Outlook template is a saved email file that preserves your subject line, body text, formatting, and even attachments. When you need it, you load the template, make any tweaks, and send. Nothing gets auto-sent — you're always in control before it goes out.

Outlook stores templates as .oft files (Outlook File Template) on your local machine. This is distinct from Quick Parts, Signatures, or Canned Responses — those are related tools but serve slightly different purposes.

How to Create a Template in Outlook (Desktop)

This applies to Outlook for Windows (classic desktop app, not the new Outlook or web version):

1. Open Outlook and click New Email to open a blank message window.
2. Write your subject line and compose the full body of your message — formatting, bullet points, images, and attachments are all preserved.
3. When you're happy with it, go to File → Save As.
4. In the "Save as type" dropdown, select Outlook Template (*.oft).
5. Name your template and click Save. By default, it saves to your local Templates folder.

To use the template later:

1. Go to New Items → More Items → Choose Form.
2. In the "Look In" dropdown, select User Templates in File System.
3. Find your template, select it, and click Open.

The template opens as a new email draft — ready to edit and send. 📧

How to Create a Template in Outlook on the Web (OWA)

The web version of Outlook (outlook.office.com or outlook.live.com) handles templates differently through a feature called My Templates:

1. Open a new message or reply window.
2. Click the three-dot menu (…) at the bottom of the compose pane.
3. Select My Templates.
4. Click + Template to create a new one.
5. Add a title and your template body text, then click Save.

To use it: open the My Templates panel again and click the template — it inserts the text directly into your compose window.

Note: My Templates in OWA currently supports body text only. Subject lines and attachments are not saved with the template, which is a meaningful difference from the desktop .oft approach.

New Outlook App vs. Classic Outlook: A Key Distinction

Microsoft has been rolling out a redesigned "New Outlook" for Windows, which more closely mirrors the web experience. If you're on the new version, the My Templates add-in approach applies — not the Save As .oft method.

This table illustrates why your Outlook version matters significantly before you choose a method.

Outlook for Mac: What's Different

On Outlook for Mac, the .oft workflow doesn't behave identically to Windows. The Save As option may not offer .oft as a format depending on your version. Many Mac users rely on the My Templates add-in (available within the compose window) or use Drafts as a workaround — saving a composed email as a draft and duplicating it manually when needed.

The draft workaround is functional but imperfect: if you accidentally send or delete the draft, the template is gone.

Variables That Change the Experience 🔧

Several factors determine which method works best and how smoothly it runs:

• Outlook version — Microsoft 365, Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, or the new Outlook app each behave differently
• Platform — Windows, Mac, web browser, or mobile all have different feature sets
• Template complexity — simple text vs. rich formatting, tables, or embedded images
• Whether you need subject line saving — only the .oft desktop method handles this
• Cross-device access — .oft files are local; My Templates syncs through the cloud
• IT/admin policies — corporate Microsoft 365 accounts may restrict add-ins or template storage locations
• Volume of templates — managing dozens of .oft files locally becomes cumbersome compared to the web panel

Common Mistakes Worth Knowing

Not all template changes auto-update. If you edit a template, you need to save it again as a new .oft (or update it in My Templates). Old saves don't refresh automatically.

Attachments in .oft templates can cause issues. If the attached file moves or is renamed, the template may fail to attach it correctly on reuse.

The "Choose Form" path trips people up. Outlook's interface for accessing saved .oft templates is buried — many users expect templates under a more obvious menu but can't locate them because the path runs through "Choose Form."

How Different Users Approach This

A corporate Microsoft 365 user on classic Windows Outlook sending detailed project updates will likely benefit most from .oft templates — they preserve subject lines, formatting, and attachments in full.

A small business owner switching between devices will find My Templates more practical — the cloud sync means the same templates appear whether they're on a work laptop or logging into OWA on a client's machine.

A Mac user on a personal Microsoft 365 subscription may find neither option fully satisfying out of the box and end up relying on third-party tools or drafts as a workaround.

The right approach isn't universal — it sits at the intersection of your version, platform, workflow, and how much template fidelity you actually need.