The quickest way to assign a task

To assign a task in Outlook, open the Tasks folder, click New Task, fill in the subject line and any details you want, then click the Assign Task button in the ribbon. A dialog box will appear asking for the recipient's email address. Type it in, choose whether you want a status report when they complete it, then click Send. The task moves to your Sent folder and a copy goes to their inbox.

The person you assign it to will see it as a task request they can accept or decline. Once they accept, Outlook tracks whether it's complete and can send you updates if you asked for them. If they decline, the task stays on your list but they won't be working on it.

Key Takeaways

  • Assign a task by opening Tasks, clicking New Task, filling in details, then clicking Assign Task in the ribbon and entering the recipient's email.
  • The person you assign to must accept the task before it appears on their task list — a decline request stays on your list only.
  • You can request a status report when the task is marked complete, which sends you an automatic update.
  • Assigned tasks appear in your Sent folder so you can see who you've assigned work to and track their responses.

Where to find the Assign Task button

The Assign Task button lives in the ribbon at the top of Outlook. If you're in the Tasks folder and have created a new task, look for the Task tab in the ribbon. The Assign Task button is usually on the left side of that tab, next to buttons for Save and Delete.

If you don't see the Task tab, make sure you've clicked inside the task you're creating — the ribbon changes depending on what you're working on. Once the task is open and you can see the subject line and details, the Task tab should appear.

What information you need to assign a task

You need the recipient's email address. That's the only required field. When you click Assign Task, Outlook will ask for it in a small dialog box. If the person is in your contacts or your organization's directory, you can start typing their name and Outlook will suggest matches.

Beyond the email address, you can add a subject line (required), a due date, a priority level, and any notes or instructions in the task details. The more specific you are about what you want done and when, the clearer the task will be to the person receiving it.

Requesting status updates on assigned tasks

When you click Assign Task and enter the recipient's email, a checkbox appears that says Keep an updated copy of this task on my task list. If you check this box, Outlook will automatically send you a status report when the person marks the task complete. You'll receive it as an email message.

This is useful if you're assigning work to someone and need to know when it's done. Without this box checked, you won't get a notification — you'd have to check their status manually or ask them to tell you.

What happens when someone declines a task

If the person you assign the task to clicks Decline, you'll receive a message saying they declined it. The task stays on your task list, but it's marked as declined so you know they won't be doing it. You can then assign it to someone else, do it yourself, or delete it.

A declined task doesn't disappear or cause an error — it just sits on your list with a declined status. You can see at a glance which tasks you've assigned that people have turned down.

Assigning a task from an email message

You can turn an email into a task and assign it in one step. Right-click the email message and select Follow Up, then Add Reminder or Mark Complete depending on your version of Outlook. From there, you can click Assign Task to send it to someone else.

This is faster than creating a new task from scratch if someone has already sent you the information in an email. The email content becomes part of the task details, so the person you assign it to can see the original message.

Tracking assigned tasks in your Sent folder

Every task you assign appears in your Sent folder, just like sent emails do. You can open your Sent folder and look for task requests to see a history of what you've assigned and to whom. This is useful if you need to remember who you gave a particular job to or when you assigned it.

You can also check the status of assigned tasks by opening the task itself from your Sent folder. If you requested status updates, any completion reports will come to your inbox as messages, not as updates in the task itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I assign a task to multiple people at once?

No. Outlook's task assignment feature sends to one person at a time. If you need multiple people to work on something, you'll need to create the task and assign it separately to each person, or use a shared project tool like Microsoft Teams or Project instead.

What if the person I'm assigning to doesn't have Outlook?

They'll receive an email with the task details, but they won't be able to accept or decline it through Outlook. They can still read what you've asked them to do and respond by email. You won't get an automatic status update, so you'll need to follow up manually.

Can I change a task after I've assigned it?

You can edit the copy on your task list, but changes won't automatically sync to the person you assigned it to. If you need to change the due date or details, send them a message letting them know. This is why being clear the first time matters.

What's the difference between assigning a task and forwarding an email?

A task assignment creates a formal request that the person can accept or decline, and you can track completion. Forwarding an email just sends them the message — there's no built-in way to know if they've done what you asked or when they'll do it.