Create a template by saving a draft email you've already written

The fastest way to make a template in Outlook is to write an email the way you want it to look, then save it as a template instead of sending it. Open Outlook, go to New Email, and write out your message with the subject line, body text, formatting, and any attachments you want to include every time. Once it looks right, click File in the top left, then Save As. In the dialog box that opens, change the file type dropdown from "Outlook Message Format" to Outlook Template (the exact name varies slightly by Outlook version, but it will say "Template"). Give your template a clear name like "Weekly Status Report" or "Client Follow-up", then click Save.

Outlook stores templates in a specific folder on your computer. On Windows, this is usually C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates. On Mac, it's ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/Main Profile/Data/Templates. You don't need to navigate there yourself — Outlook finds them automatically — but knowing where they live helps if you ever need to move or back them up.

Key Takeaways

  • Write your email exactly as you want it, then save it as an Outlook Template file type rather than sending it.
  • Templates include everything: subject line, body text, formatting, signatures, and attachments.
  • Use templates by going to File > New > Select Template or by opening the template file directly from your computer.
  • You can edit a template by opening it, making changes, and saving it again with the same name to overwrite the old version.
  • Templates work across Outlook on Windows, Mac, and the web version, though the steps to create them differ slightly.

Where to find and use your templates once they're saved

After you've saved a template, you can use it in a few different ways depending on which version of Outlook you're using. In Outlook on Windows (the desktop app), click File at the top, then New, then look for Select a Template or More Templates. A window will open showing all your saved templates. Click the one you want, and Outlook opens a new email with all that template's content already filled in. You can then change the recipient, add or remove text, and send it.

The second method is simpler if you use templates often: just open the template file directly from your computer's file explorer. Navigate to the Templates folder (the path depends on your operating system), find the template you want, and double-click it. Outlook launches a new email with that template's content ready to go. This method works the same way on Windows and Mac.

Templates in Outlook on the web and mobile apps

Outlook on the web (the version you access through a browser at outlook.com or your work email portal) does not have a built-in template feature the way the desktop app does. However, you can work around this by creating a draft email, saving it as a draft, and then opening that draft whenever you need to send a similar message. Click the three dots next to a draft, select Edit, make any changes you need, and send it. The draft stays in your Drafts folder for next time.

Outlook mobile apps (on iPhone or Android) also lack a native template feature. Your best option is to use the desktop or web version to create templates, then access them through the web version or by opening the template file on a computer when you need it. Some people work around this by creating a contact or note with template text they can copy and paste into emails on their phone, though this is less reliable than a true template.

Edit or delete a template you've already saved

To change a template, open it the same way you would use it — either through File > New > Select a Template or by double-clicking the template file. Make whatever changes you want to the subject, body, attachments, or formatting. Then click File > Save As, change the file type to Outlook Template again, and use the exact same name you gave it before. Outlook will ask if you want to replace the old version — click Yes. This overwrites the old template with your updated version.

To delete a template, navigate to your Templates folder using File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), find the template file, and delete it the way you would delete any other file. You can also right-click the template file and select Delete. Once it's gone, it won't show up in your template list anymore.

Use signatures and placeholders to make templates more flexible

Templates work best when you build in some flexibility. If you always use the same signature, add it to the template before you save — it will appear in every email you create from that template. If you want a placeholder for information that changes each time (like a client name or project number), type something obvious like [CLIENT NAME] or [DATE] in that spot. When you use the template, you'll see those placeholders and know exactly where to fill in the blanks.

You can also create multiple versions of the same template for different situations. For example, make one template called "Client Follow-up — First Contact" and another called "Client Follow-up — After Meeting". Each one has slightly different wording and tone, but they both save you from starting from scratch. This approach works especially well if you send similar emails to different groups of people.

Common reasons templates don't appear or won't save

If you save something as a template but can't find it later, the most common cause is that it saved to the wrong location. Check that you actually selected Outlook Template as the file type before clicking Save — if you saved it as a regular email message or Word document by mistake, Outlook won't recognize it as a template. Look in your Downloads folder or Desktop to see if it ended up there instead.

Another issue: if you're using Outlook through your work email account (especially if your company uses Microsoft 365 or Exchange), your IT department may have disabled template creation for security reasons. If the Save As option is grayed out or the Template file type doesn't appear in the dropdown, contact your IT support to ask if templates are turned on for your account. Personal Outlook accounts (outlook.com, Hotmail) almost always allow templates, but work accounts sometimes restrict them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same template in Outlook on my computer and on the web?

Templates created in the desktop version of Outlook don't automatically sync to Outlook on the web. You would need to recreate the template in the web version, or copy the template file to a location you can access from both places. For most people, it's easier to just use templates on the desktop version where they were created.

What's the difference between a template and a signature?

A signature is just the closing part of an email — your name, title, phone number, and company information. A template is the entire email structure, including subject line, greeting, body paragraphs, and closing. You can add a signature to a template, and you can use a signature with any email you write, but they serve different purposes.

Can I share a template with a coworker?

Yes. Find the template file in your Templates folder, copy it, and send it to your coworker via email or shared drive. They can then paste it into their own Templates folder, and it will show up in their template list. Make sure they save it in the correct location for their operating system (Windows or Mac paths are different).

Will my template include attachments every time I use it?

Yes. Any attachments you include in the template will be attached to every email you create from that template. This is useful if you always send the same document, but make sure you actually want that attachment every time before you save it as part of the template.

What happens if I accidentally delete a template?

Once deleted, the template file is gone unless you have a backup. If you deleted it recently, check your Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) to see if you can restore it. Otherwise, you'll need to recreate the template by writing the email again and saving it the same way you did the first time.