Microsoft Outlook: How to use the Categories (Labels!) in All FIVE Primary Outlook Functions!

In this video on an oft-underused and underutilized capability for Microsoft Outlook users, I describe how I use the Categories in Microsoft Outlook across ALL FIVE of the primary Outlook functions: E-mail, Calendar, Contacts (People), Tasks, and Notes. This is a wonderful tool for labeling your items, including adding multiple labels to the same individual item, allowing you to better search and find those items late. It is also one of the very best ways to color code your calendar, organize your task list, organize your notes, and find/organize your personal and professional contacts.

I actually believe the Categories tool helps Outlook users maintain a much cleaner email inbox also, as you can be more confident in filing your items, since you can easily search several ways BY CATEGORY. You don't need to keep your old items in your inbox to find them later! And this same key search capability is also very helpful in your Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Notes in Outlook too.

Watch this brief 19 minute video to much better understand how to set up and use this very powerful tool for better MS Outlook usage, search, organization, and efficiency!

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[troygelinas]

Hi, Randy! Thanks for the helpful information on categories, aka labels. It was very helpful. You remind me of Alton Brown and not just because of the similar hairstyle! :-) Your content is entertaining, approachable, and very informative. Thanks!

[reginamangiamele]

I use categories/labels, but now I can be a pro and use it more efficiently....with tasks, calendar etc...THANK YOU SO MUCH

[brynemans]

This is an excellent video - Something I've been trying to be more proficient with for some time. Thanks for sharing Randy!

[JasonMolter]

I purposely went looking for a video like this, to find someone else who loves to use Categories as much as I do. Way way way better system than folders.

[bmantzel]

EXCELLENT! Very comprehensive info, lots of great examples. THANKS!

[theflexistentialist]

Thanks so much Randy! Will be sure to check out your other videos and resources. Have made a conscious choice to level up my digital workflows and email. This will help
Immensely🔥🙌

[jillgordon]

You can rename the "Categories" by Customizing the ribbon to a "custom group"
My Catergories command is greyed out, Does anyone know how to enable it?

[judithguertin]

I would appreciate the list of the related videos you referred to during this video. Thx.

[clivesmith]

This is #EPIC...thanks very much for sharing!😀

[dineshprasad]

You are simply great Randy👍. I was aware of the Labels feature, Categories, to be more precise, but today got to know how powerful it is! Thanks for this wonderful video. Take care.

[chuchuokeke]

Best use of my time in committing to proficiency in outlook🙂

[michellemacco]

Wonderful video Randy 💕 just subscribe. Keep these MS tips and tricks coming 🙏🏽💕

[OlgaRotshtein]

Hi, thanks for the video it was very informative and I learned something new.
How do I sync the colors / categories I selected on my desktop in the calendar to my mobile phone (Android) and my laptop?

[dhelverdeflor]

Hi, randy. your videos are amazing. just a question, is there a way that we can check who last modified the category? the scenario is that it’s a shared inbox, and we wanted to check who mistakenly changed the category.

[ginaderamo]

Hi Randy. This was awesome ! however, I have Outlook (the newest version 2022) and I was so upset to see that the"categories" sections it not there any longer. There are just 4 options to choose from, which are: "Free", "Working Elsewhere", "Tentative", "busy", and "Out of Office".... no more colors to chose from. Am I not looking in the correct field? PS: I do miss the categories section

[mikeingelrealtor]

Hi there, love the enthusiasm. Wondering if you can help me sync my outlook categories with i cloud by category as well? Any idea how to do that?

[mikee]

Nice vid mate! thanks alot.. you defo got yourself a sub here. Legend!

[lindat]

Hi Randy! I am having trouble sharing my categories (labels) in shared calendar. I am sharing the calendar but the categories do not transfer over. How can I do it?

[johandriessens]

Thanks so much Randy, adding labels is key for organizing but can it be automated to asign labels based on subject name, eg. like projectnumber as part of the subject line? that would be convenient. thanks again

[DougHenjes]

How can I I print a list of companies I have in a category? I want to see one category and print only that category list. Very detailed Video. Thank you.