How to Set Reminders in Outlook? A Guide

Do you get a lot of emails at work? And do these emails lead to further tasks and meetings? 

When that happens, it becomes challenging to keep track of all these tasks and finish them on time. 

But there’s a way to manage this — a simple nudge or reminder can help you prioritize things and ensure you never miss a deadline. 

And the best part is that you can set up these reminders right from your Outlook inbox. Let’s find out how.

Table of Contents

• What are reminders in Outlook? Why do they matter?
• Setting up email reminders in Outlook
• Setting up task reminders in Outlook
• Setting up calendar reminders in Outlook
• Setting up contact reminders in Outlook
• Setting up flagged item reminders in Outlook
• Managing and Editing Reminders in Outlook
• Advanced tips and tricks to manage reminders in Outlook
• Conclusion
• FAQs

What are reminders in Outlook? Why do they matter?

Outlook reminders are notifications created to help you stay on top of your tasks, appointments, and deadlines. When a reminder is triggered, a pop-up notification appears on your screen, providing a timely prompt about the upcoming task or event. 

Outlook offers several reminders that you can set to stay organized and on top of your commitments.  

Here are the main types:

1. Calendar Event Reminders: These notify you about upcoming meetings, appointments, and events. You can set reminders when you create an event or add them later.
2. Task Reminders: These are associated with tasks you create in Outlook. They help you track deadlines and ensure you complete your assignments on time. 
3. Email Follow-Up Reminders: You can set these up for individual emails, prompting you to follow up on a specific message or take action later. 
4. Contact Reminders: Set reminders for specific contacts so you can contact someone without forgetting or following up on a conversation.
5. Flagged Item Reminders: These apply to emails or tasks you flag for follow-up. When you flag an item, you can set a reminder to ensure you address it by a specific date.

Setting up email reminders in Outlook

It’s a pretty straightforward process to set up email reminders in Outlook. Just follow these steps:-

1. Open Outlook and Select the Email:
   • Open Outlook and go to your inbox.
   • Select the email for which you want to set a follow-up reminder.
2. Flag the Email:
   • Right-click on the flag icon next to the email subject line.
   • Choose “Add Reminder…” from the context menu.

3. Set the Reminder Details:

• In the dialog box that appears, set the “Flag to” field to specify the action (e.g., Follow up).
• Set the start date, due date, and reminder time according to your preference.
  Click “OK” to set the reminder.

4. Check the Reminder:

• The flagged email will now have a reminder associated with it.
• You will receive a pop-up notification at the specified time.

Setting up task reminders in Outlook

Setting up task reminders in Outlook is a straightforward process. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open Outlook and Go to Tasks:
   • Open Outlook and click the “Tasks” icon at the bottom of the navigation pane to go to the Tasks section.
2. Create a New Task:
   • Click “New Task” in the Home tab or press Ctrl+Shift+K to open a new task window.
3. Enter Task Details:
   • Enter the subject and any other relevant details in the new task window.
4. Set the Reminder:
   • Check the “Reminder” box.
   • Select the date and time when you want to receive the reminder notification.
5. Save the Task:
   • Click “Save & Close” to save the task with the reminder

Setting up calendar reminders in Outlook

Setting up calendar reminders in Outlook helps you keep track of your appointments and meetings. Here’s how you can do it:

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Calendar Reminders

1. Open Outlook and Go to Calendar:
   • Open Outlook.
   • Navigate to the “Calendar” section by clicking the calendar icon at the bottom of the navigation pane.

2. Create a New Event or Open an Existing One:
   • To create a new event, click “New Appointment” or “New Meeting” in the ‘Home’ tab or double-click on a date/time slot.
   • To add a reminder to an existing event, double-click the event to open it.
3. Set the Reminder Time:
   • In the event window, find the “Reminder” dropdown menu.
   • Choose how far in advance you want the reminder (e.g., 15 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day).

4. Save the Event:
   • Click “Save & Close” to save the event with the reminder.

Setting up contact reminders in Outlook

Setting contact reminders in Outlook can help you stay on top of important interactions. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set them:

1. Open Outlook and go to the Contacts or People view.
2. Select a Contact: Double-click on the contact you want to set a reminder.
3. Add Reminder:
   • In the contact window, click the Follow-Up button in the Tags group on the Ribbon.
   • Choose Add Reminder.
   • In the Custom dialog box, set the date and time for the reminder.
     Click OK.
     Below is how the reminder and the time information will show up.

Setting up flagged item reminders in Outlook

Setting flagged item reminders in Outlook helps you stay on top of important tasks and emails. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Outlook and go to your Inbox.
2. Flag an Email:
   • Right-click on the email you want to flag.
   • Select Follow Up from the context menu.
   • Choose a flag option (e.g., Today, Tomorrow, This Week, Next Week, etc.).
3. Set a Reminder:
   • After flagging the email, right-click the flagged email again.
   • Select Follow Up and then Add Reminder.
   • In the Custom dialog box, set the Date and Time for the reminder.
   • Click OK.

Managing and Editing Reminders in Outlook

Mismanaged reminders can sometimes be confusing. That’s why staying on top of overdue tasks or removing unimportant tasks is essential.

View and Manage Reminders:

1. Open Outlook.
2. Click on the calendar icon at the bottom of the navigation pane.
3. If you have reminders set, a reminder window will pop up at the specified times. If you don’t see this, you can manually open it by:

• Click on the “View” tab in the top menu.
• Selecting “Reminders Window” from the ribbon.

Editing an Existing Reminder

The following steps allow you to manage and update your reminders in Outlook effectively.

• To edit or delete existing reminders in Outlook, open the application and navigate to either the “Tasks” or “Calendar” section.
• Locate the task, flagged email, or calendar event with the reminder you wish to modify. Double-click the item to open it. 
• To edit a reminder, adjust the reminder settings in the appropriate fields and save your changes. 
• To delete a reminder, uncheck the reminder box or set the reminder dropdown to “None” and then save the changes.

Recommended Reading: How To Create And Use Email Templates in Outlook [2024]

Advanced tips and tricks to manage reminders in Outlook

Here are some tips to help you prioritize reminders and ensure critical tasks are highlighted:

1. Categorize Tasks by Priority: Use a system to categorize your tasks, such as “High,” “Medium,” and “Low” priority. This can help you quickly identify which tasks need immediate attention.

2. Utilize the Eisenhower Matrix: This method involves categorizing tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance:
   • Urgent and Important
   • Important but Not Urgent
   • Urgent but Not Important
   • Neither Urgent nor Important. Focus on tasks in the first quadrant first.

3. Use Color Coding: Assign specific deadlines to tasks and prioritize those with imminent deadlines. Use reminders to stay on track.

4. Set Recurring Reminders for Critical Tasks: Schedule recurring reminders for essential tasks that require constant attention. This ensures they remain on your radar and are not overlooked.

Setting recurring reminders for critical tasks in Outlook can help ensure that important activities are regularly addressed. Here’s how to do it:

Open Outlook and go to your Calendar or Tasks.

Create a New Task:

• Go to the Tasks view and click New Task.
• Enter the task details, such as the task name and any notes.

Set Recurrence:

• Click the Recurrence button in the Task tab on the Ribbon.
• In the Task Recurrence dialog box, set the recurrence pattern (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) and specify the start and end dates, if applicable.
• Click OK.

Set Reminder:

• In the task window, check the Reminder box and set the date and time for the reminder.
• Click Save & Close.

Conclusion

In conclusion, mastering email reminders in Outlook can significantly enhance your productivity. 

By leveraging Outlook’s powerful reminder features, you can stay organized, prioritize tasks effectively, and never miss a deadline again.

And the tips shared above will help you boost your productivity.

FAQs

1. Where are Outlook reminders? 

The Reminders window is a central place where all your reminders are displayed. Reminders for tasks and flagged emails can be viewed in the “Tasks” section. Reminders for calendar events are integrated into the calendar.

2. How to send a recurring reminder email in Outlook? 

Create a new appointment in the Calendar section to send a recurring reminder email in Outlook. Enter the subject, details, and recurrence pattern, then set a reminder time and invite attendees if needed. Finally, click “Save & Close” to schedule the recurring reminder email.

3. How do I back up my Outlook reminders?

To back up your Outlook reminders, open Outlook, go to “File,” then “Account Settings.” Select and note the data file location under the “Data Files” tab. Go back to “File,” choose “Open & Export,” then “Import/Export.” Select “Export to a file,” choose “Outlook Data File (.pst),” and ensure “Include subfolders” is checked. Save the backup file and click “Finish.” Optionally, set a password for added security. This backs up your reminders and other Outlook data.

4. How do I automate email reminders in Outlook? 

You can use the Quick Steps feature or create rules to automate email reminders in Outlook. For Quick Steps, go to the “Home” tab, create a new Quick Step, name it (e.g., “Set Reminder”),choose “Flag Message,” configure any additional actions, and save it. Then, use this Quick Step on selected emails to set reminders.