How to View Categories in Outlook 365

Outlook 365 is a powerful email and productivity tool that offers a wide range of features to help users manage their emails, calendars, and tasks. One of the key features of Outlook 365 is the ability to categorize emails, contacts, and other items using color-coded categories. These categories provide a visual way to organize and prioritize your inbox, making it easier to find and manage important messages. In this article, we will explore how to view categories in Outlook 365 and how they can enhance your productivity.

Understanding Categories in Outlook 365

Categories in Outlook 365 are color-coded labels that you can assign to emails, contacts, calendar events, and other items. They provide a way to visually organize and prioritize your items, making it easier to find and manage them. By assigning categories to your emails, you can quickly identify important messages, sort them into different folders, and apply filters to view specific categories.

Categories in Outlook 365 can be customized to suit your needs. You can create your own categories with unique names and colors, or you can use the default categories provided by Outlook. These default categories include “Red Category,” “Blue Category,” “Green Category,” and so on. You can also assign multiple categories to a single item, allowing for more granular organization.

Viewing Categories in Outlook 365

There are several ways to view categories in Outlook 365, depending on the item you want to categorize and the view you are using. Here are some methods to view categories:

Viewing Categories in the Inbox

To view categories in the Inbox, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook 365 and go to the Inbox.
2. Select the email or emails you want to view the categories for.
3. Right-click on the selected email(s) and choose “Categorize” from the context menu.
4. A drop-down menu will appear, showing the categories assigned to the selected email(s). The categories will be displayed with their respective colors.

You can also view categories in the Inbox by enabling the “Categories” column. Here’s how:

1. Open Outlook 365 and go to the Inbox.
2. Right-click on the column headers (such as “From,” “Subject,” etc.) and choose “Field Chooser” from the context menu.
3. In the “Field Chooser” window, select “Categories” from the drop-down list.
4. Drag and drop the “Categories” field to the desired location in the column headers.
5. The “Categories” column will now be visible in the Inbox, showing the categories assigned to each email.

Viewing Categories in the Calendar

To view categories in the Calendar, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook 365 and go to the Calendar.
2. Select the calendar event or events you want to view the categories for.
3. Right-click on the selected event(s) and choose “Categorize” from the context menu.
4. A drop-down menu will appear, showing the categories assigned to the selected event(s). The categories will be displayed with their respective colors.

You can also view categories in the Calendar by enabling the “Categories” column. Here’s how:

1. Open Outlook 365 and go to the Calendar.
2. Click on the “View” tab in the ribbon.
3. In the “Arrangement” group, click on the “Categories” button.
4. The “Categories” column will now be visible in the Calendar, showing the categories assigned to each event.

Viewing Categories in Contacts and Tasks

To view categories in Contacts and Tasks, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook 365 and go to the Contacts or Tasks section.
2. Select the contact or task you want to view the categories for.
3. Right-click on the selected contact or task and choose “Categorize” from the context menu.
4. A drop-down menu will appear, showing the categories assigned to the selected contact or task. The categories will be displayed with their respective colors.

You can also view categories in Contacts and Tasks by enabling the “Categories” column. Here’s how:

1. Open Outlook 365 and go to the Contacts or Tasks section.
2. Right-click on the column headers (such as “Name,” “Company,” etc.) and choose “Field Chooser” from the context menu.
3. In the “Field Chooser” window, select “Categories” from the drop-down list.
4. Drag and drop the “Categories” field to the desired location in the column headers.
5. The “Categories” column will now be visible in Contacts or Tasks, showing the categories assigned to each item.

Customizing Categories in Outlook 365

Outlook 365 allows you to customize categories to suit your needs. You can create your own categories with unique names and colors, or you can modify the default categories provided by Outlook. Here’s how to customize categories:

1. Open Outlook 365 and go to the “Home” tab in the ribbon.
2. In the “Tags” group, click on the “Categorize” button.
3. A drop-down menu will appear, showing the default categories provided by Outlook.
4. To create a new category, click on “All Categories” at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
5. In the “Color Categories” window, click on the “New” button.
6. Enter a name for the new category and choose a color from the available options.
7. Click “OK” to save the new category.

To modify a category, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook 365 and go to the “Home” tab in the ribbon.
2. In the “Tags” group, click on the “Categorize” button.
3. A drop-down menu will appear, showing the default categories provided by Outlook.
4. Right-click on the category you want to modify and choose “Rename” or “Color” from the context menu.
5. If you choose “Rename,” enter a new name for the category and click “OK” to save the changes.
6. If you choose “Color,” select a new color for the category from the available options and click “OK” to save the changes.

Benefits of Using Categories in Outlook 365

Using categories in Outlook 365 offers several benefits that can enhance your productivity and organization. Here are some key benefits:

1. Visual Organization

Categories provide a visual way to organize your emails, contacts, calendar events, and tasks. By assigning categories to your items, you can quickly identify and sort them based on their importance, urgency, or any other criteria you choose. This visual organization makes it easier to find and manage your items, saving you time and effort.

2. Prioritization

Categories allow you to prioritize your items based on their importance or urgency. For example, you can assign a “High Priority” category to important emails or tasks that require immediate attention, and a “Low Priority” category to less urgent items. This helps you focus on the most critical tasks and ensures that important messages don’t get overlooked.

3. Filtering and Sorting

Categories enable you to filter and sort your items based on their assigned categories. This can be especially useful when dealing with a large number of emails or tasks. For example, you can create a filter to view only emails with the “Important” category, or sort your tasks by category to see which ones require your attention. This filtering and sorting capability helps you stay organized and focused on the tasks that matter most.

4. Collaboration

Categories can also be used to facilitate collaboration and teamwork. By assigning categories to shared items, such as project tasks or meeting invitations, you can easily track and manage them as a team. This ensures that everyone involved is on the same page and can contribute effectively to the project or event.

FAQs

Q: Can I assign multiple categories to a single item in Outlook 365?

A: Yes, you can assign multiple categories to a single item in Outlook 365. This allows for more granular organization and makes it easier to classify items based on multiple criteria. For example, you can assign both a “High Priority” category and a “Marketing” category to an important email that requires immediate attention and is related to marketing activities.

Q: Can I create subcategories within categories in Outlook 365?

A: No, Outlook 365 does not support subcategories within categories. However, you can create multiple categories with similar names and assign them to different items to achieve a similar effect. For example, you can create categories like “Marketing – Campaign 1,” “Marketing – Campaign 2,” and so on to categorize emails and tasks related to different marketing campaigns.

Q: Can I share my categories with others in Outlook 365?

A: Yes, you can share your categories with others in Outlook 365. This can be useful when collaborating on projects or events. To share your categories, go to the “Home” tab in the ribbon, click on the “Categorize” button in the “Tags” group, and choose “All Categories.” In the “Color Categories” window, click on the “Master Category List” button. From there, you can export your categories to a file and share it with others. They can then import the file into their Outlook 365 to use the same categories.

Conclusion

Categories in Outlook 365 provide a powerful way to organize and prioritize your emails, contacts, calendar events, and tasks. By assigning categories to your items, you can visually organize them, prioritize them based on their importance or urgency, and filter and sort them to focus on what matters most. Customizing categories allows you to tailor them to your specific needs, further enhancing your productivity and organization. By utilizing the features and benefits of categories in Outlook 365, you can streamline your workflow, save time, and stay on top of your tasks and communications.