To change rules in new Outlook or Outlook.com, open Settings > Mail > Rules, select the rule’s More actions (⋯) > Edit rule, make your changes, and select Save. In classic Outlook for Windows, start at File > Manage Rules & Alerts; on Mac, use Outlook > Settings > Rules.
The short version
- New Outlook and Outlook.com: Edit the rule under Settings > Mail > Rules, then select Save.
- Classic Windows: Select the rule under Manage Rules & Alerts, then choose Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings.
- Mac: Open Outlook > Settings > Rules and select the rule’s Edit rule command.
- Rule conflicts: Review rule order and Stop processing more rules when another rule changes the result.
| Where you manage mail | Where to open rules | How to finish editing |
|---|---|---|
| New Outlook and Outlook.com | Settings > Mail > Rules | More actions (⋯) > Edit rule, then Save |
| Outlook on the web | Settings > Mail > Rules | Select the rule, choose Edit rule, then Save |
| Classic Outlook for Windows | File > Manage Rules & Alerts > E-mail Rules | Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings, then Finish > OK |
| Current Outlook for Mac | Outlook > Settings > Rules | … > Edit rule, then Save |
| Gmail | Settings > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses | Edit, then Continue and Update filter |
| Yahoo Mail | More options > Settings > Filters | Select the filter, edit it, then select Save |
| iCloud Mail | Settings button > Settings > Rules | Select the rule, edit it, then select Save Changes |
Edit a rule in new Outlook or your browser
In new Outlook or Outlook.com, open Settings, select Mail, then choose Rules. Find the existing rule, select More actions (⋯) beside it, and choose Edit rule. These steps also apply to Hotmail, Live, and MSN accounts accessed through Outlook.com.
Change the rule’s settings, including the conditions that identify matching messages and the actions applied to them. Select Save when you finish. For a rule that moves messages, choose the intended destination folder; you can create a new Outlook folder first when you need a different place to organize that mail.
For a Microsoft 365 work or school mailbox in Outlook on the web, sign in and open Settings > Mail > Rules. Select the rule, choose Edit rule, and change its conditions or actions. Select Save to finish.
New Outlook does not manage rules for Gmail, Yahoo, or iCloud accounts, so edit those providers’ filters or rules using the steps below. An older rule brought over from classic Outlook may also need a supported replacement if new Outlook cannot edit it.
Change a rule in classic Outlook for Windows
In classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 or Outlook 2024, select File > Manage Rules & Alerts, then open the E-mail Rules tab. Select the rule you want to change and choose Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings. This opens the Rules Wizard.
Work through the conditions, actions, and exceptions, changing the values that need updating. Select Next to advance through the wizard, then select Finish > OK to complete the change. Add an exception during the same edit when you want certain matching messages excluded.
For a smaller adjustment, open Change Rule and choose the relevant quick command. Depending on the selected rule, you can choose Rename Rule, Move to Folder..., Copy to Folder..., Play a Sound..., Mark as High Priority, Mark as Low Priority, or Delete Message. Complete the selected dialog and select OK.
You can also open rule management from the ribbon through Move > Rules > Manage Rules and Alerts, although the ribbon arrangement can vary. Select the rule, choose Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings, complete the wizard, and select Finish.
Edit a rule in Outlook for Mac
In current Outlook for Mac with Microsoft 365 or Outlook 2024, select Outlook > Settings > Rules. Beside the rule, select … > Edit rule, make your changes, and select Save.
If your Mac version shows Tools > Rules, you can also open rule management there and use the same editing controls. Current Outlook for Mac supports server rules only, so a client-side rule from classic Windows Outlook requires a different approach.
Adjust rule order and stop overlapping actions
Review rule priority when more than one rule matches a message. In new Outlook, Outlook.com, or Outlook on the web, open Settings > Mail > Rules, select the rule, and use the Up arrow or Down arrow to reposition it. On Mac, open Outlook > Settings > Rules, select the rule, and use the up or down arrow controls.
To prevent later rules from acting on a matching message in new Outlook, Outlook.com, or Outlook on the web, edit the rule and check Stop processing more rules. Select Save to keep that setting. Uncheck Stop processing more rules and select Save when subsequent matching rules should run.
In classic Windows Outlook, open the rule through Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings. Advance to What do you want to do with the message?, then check or uncheck Stop processing more rules. Complete the wizard and select Finish.
Apply the edited rule to existing messages
Saving an edit and running a rule on existing mail are separate tasks. In new Outlook for Windows, open Settings > Mail > Rules and select Run rule now for the rule. On Mac, open Outlook > Settings > Rules, then select … > Run rule now beside it.
Classic Windows Outlook gives you controls for choosing which messages to process. Open File > Manage Rules & Alerts > E-mail Rules > Run Rules Now, then select the checkboxes for the rules you want to apply. Set Run in Folder and Apply rules to, then select Run Now.
Pause or delete a rule
Turn a rule off when you want to stop its actions temporarily while keeping its settings. In new Outlook or Outlook.com, open Settings > Mail > Rules and switch off the toggle beside the rule. Switch it back on to enable the rule again.
On Mac, open Outlook > Settings > Rules and switch off the toggle beside the rule. Switch the same toggle back on when you want the rule to run again.
For classic Outlook, open File > Manage Rules & Alerts, uncheck the checkbox beside the rule, and select OK. Check that box and select OK to enable it again.
To remove a rule in new Outlook or Outlook.com, select its More actions (⋯) > Delete rule. In Outlook on the web, select the rule and choose Delete. On Mac, select … > Delete rule beside it. In classic Windows Outlook, select the rule in Manage Rules & Alerts, choose Delete, then select Yes > OK.
Repair a broken or incompatible rule
Start with the affected rule’s settings when classic Outlook marks it in red or shows Error. Open File > Manage Rules & Alerts, selecting OK if Outlook reports a broken rule. Select the affected rule, then under Rule description, select the linked values, correct them, and select OK.
If a migrated rule cannot be viewed or edited in new Outlook, check whether it needs client-side features. Classic Outlook supports client-side rules, while new Outlook supports server rules. You may need to keep managing the rule in classic Outlook or replace it with supported conditions and actions.
To make a replacement, open Settings > Mail > Rules > Add new rule, configure supported conditions and actions, and select Save. You can create a rule in Outlook using the conditions and actions you need, then review its position and whether it should stop subsequent rules before running it on existing mail.
Edit Gmail Yahoo or iCloud filtering instead
For a Gmail account used in new Outlook, open Gmail on a computer and select Settings > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses. Find the filter and select Edit, change its criteria, then select Continue. Adjust its actions and select Update filter.
In the current Yahoo Mail desktop browser experience, select More options > Settings > Filters. Select the filter, edit its name, rules, or destination folder, and select Save. These controls change Yahoo’s filters, so use classic Outlook if you need to edit a local rule created there.
For iCloud, sign in at iCloud Mail and select the Settings button > Settings > Rules. Select the rule, change its filtering conditions, and select Save Changes. You can also drag rules to reorder them or select Delete to remove one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you back up Outlook rules before making changes?
Yes, in classic Outlook for Windows, select File > Manage Rules & Alerts > Options > Export Rules. Choose a folder and enter a name in File name. Outlook exports an .rwz file that you can use only within classic Outlook.
Can you import saved rules into new Outlook?
No, rule importing is unavailable in new Outlook. In classic Outlook, select File > Manage Rules & Alerts > Options > Import Rules, select the file, and choose Open. Imported rules are appended to your existing list.
Why is automatic forwarding missing from the Rules list?
You may have configured forwarding as a mailbox setting rather than an inbox rule. In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, open Settings > Mail > Forwarding; in Outlook.com, open Settings > Mail > Forwarding and IMAP. Change the destination or turn forwarding on or off, then select Save. In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, you can also select Keep a copy of forwarded messages to retain originals, then select Save.
Where do you edit rules that change message colors or fonts?
In classic Outlook for Windows, open View > View Settings > Conditional Formatting. Select the rule, then choose Condition to change its criteria or Font to change its appearance. Select OK in the open dialogs.
Is there a keyboard shortcut for opening classic Outlook rule settings?
You can start by pressing Alt + F to open File, then use keyboard navigation to select Manage Rules & Alerts. Select the rule and choose Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings. The shortcut uses the US keyboard layout.