How to Turn Off Focused Inbox to Customize Your Inbox Using Your Own Folders

Overview:

This guide will walk you through the steps to disable the Focused Inbox feature in Outlook. Disabling Focused Inbox allows you to have full control over how emails are organized in your inbox, enabling you to create and manage your own folders for better customization and organization.

Steps to Turn Off Focused Inbox:

For Outlook on Windows:

1. Open Outlook:

   • Launch the Outlook application on your Windows computer.

2. Navigate to the View Tab:

   • In the top menu bar, click on the View tab.

3. Turn Off Focused Inbox:

   • In the View tab, locate the Show Focused Inbox button.
   • Click on it to toggle off the Focused Inbox. You should no longer see a separation between “Focused” and “Other” tabs in your inbox.

4. Organize Your Inbox:

   • Now that Focused Inbox is turned off, you can start creating custom folders. Right-click on your inbox or any existing folder and select New Folder.
   • Name your new folder and drag and drop emails into it to organize your inbox according to your preferences.

For Outlook on Mac:

1. Open Outlook:

   • Launch the Outlook application on your Mac.

2. Navigate to the Organize Tab:

   • Click on the Organize tab in the top menu.

3. Turn Off Focused Inbox:

   • Find the Focused Inbox button and click on it to toggle it off.

4. Organize Your Inbox:

   • Create custom folders by right-clicking (or Control-clicking) on your inbox or an existing folder, then selecting New Folder.
   • Drag and drop emails into these folders to maintain a customized inbox structure.

For Outlook on the Web (Office 365):

1. Log into Outlook:

   • Open your web browser and go to Outlook Office 365.

2. Access Settings:

   • Click on the Settings (gear icon) in the upper right corner.

3. Turn Off Focused Inbox:

   • In the settings pane, scroll down and click on Mail under Your app settings.
   • Under Layout, select Focused Inbox and toggle it off.

4. Organize Your Inbox:

   • To create new folders, right-click on your inbox or an existing folder, select Create new folder, and organize your emails accordingly.

Conclusion:

By turning off Focused Inbox, you can now personalize your inbox by creating and managing folders that suit your workflow. This allows for a more streamlined and customized email management experience.

Related Articles:

• How to Create and Manage Folders in Outlook
• Tips for Organizing Your Emails Effectively