How to Make an Email Template in Outlook: Step-by-Step Guide

Writing the same kind of email over and over is a good sign that you need a template. Outlook can save a complete message, including its subject, formatting, and attachments, so you can reuse it without starting from a blank screen each time.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to make an email template in Outlook, which template option to choose, how to use it later, and how to avoid the small mistakes that make templates harder to maintain.

Table of Contents

Choose the right Outlook template option

Outlook now offers two useful ways to save reusable email content:

Mail Templates: Best for a complete, repeatable email. It can save the subject, message body, formatting, recipients, and attachments.
My Templates: Best for short text snippets, such as a standard greeting, a short explanation, or a closing sentence.

If you need to reuse an entire message, start with Mail Templates. If you only need to insert a few lines into different emails, My Templates is usually faster. Microsoft’s current instructions cover both options across new Outlook, classic Outlook, and Outlook on the web.

How to make an email template in new Outlook

Save a complete email with Mail Templates

Open Outlook and select New and then Mail.
Write the message you want to reuse. Add the subject, body, formatting, recipients, and attachments if they will normally stay the same.
From the message ribbon, select Mail template and then Save email as template.
Give the template a clear name, such as “Project update” or “Customer follow-up,” and save it.
To view saved templates later, open Outlook settings and go to Mail and then Templates.

Use a name that describes the situation, not just the type of message. “Weekly project update” is easier to find than “Template 1.”

Save a short snippet with My Templates

Open a new email.
On the Message tab, select My Templates. This opens the template pane.
Select + Template.
Enter a short title and paste the reusable text.
Select Save.

My Templates is useful for a standard “Thanks for sending this” response, a scheduling paragraph, or a short explanation you use frequently. It is not the best choice for a long message with several formatting elements or attachments.

How to create a template in classic Outlook

Classic Outlook for Windows gives you a built-in file-based template option:

Select New Email and write the message.
In the message window, select File and then Save As.
In the file type menu, select Outlook Template.
Enter a file name and select Save.

Outlook saves these files with the .oft extension. This is useful when you want a complete message file that can be opened and reused in classic Outlook. If you need a template available across devices, a mailbox-based option such as Mail Templates or My Templates may be more convenient.

How to use an Outlook email template

The exact menu can vary by Outlook version, but the process is usually straightforward:

Open the Mail Templates or My Templates area and select the saved item.
Review the recipients, subject, dates, names, attachments, and links.
Replace every placeholder before sending.
Make any changes that are specific to the current recipient.
Send the message only after checking that the template did not carry over outdated information.

For a file-based .oft template in classic Outlook, open the template from its saved location and edit the new message before sending it.

What to include in a useful email template

A good template handles the repetitive parts while leaving room for the details that change. Include:

A practical subject line with a placeholder where needed
A greeting that can be personalized
The purpose of the message in the first paragraph
Clear placeholders such as [Project name], [Due date], or [Next step]
A specific call to action
A professional closing and signature

Keep the message short enough that people will actually update it. A template that takes longer to edit than a new email is not saving time.

Common Outlook template mistakes

Leaving old details in the message

Before sending, look for old names, dates, prices, attachments, and meeting links. A quick “find” search for brackets or words such as “insert” can help you catch unfinished placeholders.

Saving too much fixed information

Do not hard-code details that change regularly. Put changing information in a clearly marked placeholder instead.

Using a full template for a small phrase

If you only reuse two or three sentences, My Templates is usually easier to manage than a complete saved email.

Forgetting the account where the template is saved

Mailbox-based templates can be tied to the account you used while composing the message. If you work with multiple Outlook accounts, check that you are saving the template in the mailbox where you expect to use it.

Make your templates easier to manage

Start with a small collection of templates for messages you send regularly. Use consistent names, review them every few months, and delete templates that no longer match your process.

If your inbox needs broader cleanup, see our guide to organizing email in Outlook. You can also use a saved template as the starting point for a project update email or adapt the same structure for an out-of-office message.

Final checklist

Choose Mail Templates for a complete reusable email.
Choose My Templates for a short reusable text snippet.
Use an .oft file when you want a classic Outlook file-based template.
Use clear placeholders for names, dates, amounts, links, and attachments.
Review the completed message before sending it.

Once your first few templates are saved, Outlook becomes much easier to use for recurring updates, customer replies, meeting requests, and routine follow-ups.