Creating a template takes three steps: write your message, save it as a template, and reuse it from the New Email window
An email template in Outlook is a pre-written message you save and use again without retyping. You write it once, store it, and then open it whenever you need to send the same message to different people. Outlook stores templates as files on your computer, so they stay available even after you close the program.
The process differs slightly depending on whether you use Outlook on Windows, Mac, or the web version. Windows and Mac let you save templates directly from the message you compose. The web version (Outlook.com) uses a feature called Quick Reply instead, which works similarly but stores messages differently.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, compose your message, click File, then Save As, and choose Outlook Template from the dropdown menu.
- On Mac, compose your message, click File, then Save As Template, and give it a name you will recognize later.
- Templates save to a folder on your computer, and Outlook remembers where they are so you can open them from the New Email window.
- The web version of Outlook does not have templates, but you can create Quick Replies that work the same way for shorter messages.
- Name your templates clearly — "Meeting Request" is more useful than "Template 1" when you are looking for one later.
How to create a template on Windows
Open Outlook and click New Email to start composing. Type your subject line and message body exactly as you want them to appear each time you use the template. Include any formatting, links, or signature details that should repeat. Leave fields blank where you will fill in different information each time — for example, leave the recipient name blank if you send the same message to different people.
Once your message is complete, click File in the top left. From the menu, click Save As. A dialog box opens. At the bottom, you will see a dropdown that says "Outlook Message Format" or similar. Click that dropdown and select Outlook Template. The save location will change automatically to your Templates folder. Give your template a clear name — something like "Client Welcome Email" or "Monthly Status Report" — then click Save.
Outlook stores the template on your computer. You can now close this message without sending it. The next time you want to use this template, click New Email, then click File, then Open, and navigate to your Templates folder. Select your template and click Open. A new message window appears with all your saved text and formatting ready to use.
How to create a template on Mac
Click New Email to start composing your message. Write your subject line and body text exactly as you want them to appear each time. Format the text, add links, or include your signature if those elements should repeat in every use of the template.
When the message is ready, click File in the menu bar at the top. Select Save As Template from the dropdown. A dialog box appears asking you to name your template. Type a descriptive name and click Save. Mac stores the template in your Templates folder automatically.
To use the template later, click New Email, then click File, then Open, and select your Templates folder. Find your template by name and click Open. The message window fills with your saved content, and you can edit it before sending.
Where Outlook stores templates and how to find them
On Windows, templates save to a folder inside your user account. The exact path is usually C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates. You do not need to navigate there manually — Outlook remembers the location and opens it when you click File, then Open.
On Mac, templates save to ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/Main Profile/Data/Templates. Again, you access them through Outlook's File menu rather than browsing the folder yourself.
If you want to back up your templates or move them to another computer, you can copy the template files directly from these folders. Templates are saved as .oft files (Outlook Template Format). You can also delete templates from these folders if you no longer need them, though it is easier to manage them from within Outlook.
What to include and what to leave blank in your template
Include anything that stays the same every time you send the message. This might be a greeting, a standard paragraph, a closing signature, formatting like bold or colored text, or links you use repeatedly. If your template is for meeting requests, include the meeting details that do not change. If it is for customer responses, include your company name and contact information.
Leave blank any field that changes with each use. If you send the same message to different people, leave the recipient's name blank so you can fill it in each time. If the date or specific details change, do not type them into the template. The goal is to save yourself from retyping the parts that repeat while keeping flexibility for the parts that vary.
You can also use placeholder text to mark where you need to fill something in. For example, type "[CLIENT NAME]" in all caps where you will insert a real name later. This makes it obvious what needs editing before you send.
Using templates with signatures and formatting
When you save a template, Outlook includes any formatting you applied — font choices, colors, bold or italic text, bullet points, and tables all save with the template. If you have a signature set up in Outlook, it may or may not appear in your template depending on your settings. Test this by creating a template, opening it, and seeing whether your signature appears automatically.
If your signature does not appear in the template, you can add it manually to the template before saving. Type your signature text at the bottom of the message, then save it as a template. The signature will then appear every time you open that template.
Be aware that if you change your Outlook signature later, templates you created with the old signature will still show the old version. You would need to edit the template file or recreate it with the new signature.
Quick Replies for Outlook.com and web-based email
If you use Outlook.com or access Outlook through a web browser, you cannot create traditional templates. Instead, you can create Quick Replies, which work similarly. Click the settings icon (a gear) in the top right, then click View All Outlook Settings. Go to Mail, then Compose and Reply. Scroll to Quick Replies and click Add Quick Reply.
Type a name for your quick reply and the message text you want to save. Click Save. The next time you compose an email, click the three dots menu in the compose window and select Quick Replies. Your saved message appears and you can insert it into your email.
Quick Replies work well for shorter messages and standard responses. For longer, more complex emails with multiple sections or heavy formatting, the desktop version of Outlook with full templates is more reliable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a template after I save it?
Yes. Open the template from your Templates folder the same way you would use it, make your changes, then click File and Save As Template again. Give it the same name and click Save. Outlook will ask if you want to replace the existing template — click Yes. Your changes are now saved.
What happens if I delete a template by accident?
If you have not emptied your Recycle Bin or Trash, you can recover it from there. Otherwise, you will need to recreate the template by writing the message again and saving it. This is why naming templates clearly is useful — you will remember what to recreate.
Can I share a template with someone else?
Yes. Locate the .oft template file on your computer and email it to the other person. They can save it to their Templates folder and use it in Outlook. The exact folder path depends on whether they use Windows or Mac, but both systems recognize .oft files.
Do templates work with attachments?
Templates do not save attachments. You can include a note in the template reminding yourself to attach a file, but you will need to add the actual attachment each time you use the template. This is a limitation of how Outlook stores template files.
Can I organize templates into folders?
Outlook does not have a built-in folder system for templates. All templates save to one Templates folder. If you have many templates, naming them clearly with a prefix — like "Client_Welcome" or "Report_Monthly" — makes them easier to find when you open the list.