The fastest way to set a reminder in Outlook

In Outlook, a reminder is a pop-up notification that appears on your screen at a time you choose. You create one by opening an email, task, or calendar event, then setting when you want to be notified. The reminder will interrupt what you're doing and show you the item you flagged — it won't let you ignore it the way you can ignore an email sitting in your inbox.

The method depends on what you're reminding yourself about. For an email you need to act on, you flag it. For something you need to do on a specific date, you create a task. For something that happens at a specific time, you add it to your calendar with a reminder attached. Each one takes about 30 seconds.

Key Takeaways

  • Flag an email by right-clicking it and selecting "Flag for Follow Up", then choose when you want to be reminded.
  • Create a task by going to the Tasks folder, clicking "New Task", entering what you need to do, and setting a due date with a reminder.
  • Add a reminder to a calendar event by opening the event, clicking "Reminder", and choosing how long before the event you want to be notified.
  • Reminders appear as pop-ups on your screen at the time you set them, and you can snooze them for 5, 10, or 15 minutes if you're not ready yet.

Flagging an email for a reminder

If you receive an email you need to respond to or act on later, flag it. Open the email, then look for the flag icon in the toolbar at the top — it looks like a small flag. Click it once, and a menu appears with options like "Today", "Tomorrow", "This Week", "Next Week", and "Custom". Choose the day you want to be reminded about this email.

If you want more control over the exact time, select "Custom" at the bottom of that menu. A dialog box opens where you can pick the specific date and time. Outlook will remind you at that moment, and the email will appear in your view so you can deal with it right then.

You can also right-click the email instead of using the toolbar. The context menu includes "Flag for Follow Up" with the same options. Both methods do the same thing — use whichever feels faster to you.

Creating a task with a due date and reminder

Tasks are better than flagged emails when you need to track something that isn't tied to a specific email — a project deadline, a phone call to make, or a bill to pay. Open Outlook and click the "Tasks" folder on the left side of the screen. Click "New Task" at the top, and a blank task form opens.

Type the name of what you need to do in the "Subject" field. Then scroll down to find "Due Date" and click the calendar icon next to it to pick the day. Below that, you'll see "Reminder" — make sure the checkbox next to it is turned on. By default, Outlook reminds you at 9:00 AM on the due date, but you can click the time to change it to any hour you prefer.

Click "Save & Close" when you're done. On the day and time you set, a reminder window will pop up showing your task. You can mark it as complete right from that window, snooze it, or dismiss it.

Adding a reminder to a calendar event

Calendar reminders work best for meetings, appointments, or events that happen at a specific time. Open your calendar and either double-click an empty time slot to create a new event, or click an existing event to edit it. Type the event name in the "Subject" field and set the start and end times.

Look for the "Reminder" dropdown — it usually shows "15 minutes" by default. Click it to change when you want to be notified: 5 minutes before, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or any custom amount of time. If you want multiple reminders (one the day before and one 15 minutes before), click "Add Reminder" to add a second one.

Click "Save" or "Save & Close". When the reminder time arrives, a pop-up appears on your screen with the event details. You can open the event, dismiss the reminder, or snooze it.

Changing or removing a reminder you've already set

If you flagged an email and want to change when you're reminded, right-click the email again and select "Flag for Follow Up". Choose a different date, or select "Clear Flag" to remove the reminder entirely.

For tasks, open the task from your Tasks folder, click "Reminder" to turn it off or change the time, then save. For calendar events, open the event and adjust the reminder dropdown, then save. You can have as many reminders as you want, and you can change them at any time before they trigger.

What happens when a reminder pops up

When the time arrives, Outlook shows a reminder window on top of whatever else you're doing. The window displays the item you're being reminded about — the email subject, the task name, or the event title. You have three options: open the item to deal with it now, snooze the reminder for 5, 10, or 15 minutes, or dismiss it.

If you snooze, the reminder will pop up again after the time you chose. If you dismiss, the reminder goes away but the item stays in Outlook — you won't be reminded again unless you set a new reminder. Opening the item takes you directly to it so you can act on it.

Reminders across Outlook on different devices

If you use Outlook on your computer and also on your phone or tablet, reminders sync between them. A reminder you set on your desktop will also appear on your phone at the same time. However, the reminder will only pop up on the device you're actively using — Outlook doesn't send notifications to both at once.

If you're using Outlook on the web instead of the desktop version, the reminder process is the same, but the pop-up appears in your browser rather than as a separate window. You can still snooze or dismiss it the same way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a reminder for an email I sent?

No, you can only set reminders for emails you received. If you need to follow up on something you sent, create a task instead with the details of what you're waiting for, or flag a copy of the email if you kept it in your Sent folder.

What if I miss a reminder because I wasn't at my computer?

The reminder disappears after you dismiss it, but the item itself stays in Outlook. If you flagged an email, it remains flagged. If you created a task, it stays in your Tasks folder. You can set a new reminder for a later time, or just deal with the item when you see it next.

Can I set a reminder for multiple emails at once?

No, you have to flag each email individually. If you have several related emails, consider creating a single task instead that covers all of them, then set one reminder for that task.

Do reminders work if Outlook is closed?

No, Outlook must be running for reminders to pop up. If you close the program, reminders won't trigger. On most computers, Outlook runs in the background even when you're not actively using it, so reminders still work — but if you fully shut down Outlook, you won't be reminded.

Can I change the sound or appearance of a reminder?

Outlook uses the same reminder sound and style for all reminders, and you cannot customize them individually. You can change the default reminder sound in Outlook settings under File > Options > Advanced, but this affects all reminders equally.