How To Sort By Category In Outlook – Folder Category Organization

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Organizing emails by category in Outlook lets you group messages by project or priority level. If you want to learn how to sort by category in outlook, this guide walks you through every step with clear instructions.

Categories in Outlook are like color-coded labels. You assign them to emails, and then you can filter or sort your inbox to see only the ones you need. This saves time and reduces clutter.

Let’s start with the basics. You need to set up categories first. Then you apply them. Finally, you sort or filter your view.

Setting Up Categories In Outlook

Before you can sort, you need categories to sort by. Outlook comes with default color categories. But you can rename them or create new ones.

How To Create A New Category

  1. Open Outlook on your desktop or web app.
  2. Go to any email in your inbox.
  3. Right-click the email. A menu appears.
  4. Hover over Categorize.
  5. Select All Categories at the bottom.
  6. A window opens. Click New.
  7. Type a name for your category. For example, “Project Alpha” or “High Priority”.
  8. Choose a color from the dropdown.
  9. Click OK then OK again.

You can also use keyboard shortcuts. Press Ctrl+Shift+G to open the categories window quickly.

Renaming Or Deleting Categories

To rename a category, go to All Categories again. Select the category you want to change. Click Rename. Type the new name. Press Enter.

To delete a category, select it and click Delete. Be careful. This removes the category from all emails that use it.

How To Sort By Category In Outlook

Now you have categories. The next step is sorting your inbox. This is the core of how to sort by category in outlook.

Method 1: Using The Sort Feature In The Inbox

This method works in Outlook desktop and web versions.

  1. Open your inbox.
  2. Look at the column headers above your email list. You see “From”, “Subject”, “Received”, and “Categories”.
  3. If you don’t see “Categories”, right-click any column header. A list of columns appears. Check Categories.
  4. Click the Categories column header once. This sorts emails by category name alphabetically.
  5. Click again to reverse the order.

Emails with no category appear at the top or bottom, depending on sort order. This is the simplest way to group messages.

Method 2: Using The Filter Feature

Sorting shows all emails grouped. Filtering shows only emails from one category.

  1. Click inside the search box at the top of Outlook.
  2. Type category: followed by the category name. For example, category:”High Priority”.
  3. Press Enter. Outlook shows only emails with that category.
  4. To clear the filter, click the X in the search box.

You can also use the Filter button in the ribbon. Go to the View tab. Click Filter. Choose the More Choices tab. Under Categories, select the one you want.

Method 3: Using Quick Steps For One-Click Sorting

Quick Steps let you automate actions. You can create a Quick Step that sorts emails into a specific category view.

  1. Go to the Home tab.
  2. In the Quick Steps group, click New.
  3. Name it something like “View High Priority”.
  4. Choose an action. Select Move to Folder or Categorize.
  5. Set the category you want.
  6. Click Finish.

Now you can click that Quick Step to instantly filter your inbox.

Sorting By Category In Outlook Web App

The web version of Outlook works a bit differently. Here’s how to sort by category there.

Steps For Outlook On The Web

  1. Log into Outlook.com or your Office 365 account.
  2. In your inbox, look at the column headers. You may need to add the Categories column.
  3. Right-click any column header. Choose Columns.
  4. Find Categories in the list. Click Add.
  5. Click Apply.
  6. Now click the Categories column header to sort.

You can also use the search bar. Type category:”name” to filter.

Sorting By Multiple Categories

Sometimes an email belongs to more than one category. Outlook handles this well.

How To Assign Multiple Categories

  1. Select an email.
  2. Right-click and choose Categorize.
  3. Check multiple categories from the list.
  4. The email shows all colors.

When sorting, emails with multiple categories appear under the first category alphabetically. This can be confusing. To see all categories clearly, use the filter method instead.

Using Categories With Search Folders

Search Folders are virtual folders that show emails meeting specific criteria. You can create a Search Folder for a category.

Create A Search Folder For A Category

  1. Go to the Folder tab.
  2. Click New Search Folder.
  3. Scroll down to Custom and select Create a custom Search Folder.
  4. Click Choose.
  5. Name the folder, for example “High Priority Emails”.
  6. Click Criteria.
  7. Go to the More Choices tab.
  8. Under Categories, select the category.
  9. Click OK twice.

This folder updates automatically. Any email you tag with that category appears in it.

Sorting By Category In Outlook For Mac

Mac users have a slightly different interface. Here’s how to sort by category on Outlook for Mac.

Steps For Outlook Mac

  1. Open Outlook on your Mac.
  2. In your inbox, go to the View menu.
  3. Select Arrange By.
  4. Choose Categories.
  5. Emails group by category.

You can also add the Categories column. Right-click the column header area. Choose Column Headings. Check Categories.

Sorting By Category In Outlook Mobile

The mobile app for Outlook (iOS and Android) supports categories too.

How To Sort On Mobile

  1. Open the Outlook app.
  2. Tap the filter icon (three lines with circles) at the top.
  3. Scroll down to Categories.
  4. Select one or more categories.
  5. Tap Apply.

This filters your inbox. To sort instead of filter, you need to use the desktop or web version.

Tips For Using Categories Effectively

Categories work best when you have a system. Here are some practical tips.

  • Use color consistently. Red for urgent, green for completed, blue for personal.
  • Name categories clearly. Avoid vague names like “Stuff”.
  • Limit the number of categories. Too many become confusing.
  • Apply categories automatically with rules. Go to File > Manage Rules & Alerts. Create a rule that assigns a category based on sender or subject.
  • Review your categories monthly. Delete unused ones.

Common Problems And Fixes

Sometimes sorting by category doesn’t work as expected. Here are fixes for common issues.

Categories Column Missing

If you don’t see the Categories column, right-click any column header. Choose Field Chooser. Drag Categories to the column header area.

Sort Not Working Properly

Make sure you are clicking the column header, not the filter icon. Click the header text itself.

Emails Not Showing In Search Folder

Check that the category is spelled exactly the same. Outlook is case-sensitive in Search Folders.

Categories Not Saving

This can happen if your mailbox is full. Free up space by archiving old emails.

Advanced Sorting With Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting changes how emails look based on categories. This is not sorting, but it helps you see categories visually.

How To Set Up Conditional Formatting

  1. Go to the View tab.
  2. Click View Settings.
  3. Select Conditional Formatting.
  4. Click Add.
  5. Name the rule, for example “High Priority”.
  6. Click Condition.
  7. Go to More Choices and select the category.
  8. Choose a font color or style.
  9. Click OK twice.

Now emails in that category appear with the formatting you chose.

Using Categories With Tasks And Calendar

Categories are not just for emails. You can use them for tasks and calendar events too.

Assigning Categories To Tasks

  1. Open the Tasks folder.
  2. Right-click a task.
  3. Choose Categorize.
  4. Select a category.

Then you can sort tasks by category the same way.

Assigning Categories To Calendar Events

  1. Open a calendar event.
  2. Click Categorize in the ribbon.
  3. Choose a category.

This helps you see project-related events at a glance.

Best Practices For Category Management

To get the most out of categories, follow these best practices.

  • Create a master list of categories. Share it with your team if you use shared mailboxes.
  • Use categories for archiving. Sort by category before moving emails to archive folders.
  • Combine categories with flags. Flag important emails and assign a category for project.
  • Review your category usage. Outlook can show you statistics if you use add-ins.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Sort Emails By Category In Outlook 365?

In Outlook 365, add the Categories column to your inbox. Click the column header to sort. You can also use the search bar with category:”name”.

Can I Sort By Multiple Categories At Once?

Sorting by multiple categories at once is not directly supported. But you can use a Search Folder with multiple category criteria, or filter one category at a time.

Why Is My Categories Column Not Showing In Outlook?

Right-click any column header and choose Field Chooser. Drag the Categories field to the column header area. It should appear.

How Do I Create A Custom Category In Outlook?

Right-click an email, go to Categorize > All Categories. Click New, name it, choose a color, and click OK.

Does Sorting By Category Work In Outlook For Mac?

Yes. Go to View > Arrange By > Categories. Or add the Categories column and click it to sort.

Final Thoughts On Sorting By Category

Learning how to sort by category in outlook is a simple way to take control of your inbox. It takes a few minutes to set up, but it saves hours over time.

Start with a few categories. Add more as you need them. Use the sort feature daily. You will quickly see the benifit of a organized email system.

Remember to apply categories consistently. If you forget, use the search filter to find uncategorized emails. Then assign them.

Outlook categories are powerfull. They work across email, tasks, and calendar. Once you master sorting, you can move to advanced features like rules and Search Folders.

Try it now. Open Outlook, create a category for your top project, and sort your inbox. You will wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.