How To Create An Email Template In Outlook

Creating an email template in Outlook lets you send the same message again and again without typing it out each time. This guide shows you how to build a reusable template, save it, and use it for future emails, with clear steps for both new and classic Outlook. Follow the instructions carefully because the menu names differ depending on which version you have installed.

Fast Answer

Main action: Compose your email, then choose Save As > Outlook Template (.oft)
Use it later: New Email > More Apps > My Templates or browse to your .oft file

5 minutes Time needed

Beginner Difficulty

Version differences Watch out for

Before You Start

A Windows PC with Microsoft Outlook installed (Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021, 2019, or 2016)
Access to your Outlook email account, either work, school, or personal
Your saved templates are stored on your computer, not in the cloud, so back them up if you switch devices
Know which Outlook version you use: open Outlook and look for File > Office Account to check

Check first: The steps below work for Windows Outlook. If you use Outlook on a Mac, the menu says "Save as Template" instead, and if you use Outlook on the web, you need the My Templates add-in, which works differently.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Open a New Email Message Window

Start Outlook on your computer. Click the New Email button in the top-left corner of the Ribbon, or press Ctrl + N on your keyboard. A blank message window opens, ready for you to compose.

You must start with a blank message. You cannot turn an email you have already sent into a template from the Sent Items folder, although you can copy the text from it into a new message.

Tip: Keep this blank message window open while you prepare your template text in another document, like Notepad or Word, so you can paste it in quickly.

Compose Your Template Message

Type the subject line and body text you want to reuse. For example, "Meeting Request – Please Confirm" or "Thank You for Your Enquiry". You can also add placeholders like [Customer Name] or [Order Number] where you will fill in specific details each time you use the template.

Set the formatting you want, such as font style, size, and colour, using the formatting toolbar at the top of the message. Outlook saves all of this formatting inside the template, so you will not need to reapply it later.

Tip: Do not type the recipient's email address yet. Templates work best when you leave the To field blank and add the recipient each time you send.

Save the Message as an Outlook Template File

When your message looks the way you want, click File in the top-left corner of the message window, then click Save As. In the Save As dialog box, look for the "Save as type" dropdown menu near the bottom. Click it and choose Outlook Template (*.oft).

Give your template a clear name, like "Weekly Status Report.oft", and choose a folder. Outlook's default template folder is fine, but you can save it anywhere you can find it again easily. Click Save to finish.

Important: If you do not choose Outlook Template (.oft) in the save type menu, Outlook saves the file as a regular .msg file, which is not a reusable template. Check the file extension before you click Save.

Close the Original Message Without Sending It

After saving, close the original message window by clicking the X in the top-right corner. Outlook asks if you want to save changes. Click No because you already saved the template. Clicking Yes might create a second draft in your Drafts folder, which you do not need.

Your template now lives as a file on your computer. To use it again, you need to open that file, which is covered in the next steps.

Tip: Move your saved .oft files into one folder, for example Documents > Outlook Templates, to keep them organised.

Use Your Template from the New Email Menu

To send your template, click New Email in Outlook. Then go to the Ribbon and click the More Apps or ellipsis button, depending on your Outlook version. Look for My Templates in the dropdown menu. Click it, and Outlook shows a list of your saved templates.

Click the template you want, and Outlook opens a new email message pre-filled with your saved subject and body. Add the recipient's email address, fill in any placeholders, and click Send.

Tip: If you cannot see "My Templates", use File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File and browse to your .oft file instead. Both methods open the same template.

Open the Template File Directly

Another way to use your template is to double-click the .oft file in File Explorer. If you saved it in the default Outlook Templates folder, open Outlook, click New Email, then use the Ribbon's Attach File dropdown and choose Browse This PC to find it.

Double-clicking the .oft file opens a new Outlook message window with the template applied. This method works well if you have many templates and prefer to keep them visible in a folder.

Tip: To make double-clicking faster, pin your Templates folder to Quick Access in File Explorer so you can reach it in one click.

Edit or Update an Existing Template

Open the template by double-clicking the .oft file. Make any changes to the subject, body, or formatting. Click File > Save As, keep the file name the same, and choose Outlook Template (*.oft) again. Click Save and then Yes to overwrite the old version.

Editing the template updates it for all future uses. Old emails you have already sent remain unchanged, but any new message that uses the template gets the updated content.

Do not: Click "Send" while editing the template file. That sends the email to the recipient and does not save your changes to the template.

Delete a Template You No Longer Need

Find the .oft file in File Explorer and select it. Press Delete on your keyboard or right-click it and choose Delete. Confirm the deletion when prompted. The template disappears from your list and cannot be recovered unless you saved a backup.

If you used the My Templates feature and saved templates online, go to the My Templates pane, find the template, and click the trash icon to remove it.

Tip: Make a backup copy of your .oft files to a USB drive or cloud storage at least once a month, especially if you rely on them for work.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use this	Why
First time saving a template	File > Save As > Outlook Template (.oft)	Creates the reusable file format Outlook expects
Open a saved template	New Email > More Apps > My Templates	Quick access from the message window you already have open
Edit an existing template	Double-click .oft file, then Save As with the same name	Overwrites the old version so your updates are permanent
Use a template on a Mac	File > Save as Template	Mac Outlook uses a different menu name
Use a template on Outlook on the web	My Templates add-in from the message toolbar	Web version has no .oft file support

Common Problems When You Create An Email Template In Outlook

I Cannot Find the Save As Option

The File menu in newer Outlook versions hides Save As behind the Backstage view. Click File, then look for Save As near the top of the sidebar. If you still cannot see it, check that you are in the message window and not the main Outlook window. The main window has different menu options.

My Saved File Shows as a Normal Email, Not a Template

You likely saved with the wrong file type. Open the .msg file, go to File > Save As, and change the "Save as type" dropdown to Outlook Template (*.oft). This converts it to a proper template.

My Templates Button Does Not Appear in the Ribbon

The My Templates feature is an add-in that depends on your Outlook version and whether your account is Microsoft 365. If you cannot find it, use File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File, then browse to your .oft file. This bypasses the add-in entirely.

I Accidentally Save Over My Template with a Blank Message

If you save an empty message as a .oft with the same name, your old template is gone. To avoid this, always save templates with descriptive names and keep a backup copy. You cannot recover a lost .oft file unless you have a backup.

Images or Logos Do Not Appear Correctly

Images in your template must be embedded, not linked. To embed an image, use Insert > Pictures and choose a file from your computer. If you copy and paste from a webpage, the link might break. Reinsert the picture using the Insert menu.

Advanced Tips for How To Create An Email Template In Outlook

Use Quick Parts to insert blocks of text, such as disclaimers or signatures, into any email. Save a phrase or paragraph as a Quick Part, then access it from Insert > Quick Parts. Unlike templates, Quick Parts work within any new email without opening a separate file.

Create a template with auto-fill fields using Outlook's placeholder text. Type something like [Meeting Date] in the body, then use Find and Replace in the new message to swap out all placeholders quickly. Press Ctrl + H to open the replace dialog.

Set up template-specific stationery if your organisation has brand guidelines. Go to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts, then choose a default theme. This applies to every new message, including those based on your templates.

Use a naming convention for your .oft files, such as "2026-04-Sales-FollowUp.oft". This makes it easy to sort templates by date or project. The date in the file name is a planning aid, not a system requirement, so update it when you edit the template.

How To Create An Email Template In Outlook FAQ

Common Issues

If the result is not working as expected, return to the previous step, check the material or setting involved, and make one adjustment at a time for how to create an email template in outlook.

Can I create an email template in Outlook for free?

Yes. The Outlook Template (.oft) feature is included in all standard desktop versions of Outlook. You do not need a paid add-in or subscription for this specific feature. If you use Outlook on the web, the My Templates add-in is available for free in many accounts, but you need to enable it from the settings menu.

Why can I not see the Save As option in Outlook?

You are likely in the main Outlook window instead of a new message window. Start with New Email, and then the File menu in that message window contains Save As. Also, if you have the simplified Ribbon layout, click the ellipsis (three dots) to reveal hidden commands.

Can I share my Outlook email template with a colleague?

Yes. Send the .oft file as an email attachment. The recipient saves it to their computer and opens it like any other template. Note that any embedded images or linked files from your computer will not travel with the template unless they are embedded in the message itself.

Does creating an email template in Outlook on a Mac work the same way?

No. Mac Outlook offers a Save as Template command, but the steps are different. You can also use Quick Steps or use online templates from Microsoft. If you follow these Windows instructions, the menu names will not match exactly on a Mac.

What is the difference between a template and a Quick Part in Outlook?

A template is a complete email with a subject line and body, which you open as a new message. A Quick Part is a smaller block of text you insert into any email you are already writing. Use templates for full emails you send regularly, and Quick Parts for smaller repeated text snippets.

Final Checklist for How To Create An Email Template In Outlook

Created a new email message with the correct subject and formatting
Left the To field blank so the template works for any recipient
Saved the file as Outlook Template (.oft) using File > Save As
Named the file clearly and saved it to a folder you can find again
Closed the original message without saving additional drafts
Tested the template by opening it through New Email > My Templates or File Explorer
Verified that placeholders like [Name] are easy to replace before sending
Checked that any embedded images display correctly in the template
Made a backup copy of the .oft file for safekeeping