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Setting Reminders on E-Mail Messages



Outlook allows you to set reminders on e-mail messages. Often an e-mail message that you receive requires some sort of future action. You might need to make a phone call in the morning, or remember to meet your significant other after work. You could create a new task or appointment to keep track of things like this, but that's a pain.

Or you could just set a reminder on the e-mail message itself. This is easy to do, whether the message is open or closed, although the process differs slightly between Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007.

Note: E-mail reminders work slightly better in Outlook 2007 than in Outlook 2003. Want more information?

Outlook 2003: Set a Reminder for a Closed Message

When you are using Outlook 2003, and a message is closed, follow these steps:
  1. In the Unread Mail pane or the Inbox, right-click the message. A shortcut menu appears.

  2. Click Follow Up.

  3. In the Follow Up menu that appears, click Add Reminder. The Flag for Follow Up dialog box appears.


    4. Note: You can also use the CTRL+SHIFT+G keyboard shortcut to jump directly to the Flag for Follow Up dialog box.

  4. Select a Due by date (and optionally a time using the box to the right of Due by) for the reminder to appear.

  5. Click OK when done. The message is automatically flagged for follow up, and the reminder is set to go off at the date and time you selected.

Outlook 2003: Set a Reminder for an Open Message

Setting a reminder for an open message is similar to that for a closed message. Instead of right-clicking the message in the Unread Mail pane, you click Actions in the open message window. After that, all the steps are the same as for working with a closed message.

Outlook 2007: Set a Reminder for a Closed Message

When you are using Outlook 2003, and a message is closed, follow these steps:
  1. In the Unread Mail pane or the Inbox, right-click the message. A shortcut menu appears.

  2. Click Follow Up.

  3. In the Follow Up menu that appears, click Add Reminder. The Custom dialog box appears.


    4. Note: You can also use the CTRL+SHIFT+G keyboard shortcut to jump directly to the Custom dialog box.

  4. Set the Reminder checkbox. This activates the Reminder date and time boxes beneath the checkbox.

  5. Select a date and time for the reminder to appear. You have the option to choose what the reminder will sound like by clicking the sound button to the right of the date and time boxes.

  6. Click OK when done. The message is automatically flagged for follow up, and the reminder is set to go off at the date and time you selected.

Outlook 2007: Set a Reminder for an Open Message

Setting a reminder for an open message is similar to that for a closed message. Instead of right-clicking the message in the Unread Mail pane, you click Follow Up in the Ribbon of the open message window. After that, all the steps are the same as for working with a closed message.


Those are the steps needed to add a reminder to an e-mail message in Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007. From here you can:

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