Do you have certain phrases or boilerplate text that you use often in emails? Here’s a time saving tip for making Outlook automatically insert those phrases for you into your emails as you type.
What is AutoText?
The easiest way to illustrate what AutoText is is with an example. I have set up an entry in my Outlook for I look forward to hearing from you. As I start typing the phrase, Outlook automatically prompts me to see if I want it to finish the phrase for me.
All I have to do is press Enter if I want the phrase entered. Otherwise I just keep typing whatever I want and the prompt disappears.
Setting Up AutoText entries in Outlook
Setting up your own entries is super easy.
- Type the phrase that you want (in an email).
- Select the text using your mouse.
- Click Insert on the ribbon.
- Click Quick Parts > AutoText.
- Click Save Selection to AutoText Gallery to display the following screen.
- I normally use the default options for AutoText but you may want to change the Name or Category.
- Click OK.
The next time you start typing the phrase, Outlook will offer to complete it for you.
Try it out. An added benefit of this tip… you’re less likely to send out emails with spelling mistakes or correctly spelling but incorrect words (my favourite… I look forward to jeering from you… who put the h next to the j on the keyboard!)
Great tip – I have been trying to figure out how to do this without F3 for years! Thanks!
Looks like a great shortcut, but I don’t have a sub menu selection for Auto Text in my quick parts drop-down. Quickparts shows the entries from what I have selected but does not auto insert text, only after I click the text I want from the box.
Gerd
Brilliant tip.
(Here’s another – use the auto correct feature by putting an acronym into autocorrect such as ILF – which is replaced by I look forward to hearing from you, Kind regards, Yours sincerely, John)
Thanks, very useful
Doh! Hearing is spelled “hearing”, not “heering.”
Hi Gerd,
Please ensure that you are following the steps exactly as provided in the blog. AutoText is available under Quick Parts which is only soon on the reply/forward email screen or when you compose a new email under the Insert tab.
Mikir
Wow! Finally I got a website from where I be able to
truly take helpful data concerning my study and knowledge.
Can anyone help me? How can I get rid of the symbol in the beginning of a sentence when you’re writing an email? It looks like a reverse small arrow that prompts you to write. Then it appears again once you enter to the next line.
That symbol does not appear to the user. You have show formatting turned on in Outlook. To turn it off:
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Turn-formatting-marks-on-or-off-b166e811-d762-4f24-8328-d897cdace459
This would be more useful if pressing return did not take you to the next line but instead allowed you to continue to type on the same line. Is there a way to have the auto text inserted and remain on the same line?
I need to use this on the Subject line, but it will only work in the body of the email. Does anyone have directions for the Subject line?
Wow, 2023 and this still the only site where I found this AMAZING tip that will save me literally HOURS a year, thank you thank you!! please keep this available as long as possible