Template Emails in Outlook: How to Create and Use Them in 2026

To make template emails in Outlook, write the message once and save it as a template. Then open that template any time you need the same email again. How you do it depends on your Outlook. The new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web use Mail Templates. Classic Outlook for Windows saves .oft template files. Outlook for Mac saves .emltpl files. Every version can also use the lightweight My Templates add-in.

Below are the steps for each version, plus what to watch out for. Menu names here match Microsoft’s documentation as of October 2026. Microsoft changes Outlook’s interface often, so your labels may differ slightly.

Which template option should you use?

First, check which Outlook you have. The new Outlook for Windows has a toggle labeled “New Outlook” near the top of the window. Classic Outlook has the older File menu and ribbon. Then pick from this table:

According to Microsoft Support, the built-in Mail Templates feature needs a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. Both Mail Templates and My Templates are available for Microsoft Exchange accounts.

New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web

Microsoft added full email templates to the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web in late 2025. The Message Center notice MC1129129 said the worldwide rollout would start in mid-October 2025 and finish by early November 2025. Government clouds followed between mid-November and mid-December. The matching Microsoft 365 Roadmap entry is marked as launched. The notice also says the feature is on by default and needs no admin setup.

Create a Mail Template

1. Start a new email and write the message you want to reuse.
2. In the Message ribbon, choose the Mail template option to save the draft as a template.
3. Give the template a clear name. You’ll pick it from a list later, so a name like “Invoice reminder” works better than “Template 3”.

Use, edit or delete a template

• Use one: Third-party guides such as Ablebits describe starting a new message from a template through the New menu on the Home tab. Then you pick the template from the dialog that opens. Add recipients and check the content before you send.
• Manage them: Open Settings, then go to Mail > Templates. This is where your saved templates live, according to Microsoft.

Import your old .oft files

If you’re moving from classic Outlook, you don’t have to rebuild your templates. Message Center notice MC1129129 confirms that new Outlook and Outlook on the web can import .oft files saved in classic Outlook. The steps are:

1. Open Settings and go to Mail > Templates.
2. Choose Add, then Add OFT.
3. Select the .oft files in File Explorer and choose Add.

Importing also needs a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. One blog post claims direct .oft import isn’t always available. Microsoft’s roadmap lists it as part of the launched feature. If the option is missing for you, the subscription requirement is the most likely reason.

Where Mail Templates are stored

Microsoft says Mail Templates are saved to the account you’re writing the draft from. So if you have both a personal and a work account in Outlook, a template made in one won’t show up in the other. The Message Center notice adds that templates are stored in your account, so they follow you across devices. That’s a real improvement over classic Outlook’s local files.

Classic Outlook for Windows (.oft files)

Classic Outlook keeps templates as .oft files on your computer. This method has been around for years and still works.

Save a message as a template

1. Create a new email and write the subject and body you want to reuse.
2. Select File > Save As.
3. In the Save as type list, choose Outlook Template (*.oft).
4. Name the file and select Save.

By default, Microsoft saves these files in C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates, according to the Microsoft Support article on message templates.

Send an email from the template

1. On the Home tab, select New Items > More Items > Choose Form.
2. In the Look In box, choose User Templates in File System.
3. Select your template and choose Open. If you saved it somewhere else, such as a network drive, use Browse to find it.
4. The template opens as a new draft. Add recipients, make any changes, and send.

Update an existing template

Open the template the same way, make your changes, and choose File > Save As again with Outlook Template (*.oft) selected. Saving with the same name overwrites the old version.

One limitation: .oft files live on one PC. If you work on several computers, copy the files yourself, or import them into new Outlook so they’re stored in your account.

Outlook for Mac

Microsoft’s Outlook for Mac templates article lists the built-in feature for Microsoft 365 subscribers, Outlook for Mac 2019, and Outlook for Mac version 15.35 (170610) and later.

Save a template on Mac

1. Select the email you want to use as a template.
2. Choose File > Save As Template.
3. Enter a name, such as “Monthly Status”. You can also add a tag like Work or Important.
4. Choose where to save it and select Save.

Use a template on Mac

1. Choose File > New > Email From Template.
2. Go to where you saved it and open the file. Its name ends in .emltpl.

The My Templates add-in

My Templates is the simplest option. In a new email, open the View Templates / My Templates pane from the Message tab (in some layouts it’s under the … More commands menu). Then:

1. Select + Template.
2. Enter a title (this is just for you) and the text you want to reuse.
3. Select Save.
4. To use it, click the template in the pane. Outlook inserts it where your cursor is.

Keep these limits in mind:

• It’s for short text. Office Watch calls My Templates plain text only. Other sources say it supports some formatting, so test it with your own content. Several users and guides report a total storage limit of about 32 KB. Microsoft doesn’t confirm that figure on the pages I checked, so treat it as unverified. If saving fails, delete or shorten old templates.
• It can be turned off. Microsoft says that if you can’t find My Templates, your organization may have disabled add-ins. Only your administrator can turn them back on.
• It isn’t shared. My Templates saves to your primary mailbox. Other people with access to a shared mailbox can’t see or edit your templates. Microsoft also notes the add-in isn’t available in shared mailboxes opened in Outlook for Mac.

Templates vs. Quick Parts

If you mostly reuse paragraphs rather than whole emails, look at Quick Parts. Quick Parts save reusable snippets, including formatted text, that you insert into a message you’re already writing. Quick Parts came to new Outlook and the web during 2026. Sources don’t agree on the timeline: some put the start in February 2026, while Ablebits says it was introduced in April with a wider rollout from July. Office Watch also points out that Outlook’s mobile apps don’t support Quick Parts.

A simple rule: use a template when the whole message repeats, like a weekly report or onboarding email. Use Quick Parts or My Templates when only a paragraph repeats, like your standard answer to a pricing question.

Tips for templates that hold up over time

• Leave obvious placeholders such as [CLIENT NAME] or [DATE] so you never send the template text by mistake.
• Check the attachments. Mail Templates and .oft files save a full draft. Remove anything you don’t want in every copy before you send.
• Review templates every few months. Old prices, links and signatures in a template go out with every email you send from it.
• Moving to new Outlook? Import your .oft files early, before you switch for good. That way you can check that formatting came through correctly.