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How to remove duplicate tasks in Outlook?

Author Kelly Last modified

When working with tasks in Outlook, duplicates can pile up over time due to syncing issues, importing data, or accidental duplication, making it harder to manage important tasks efficiently. Manually identifying and deleting these duplicates is possible, but it's a tedious and time-consuming process. If you're looking for a faster and more automated way to remove duplicate tasks, Kutools for Outlook provides a one-click solution to detect and delete them instantly. This article introduces two methods: the built-in manual approach and the smarter, automated way using Kutools for Outlook.

Manually remove duplicate tasks in Outlook (Tedious & Time-consuming)

Quickly remove duplicate tasks with Kutools for Outlook πŸ‘ (Efficient & Automated)


Manually remove duplicate tasks in Outlook

If you prefer to remove duplicate tasks manually, Outlook offers basic sorting tools to help you identify and delete them. However, this approach can be slow, tedious, and prone to mistakes, making it less practical for managing large task lists efficiently.

1. Open Outlook and switch to the Tasks view. Then select the task folder that contains the duplicates.

the screenshot of selecting the task folder

2. Click View > Change View > Detailed to display tasks in List View, ensuring that all task details (such as Subject, Start Date, and Due Date) are fully visible for easier comparison.

the screenshot of displaying tasks in List View

3. Sort tasks by Subject by clicking the Subject column header.

the screenshot of sorting tasks by Subject

πŸ’‘ Tip: If the Subject column is not visible, go to View Settings > Sort > Sort items by: Subject > OK.

4. Compare adjacent tasks in the list and hold the Ctrl key to manually select duplicate tasks.

the screenshot of manually selecting duplicate tasks

5. Press the Delete key to remove the selected duplicates.

Limitations of the Manual Method:

  • ❌ Time-consuming: Requires manual comparison.
  • ❌ Error-prone: Risk of mistakenly deleting unique tasks.
  • ❌ Inefficient for large lists: Sorting and selecting duplicates can be tedious.

If you regularly deal with duplicate tasks, using Kutools for Outlook is a faster and more accurate solution.


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Delete Emails by Same Subject in Outlook

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Quickly remove duplicate tasks with Kutools for Outlook πŸ‘

Instead of manually sorting and selecting duplicate tasks, Kutools for Outlook’s Delete Duplicate Tasks utility offers a fast, automated way to remove exact duplicates in just a few clicks.

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1. Open Outlook, then click Kutools Plus > Duplicate Tasks.

the screenshot of the Duplicate Tasks option

2. In the Duplicate Tasks - Step 1 (of 5) wizard, select the email accounts that contain tasks you want to check for duplicates, then click Next Step: Specify task folder.

the screenshot of the Duplicate Tasks - Step 1 (of 5) wizard

3. In the Duplicate Tasks - Step 2 (of 5) window, select the task folders where you want to find duplicates, then click Start filtering to scan for duplicate tasks using the default criteria.

the screenshot of the Duplicate Tasks - Step 2 (of 5) wizard

πŸ’‘ Tip: You can refine the comparison criteria by clicking Next: Select Tasks fields for duplicate comparison.

4. Once the scan is complete, a prompt box appears. Click OK to proceed.

the screenshot of a prompt box

5. The Duplicate Tasks - Step 5 (of 5) wizard displays all detected duplicate tasks.

  1. 1). Choose your preferred action from the Duplicate tasks handling mode drop-down list (e.g., Delete).
  2. 2). Click Delete to remove the duplicates instantly.

the screenshot of the Duplicate Tasks - Step 5 (of 5) wizard

6. A confirmation dialog will appear, showing the number of duplicate tasks removed.

the screenshot of a confirmation dialog

Why Choose Kutools for Outlook?

  • βœ…Fully automated: Finds and removes duplicates in seconds.
  • βœ…Accurate detection: Ensures only identical duplicates are deleted.
  • βœ…Effortless cleanup: No manual sorting or comparison needed.
Note: To apply the Delete Duplicate Tasks utility of Kutools for Outlook, firstly, you should download and install Kutools for Outlook.

Demo: Remove duplicate tasks in Outlook

 

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