How to set a rule to automatically copy emails to another folder in Outlook?

Author: Kelly Last Modified: 2025-03-06

Managing emails efficiently in Microsoft Outlook can be challenging, especially if you receive a high volume of messages. Instead of manually sorting emails, you can automate the process by setting up a rule that automatically copies emails to a specific folder based on defined criteria. This guide will walk you through two methods to automatically copy emails to another folder.

Method 1: Set an Outlook Rule to Automatically Copy Emails to Another Folder (Manual setup & More steps)

Method 2: Auto Copy Emails to Another Folder with Kutools for Outlook 👍 (Faster & Most Efficient)

Method 1: Set an Outlook Rule to Automatically Copy Emails to Another Folder

Outlook’s Rules Wizard allows users to create custom rules to automatically copy emails that meet certain conditions (e.g., emails with specific subject keywords) to a designated folder. Follow these steps to configure the rule.

1. Select the mail folder where you want to create the rule, and click Home > Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts.
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2. In the "Rules and Alerts" dialog box, click the New Rule button.
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3. In the "Rules Wizard", select "Apply rule on messages I receive", then click Next.
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4. In the "Rules Wizard (Which condition(s) do you want to check?)", set the filter criteria based on your needs. For example, if you want to copy emails with a specific keyword in the subject (e.g., "comment"), follow these steps:

1). Check "with specific words in the subject".
2). Click the linked text "specific words" in the Step 2 section.
3). In the "Search Text" dialog box, enter the keyword (e.g., "comment"), click Add > OK.
4). Click Next.

5. In the Rules Wizard (What do you want to do with the message?), set the action:

1). Check "move a copy to the specified folder".
2). Click the linked text "specified" in the Step 2 section.
3). In the "Rules and Alerts" dialog box, choose the folder where you want to copy emails, then click OK.
4). Click Next.

6. In the Rules Wizard (Are there any exceptions?), click Next if no exceptions are needed.

7. In the final Rules Wizard, configure the rule settings:

1). Enter a name for the rule in the Step 1 box.
2). Select any additional options as needed in the Step 2 section.
3). Click Finish.

8. Click OK to close the Rules and Alerts dialog box.

📌 Result: Any email that meets the defined conditions (e.g., containing the keyword "comment" in the subject) will be automatically copied to the specified folder.

Pros & Cons of the Built-in Rules Method:

✅ Built-in Outlook feature: No additional software required.
❌ Limited flexibility: Editing rules requires navigating through the Rules Wizard.
❌ More Manual Effort: Involves more steps compared to the Kutools for Outlook.

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Method 2: Auto Copy Emails to Another Folder with Kutools for Outlook 👍

For users who frequently need to copy emails based on specific criteria, Kutools for Outlook’s Advanced Rules feature provides a faster and more user-friendly alternative. It simplifies rule creation and removes unnecessary steps, allowing for efficient automation.

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Step 1: Enable the Advanced Rules feature

Go to the Kutools tab and click Advanced Rules.
In the Advanced Rules dialog, click the New button to create a new rule.

Step 2: Set the condition

In the Step 1 of 4 dialog, check "Subject contains specific words".
Click the New button to open the Text Contains dialog.
In the Search Text dialog, type the keyword (e.g., "comment"), then click Add > OK.
Click OK > Next to proceed.

Step 3: Specify the destination folder

In Step 2 of 4, check "Move a copy to specified folder".
In the popping-up Select Folder dialog box, choose the destination folder where emails should be copied.
Click OK > Next > Next.

Step 4: Finalize the rule

In Step 4 of 4, enter a name for the rule in the Rule Name field.
(Optional) Add remarks to describe the rule.
Click OK > OK to save and activate the rule.

📌 Result: The rule is now successfully created. If any incoming email contains the keyword "comment" in the subject, it will be automatically copied to the designated folder.

Advantages of the Kutools for Outlook Method:

✅ Fast setup: Requires fewer steps than Outlook’s built-in rules.
✅ User-friendly interface: Intuitive and efficient.
✅ Highly flexible: Supports advanced rule customization.

Note: To apply the 'Advanced Rules' utility of Kutools for Outlook, firstly, you should download and install Kutools for Outlook.

Which Method Should You Use?

Here’s a comparison of the two methods to help you decide which one best suits your needs:

Method	Best For	Ease of Use	Flexibility
Outlook Rule	Users who prefer built-in Outlook features	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Kutools Advanced Rules	Users who want a fast, automated solution	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐