How to use Quick Parts in Outlook (and My Templates in new Outlook)
Save sentences, disclaimers or whole replies as Quick Parts in classic Outlook and insert them with a click or by typing the name. Learn how to update and delete them, and what to use in New Outlook, where Quick Parts is not available.
By Nur Islam- 3:41 video
- 6 steps
- 6.2K views
Jump to a step (6)
Support, sales, HR and admin staff type the same intros, answers and disclaimers into emails all day, or copy them from an old message. It wastes time and the wording drifts from one email to the next.
Quick Parts are reusable blocks of email content stored in classic Outlook. You save the text once, then insert it into new emails or replies from the Insert tab or by typing its name.
New Outlook does not have Quick Parts. The same job is done by My Templates, which the video covers at the end.
What you need
- Classic Outlook for Windows (for Quick Parts)
- New Outlook or Outlook on the web (for My Templates)
- The text you want to reuse
Step by step
0 of 6 done-
01
Create a Quick Part
Open a new email in classic Outlook. Type the text you want to reuse: a full email, a few sentences or a sign-off. Select the text.
Go to Insert > Quick Parts > Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery. Give it a name and click OK. It now shows in the Quick Parts menu.
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02
Insert a Quick Part from the menu
In a new email, place the cursor where the text should go. Go to Insert > Quick Parts and click the saved item.
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03
Insert a Quick Part by typing its name
Start typing the Quick Part's name in the email body. Outlook suggests the matching entry and shows a preview. Press Enter to insert it.
Both methods also work in replies, not just new emails.
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04
Update a Quick Part
Insert the Quick Part into an email and make your changes. Select the updated text, then go to Insert > Quick Parts > Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery.
Use the same name and click OK. Outlook asks if you want to redefine the building block entry. Click Yes. The next time you insert it, you get the new version.
You can also delete the old Quick Part and create a new one with the updated text.
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05
Delete a Quick Part
In a new email, go to Insert > Quick Parts. Right-click the item and choose Organize and Delete. With the item selected, click Delete, then Yes.
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06
Use My Templates in New Outlook
New Outlook has no Quick Parts. Use templates instead.
- In a new email, go to Insert and click the Apps icon.
- Select My Templates to see your saved templates.
- Click the + icon, enter the text, give it a title and click Save.
To insert one, open Apps > My Templates and click the template. Templates work in new emails and replies, just like Quick Parts in classic Outlook.
Tips and common problems
- To update a Quick Part, save it again with exactly the same name and click Yes when Outlook asks to redefine the entry. A different name creates a second copy.
- Give Quick Parts short, distinct names so the type-ahead suggestion finds the right one quickly.
- Quick Parts are not in New Outlook. If you switch, recreate your most-used text as My Templates.
Questions
Where is Quick Parts in New Outlook?
It is not available in New Outlook. Use My Templates instead: in a new email, go to Insert, click the Apps icon and select My Templates.
How do I edit a Quick Part in Outlook?
Insert it into an email, change the text, select it and save it to the Quick Part Gallery with the same name. Click Yes when Outlook asks to redefine the building block entry.
Can I use Quick Parts in email replies?
Yes. Quick Parts work in replies as well as new emails, from the Insert tab or by typing the Quick Part name and pressing Enter.
