![Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]](http://www.outlook-tips.net/images/2014/MVP_BlueOnly.png)
On this page we have the icons you may see in your Inbox, Sent folder, or in the message header in Outlook 2013 and above.
Outlook 2013 aims for a cleaner look and many default icons, such as read and unread envelopes are gone. In the case of Unread, the envelope was replaced by a blue bar to the left of the message.
Mail | Calendar & Tasks | Contacts & Journal
Rules & Alerts | Toolbars | More Icons
Mail Icons
| Icons | Description | |
|---|---|---|
 |  | Unread Message (Text in Message list should be bold.) Beginning with Outlook 2013, a Blue bar marks unread messages. |
 | No icon; Blue bar is gone | Opened (read) Message (Text in message list is no longer bold.) |
 |  | Replied to message (May include icons for signed and encrypted icons) |
 | Forwarded message (may include signed and encrypted icons) | |
 |  | High Importance Message (may be combined with the attachment icon or have an exclamation mark in the importance column  ) |
 | Low Importance Message (may be combined with the attachment icon or have the down arrow in the importance column  ) | |
 |  | Has Attachment (may be combined with an importance icon or have a paperclip in the attachment column) |
 |  | SharePoint Alert |
 This message was replied to, has an attachment and is marked High Importance. (Outlook 2003/2007) | ||
 | Draft or Resend message icon. | |
 | Post (IPM.Post) form | |
 | Meeting Request | |
 | Accepted Meeting | |
 | Declined Meeting request | |
 | Cancelled Meeting Request | |
 | Tentative Acceptance (or Propose New Time in OL2003/2007) | |
 | Task Request | |
 | Accepted Task | |
 | Declined Task | |
 | Signed and Encrypted (The signed and/or or encrypted icons may be on envelopes as shown below.) | |
 | Signed | |
| Signed, but there is a problem with certificate | ||
 | Encrypted. Uses a lock ( ) icon. | |
 | Secure Read Receipt | |
 | Delivery error: Undeliverable. | |
 | Delivery confirmation: Delivered. | |
 | Read Receipt: Item marked as read. | |
 | Read Receipt: deleted when marked unread. | |
 | Recall Attempted | |
 | Recall Failed. | |
 | Flagged by Sender | |
 | Out of Office. When a person has their Exchange account configured to send Out of office messages, you'll | |
 | Message Tracking. Seen on items in Sent folder when tracking or voting is requested *after first response is received and processed*. Contains read/delivery receipt information or vote results. | |
 | Icons with the blue i symbol  indicate there is more information, such as an update to the meeting request. | |
 | Conflict. Occurs when syncing Outlook items with a PDA or when using cached mode with Exchange. Look in the Sync Issues folder. | |
 May see either icon in the Sent folder | SMS message icon. The phone is used for messages sent using the mobile messaging service. | |
IMAP and Offline Exchange Icons
When you download headers only (usually IMAP and Exchange offline mode), you'll see the following icons in your Inbox, indicating the status of the message:
Only the message header was downloaded:
When a header is marked for deletion, the icon includes a red x ( 
).
An icon with a small blue down arrow arrow (
) means the message is marked for download.
This screenshot shows the 4 options you'll see when you download headers only.
The first message is marked for deletion.
The second message is completely downloaded.
The third is marked for download.
The last is the header only – it's not yet marked to download or for deletion.
Messenger Icons
In Outlook's preview pane, in an opened message, or when composing messages you may see little balls near the sender or recipients name. These indicate if the sender is online with Skype or Skype for Business. Green is online, an empty white circle indicates offline or presence unknown.
Mailbox Folders icons
| Icons | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| OL2013 | ||
 |  | Outlook Today – top level of the mailbox |
| Working offline (sample of Outlook Bar and Folder list icons) | ||
 | Notification area icon for working offline. When gray  , Outlook is shutting down but outlook.exe is still loaded. (Added beginning with Outlook 2007 SP2) | |
 | Mail Folders (old icons are from Outlook Bar and Folder list) | |
 | Contacts Folders (old icons are from Outlook Bar and Folder list) | |
 | Calendar Folders (old icons are from Outlook Bar and Folder list) | |
 | Task Folders (old icons are from Outlook Bar and Folder list) | |
 | Notes Folders (old icons are from Outlook Bar and Folder list) | |
|  | Folder List (button in Outlook's Navigation bar) Outlook 2013 uses a Folder bar with the names written out or a compact bar with icons. |
 | Additional Mailboxes or Personal Folder stores (old icons are from Outlook Bar and Folder list) | |
 | Journal Folder (old icons are from Outlook Bar and Folder list) | |
 | | SharePoint alerts |
Mail | Calendar & Tasks | Contacts & Journal
Rules & Alerts | Toolbars | More Icons
Published May 14, 2011. Last updated on February 22, 2018.
When i receive an email on my tablet 1. At the top righthand i get a square with an arrow facing down ?
2.Then a bin for delete.. 3.then an envelope i think to save....4. then a square with arrow facing to the right. To move to folder.. What would i use no 1 for. Pse and Thank you.
This is in the Outlook app? Which device OS? I don't see an icon with a down arrow on iphone, the closest is the flag, with the vertical pole. The envelope icon may be mark as read - if it definitely looks like an envelope. A boxy icon that looks like the front of a file drawer is Archive. On the right arrows - if the icon is a manilla folder with an arrow, its move to folder, if it looks like an tray, its Move to other (if you use Focused inbox - if you are viewing a message… Read more »
What does the icon that looks like a mailbox next to the trash icon in mail do?
With the green accents? It's the 'new' Archive button. This button or the Backspace key will move mail to a folder named Archive. (The first time you use it, it might let you pick a folder).
They've updated the icons a bit since I took the screenshots, but this article explains it.
https://www.outlook-tips.net/tips/outlook-2016s-archive-button/
I sent an email and later when I checked my sent folder there was a yellow dot next to the message. When I checked again later the dot was gone. Anyone know what that means?
on my outlook icon it has a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in it
what does this mean?
I've had a couple of sent emails show up as unread messages in my inbox with the paper and pencil icon. The sent message is also in my sent file as well. Why is this happening? Thank you!
That sounds like a draft message - if you use conversation view and include all messages in thread, you'll see drafts in the inbox. Occasionally, the draft doesn't clear properly after sending (often because there are two copies of it or you used two computers and had a copy in each) and one is left behind after sending. Delete it from drafts to remove.