Outlook's rules are great… well, maybe good. Or just OK… I don't deny that there is room for improvement, but you can do a lot with the rules that are available. One frequent question is how to create a NOT rule – how to apply a rule to all mail that doesn't meet a condition.
My Outlook provides a condition "sent only to me". I need the exact opposite condition, i.e. "NOT sent only to me". This includes all e-mail sent to me AND someone else, e-mail sent to mailing lists that I am subscribed to (willingly or not) etc. I want to see only e-mails that are "sent only to me" in my Inbox, so I need a rule to move all e-mails "NOT sent only to me" somewhere else.
How can I configure Outlook to move all e-mails "NOT sent only to me" to a specific folder?
NOT rules are set up as exception: Apply the rule to all mail, perform the action, except when it meets this condition.
To create an Exception rule, you'll start with a blank rule.
- On the condition page, click Next without selecting a condition. Outlook will warn you that the rule applies to all messages. Click OK to move on to the Actions page.
- Choose your Actions then click Next.
- Now choose your Exceptions. To create a rule that does not apply to messages sent only to "me", choose Except if sent only to me. Click Next and complete your rule.
Published September 9, 2013. Last updated on September 6, 2013.