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Disable New Mail Notifications for Some Accounts

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› Outlook › Rules, Filters & Views › Disable New Mail Notifications for Some Accounts

Last reviewed on August 10, 2022     19 Comments

Applies to: Outlook (classic), Outlook 2010, Outlook 2016 (Mac)

A user had a problem with excessive new email alerts:

I have several email accounts. One account receives a lot of email that does not require my immediate attention. Is there a way to turn off the notifications for this account? This account receives hundreds of emails daily and the constant notifications are distracting.

You can't disable notification for one account only (well, at least not in Outlook for Windows), but you can disable notifications for all accounts then create rules to display notifications for the specific accounts you want notifications for.

In Outlook for Windows, turn off global notification in File, Options, Mail by unticking Display a Desktop Alert. If you have Play a sound or Show an envelope in the taskbar enabled, you can turn those off too.
disable global new mail alerts

Next, create a rule for the accounts you want to receive a notification for.

  1. Open the Rule and Alerts dialog
  2. Click New Rule
  3. Choose Apply rule after messages arrive
  4. Click Next twice to apply the rule to all messages sent to this account
  5. Choose Display a Desktop Alert (and Play a sound, if desired) as the Action(s)
    desktop alert
  6. Click Next again and complete the rule.

Repeat for the steps for each email account you want alerts on.
 

"Outlook for Mac

In the "legacy" Outlook for Mac you can create a rule to not display notifications or use the Outlook for Windows method of turning off global notifications and use rules for notifications.

To create a rule for no notifications in a specific account

  1. Open the Rules dialog (from the Tools menu) and select the account you want to create the rule for. You'll need to create the Exchange account under Client rules to create this rule in Exchange accounts.
    select the account to create the rule for
  2. Choose Account from the list of Conditions then choose your account name. Choose Do Not Notify from the list of actions. disable alerts for an account in Outlook for Mac

To turn off all notifications and enable rules for specific accounts:

  1. Turn off global notifications in Outlook's Preferences, Notifications and Sounds
    disable global alerts
  2. Create a rule for each account you want to be notified on.
    enable alerts on some accounts using rules
Disable New Mail Notifications for Some Accounts was last modified: August 10th, 2022 by Diane Poremsky

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About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

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Annon
September 20, 2023 4:20 pm

Is there a script to show the envelope icon in the taskbar for only one account but not others? I seem to only have all or nothing options. But really only want the envelope for my main account.

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  Annon
September 20, 2023 10:02 pm

There is nothing built into Outlook on windows that can do that, it's all or nothing. The only solution I can think of is a rule or macro that marks messages in the other accounts read. I forget if marking using a rule removes the envelope, but a macro might. I'll need to test it.

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anon
January 26, 2023 4:56 pm

Thanks! Worked great.

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Derek
August 23, 2022 12:57 pm

Has anyone found a way to disable notifications for specific accounts on the new Mac Outlook?

1
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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  Derek
August 23, 2022 10:10 pm

I haven't looked lately, but when rules work on all of the accounts, you might be able to set a rule to notify of some accounts and turn off notification in general.

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Andrew
August 9, 2022 2:26 pm

This is out of date.

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  Andrew
August 10, 2022 7:28 am

I need to update the Mac version to include the New Outlook - but windows and (now legacy) Outlook on Mac are correct.

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yappi
Reply to  Diane Poremsky
October 23, 2024 12:11 am

Yes, lets maybe also include version for win 98?

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  yappi
October 25, 2024 8:40 am

What version of Outlook are you using? That is what controls what options are available.

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sal
February 4, 2022 6:53 pm

what about calendar notifications, not just mail?

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  sal
February 4, 2022 10:46 pm

About the only way you could do that for calendars is by removing reminders from the events - it might work to use a macro to dismiss them when they file, assuming it can detect which calendar the event is on.

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@dh
March 17, 2021 9:15 am

Can you please show an update on how to do this on the updated Mac Outlook app.

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  @dh
March 17, 2021 10:21 am

This is with the New Outlook switch enabled? Rules are not fully enabled in the new outlook - they only work for business accounts - and link into the outlook on the web rules, which does not have a notify option. I don't expect this to change as they improve the "new" Outlook.

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Helpymchelpface
November 12, 2020 6:06 am

This is incorrect now . Right click on the account and select turn off notifications.

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  Helpymchelpface
November 12, 2020 8:51 am

That is a Windows 10 Mail feature, not Outlook desktop.

2020-11-12_08-23-16-0000.gif
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Sid
May 20, 2020 6:01 am

Thanks!
Driving me up the wall for the last two days all these notifications from shared mail boxes.

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