23

Is it possible to set up an outlook rule that supresses the system tray (and envelope overlay on the Win 7 icon) for certain messages

I would like the notification for the vast majority of my email but have certain automated messages I'd like to suppress the notification for

This doesnt appear to be a rule in the available list

I've tried to move it to another folder and "mark it as read". But that doesn't seem to suppress the notification

any ideas?

2
  • If you have already tried marking it as read I know of no way to supress the notification.
    – Ramhound
    May 30, 2013 at 11:51
  • 1
    I was looking for the same thing when I found this post. And when applying one of the answers, I realized that I better just disable all notifications, because they only interrupt my work flow. Jun 8, 2017 at 8:07

5 Answers 5

9
  1. Disable alert sounds and Desktop Notifications in Outlook's Options (so that NO messages make the alert sound/box).
  2. Create a Rule that plays the same Alert sound and displays a Desktop Notification for every message received.
  3. Then, you can either a) Add exceptions to the rule, or b) create other filtering rules (for example, deleting the unwanted messages) and then check off "Stop Processing Rules" on those rules; make sure they are higher up the list than your Alert rule. You'll never even know those messages ever came in.
5

Bit late to this one, but as it's a top hit in Google, here's what to do in newer versions of of Office...

In the rules wizard, under "What do you want to do with the message" select "Clear the message flag"

2
  • This should be the accepted answer.
    – Dan
    Aug 28, 2019 at 15:37
  • For Outlook 365 this doesn't work.
    – bloody
    Apr 19, 2021 at 12:38
4

The default notification is triggered as the mail is received and before rules are run. I do not know of a way to selectively get default desktop alerts.

Here is a work around...

You can turn off the notifications and create a rule which gives you a notification when mail is received from people you choose from your address book.

Here are some great step-by-step instructions how to do this.

3
  • 1
    I know the question is for Outlook 2010 on Win7, but do you happen to know if the workaround still works with Outlook 2013 on Win8? Since it uses toaster notifications in Win8 instead of custom notification pop-ups, I'm guessing it won't.
    – Karan
    May 31, 2013 at 0:04
  • Sorry, I don't have Windows 8 or Office 2013 to be able to try it.
    – CharlieRB
    May 31, 2013 at 11:27
  • @Karan Why should using a different technology for the notifications prevent this? The Outlook application will have to explicitly choose to send a notification, regardless of how it sends it.
    – jpaugh
    Jul 24, 2017 at 17:53
1

Don't know if this is a new feature or what, but there seems to be an easier way now. In the same rule that is deleting or moving the message you don't want out of your inbox, you can select option "Do Not Notify" under the Do The Following section.

4
  • I don't have that option in Outlook 2013. What version do you have? 2016?
    – Tom
    Sep 19, 2016 at 11:59
  • @Tom: It's available in 2016, at least.
    – cic
    Oct 16, 2016 at 20:39
  • I'm using Outlook 2016, and I don't have that option in either the basic or advanced view when creating a rule. Anyone have any ideas?
    – Sam
    Jun 21, 2018 at 1:46
  • This is likely just on Mac Outlook 2016? See slipstick.com/outlook/rules/disable-mail-notifications-accounts
    – Kaganar
    Dec 11, 2020 at 23:30
0

Probably better to comment here rather than in every thread... I don't believe any of the solutions proposed above work in Office 365 Online (or whatever Microsoft call it at the moment). Certainly there is no support for notifications within rules.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .