To customize native Voting Buttons, use Classic Outlook for Windows: create or reply to a message, choose Options > Use Voting Buttons > Custom, enter your choices separated by semicolons, and send the message. This message-level feature requires a Microsoft Exchange Server account. New Outlook and Outlook on the web use a separate Microsoft Forms-backed Poll workflow rather than these custom buttons.
What you can customize
| Button set | Best for |
|---|---|
| Approve;Reject | Authorization and review decisions |
| Yes;No | Simple binary questions |
| Yes;No;Maybe | Questions where recipients may be undecided |
| Custom | Specific choices such as meeting days or project options |
Classic Voting Buttons are attached to the message and use a limited set of response choices. They are different from an Outlook Poll, which is backed by Microsoft Forms and may appear as an in-message poll or a browser link.
Before you begin
- Use Classic Outlook for Windows to create native Voting Buttons.
- Make sure the Outlook profile uses a Microsoft Exchange Server account.
- Do not encrypt the message or apply Information Rights Management permissions if recipients need to see and use the buttons. Microsoft warns that these protections can hide voting options.
Microsoft’s platform comparison lists native Voting Buttons for Outlook for PC, but not Outlook on the web. New Outlook and the web client have a separate Poll feature. The documented Poll workflow requires a work or school account; some link-based external-response scenarios also require an administrator to enable Send a link to the form and collect responses under External sharing.
Use a built-in Voting Button set
Use this method when one of Outlook’s standard response groups fits your question.
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- Open Outlook and select New Email. You can also reply to or forward an existing message.
- Compose the message and add the recipients.
- Open the Options tab.
- In the Tracking group, select Use Voting Buttons.
- Select Approve;Reject, Yes;No, or Yes;No;Maybe.
- Send the message.
Recipients can choose from the options associated with the message rather than typing a separate manual poll response.
Create custom Voting Buttons
Custom labels are useful when “Yes” and “No” do not describe the decision. For example, ask colleagues to choose a meeting day.
- Start a new message, or reply to or forward a message.
- Select Options > Use Voting Buttons > Custom.
- In the Properties dialog box, find Voting and Tracking options.
- Select the Use voting buttons check box if it is not already selected.
- Delete any default options you do not want to use.
- Enter your choices in the voting-buttons field, separating each label with a semicolon.
- Select Close, finish the message, and send it.
For example, enter:
Monday;Tuesday;Wednesday
Use semicolons between choice names. Keep labels short and unambiguous so recipients can quickly identify each option.
How recipients vote
- In the Reading Pane, select Click here to vote in the message header, or open the message.
- Select the desired response. In an open message, use Message > Respond > Vote.
Outlook may ask whether to send the response immediately or let the recipient edit it first. The vote is returned to the sender as a response message.
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Check the voting results
As the sender
- Open the original message in Sent Items.
- Select Message > Tracking.
- Review the response table, which lists recipients and their votes.
Tracking does not appear until at least one recipient has voted. If the button is not available immediately after sending, check again after a response arrives.
From a response message
If you receive a response message and want to see the consolidated table, select the The sender responded line in the message header, then select View voting responses.
Copy or print the results
Outlook provides a response table for native Voting Buttons. You can copy the results for further handling in another application.
Print a quick copy
- Open the original sent message.
- Select Message > Tracking.
- Press Alt + Print Screen to capture the active Outlook window.
- Paste the image into Word or a new Outlook message.
- Select File > Print.
Copy responses into Excel
- Open the sent message and select Message > Tracking.
- Hold Ctrl, then select and drag across the names and responses in the table.
- Press Ctrl + C.
- Open Excel and choose Blank workbook.
- Right-click the top-left cell and select Paste.
Check the pasted data before sorting or calculating totals; the response table may paste as formatted text rather than a structured Excel table.
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| Feature | Native Voting Buttons | Outlook Poll |
|---|---|---|
| Underlying service | Exchange message feature | Microsoft Forms |
| Outlook clients | Outlook for PC; not listed for Outlook on the web in Microsoft’s comparison | New Outlook and Outlook on the web; also available in Classic Outlook |
| Classic Outlook path | Options > Use Voting Buttons | Insert > Poll, or Options > Use Voting Buttons > Poll |
| Response choices | One response from preset or custom button labels | One or multiple choices, if Multiple answers is enabled |
| Results | Message tracking table | Voting card; refresh results or select View in Forms |
| Account considerations | Requires a Microsoft Exchange Server account | Documented for work or school accounts; external link collection may require an administrator setting |
To create a Poll in New Outlook, choose Polls from the Message or Insert tab. In Classic Outlook, select Insert > Poll, or use Options > Use Voting Buttons > Poll. In Outlook on the web, select More apps > Poll from the Message or Insert tab.
- Enter the question and the initial choices.
- Use + Add option to add more choices.
- Enable Multiple answers if respondents should be able to select more than one.
- Send the email. Recipients may vote in the message or follow a link to vote in a browser.
- Review the poll card, refresh for current results, or select View in Forms for detailed responses.
A Poll may appear as a browser link when its title is long, it has too many options, or it is sent to people outside the organization. For the relevant external link-collection scenario, an administrator may need to enable Send a link to the form and collect responses under External sharing in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Fix missing or unusable Voting Buttons
The “Use Voting Buttons” command is missing
Confirm that you are using Classic Outlook for Windows and that the account is a Microsoft Exchange Server account. New Outlook and Outlook on the web use the separate Poll workflow rather than native custom Voting Buttons.
Recipients cannot see the buttons
Check whether the message was encrypted or had permissions applied through Options > Permission. Microsoft states that recipients cannot see Voting Buttons in encrypted Outlook messages, and Information Rights Management permissions can also hide the options.
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Open the original message from Sent Items, not a copied or forwarded version, and check Message > Tracking. Tracking appears only after at least one recipient has voted.
A recipient says the vote did not register
Ask the recipient to open the message and use Message > Respond > Vote. If the choices remain unavailable, confirm that the message was not encrypted or rights-protected and that the recipient is responding to the original voting message.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Practical design tips
- Use Approve;Reject only when those words accurately describe the decision.
- Use short, mutually exclusive labels. Monday;Tuesday;Wednesday is clearer than a single button containing a long sentence.
- Explain the question and deadline in the message body; use the buttons for the choices.
- Use Outlook Poll when you need multiple selections, Forms-based results, or a workflow in New Outlook or Outlook on the web.
- Test an important message with a colleague, especially when recipients use different Outlook clients or are outside your organization.
FAQ
Can I customize Voting Buttons in New Outlook?
Native custom Voting Buttons are the Classic Outlook for PC message feature. In New Outlook, use the separate Poll workflow for a Forms-backed poll.
Why can’t I find Use Voting Buttons in Outlook?
Use Classic Outlook for Windows and confirm that the profile uses a Microsoft Exchange Server account. New Outlook and Outlook on the web use Polls rather than native custom Voting Buttons.
How do I enter custom Voting Button choices?
Choose Options > Use Voting Buttons > Custom, select Use voting buttons in Properties if needed, and enter each label separated by a semicolon, such as North;South;East;West.
Why does Tracking not appear on my sent message?
Tracking appears only after at least one recipient has voted. Open the original message in Sent Items and check Message > Tracking after a vote arrives.
Do Voting Buttons work in an encrypted email?
No. Microsoft states that recipients cannot see native Voting Buttons in an encrypted Outlook message. Information Rights Management permissions can also hide the options.
What is the difference between an Outlook Poll and Voting Buttons?
Native Voting Buttons are an Exchange-dependent Outlook for PC message feature with preset or semicolon-separated custom labels. Outlook Poll is Microsoft Forms-backed and supports multiple answers when that option is enabled.
The Bottom Line
For custom message-level choices, use Classic Outlook for Windows and select Options > Use Voting Buttons > Custom; separate each label with a semicolon. The feature requires an Exchange account, and encryption or rights-protection can hide the choices. Use Outlook Poll in New Outlook or Outlook on the web for a Forms-backed poll or multiple-answer responses.
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