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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteOutlook offers several template features for different purposes. Use Mail Templates for complete reusable emails, including recipients, subject, formatting, and attachments; use My Templates for short text snippets; and use local .oft files in classic Outlook for Windows or .emltpl files in Outlook for Mac. This guide explains how to create and use each type, move .oft files, and troubleshoot common issues.
Choose the feature before creating a template: My Templates stores snippets, not complete messages, so it is not suitable for a formatted proposal with recipients or attachments.
Which Outlook template feature should you use?
| Feature | What it stores | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Mail Templates | A complete email, including recipients, subject, body, formatting, images, tables, and attachments | Repeated full messages |
| My Templates | Short reusable text snippets with plain text and basic styling | Common phrases and short replies |
| Outlook Template File (.oft) | A local message-template file containing the subject, body, formatting, and attachments | Local storage, sharing, or moving classic Outlook templates |
| Quick Parts | Reusable blocks of email content | Frequently reused sections inside messages |
Mail Templates and My Templates require an account with a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription according to Microsoft’s documentation. Button names can vary slightly by Outlook version and account type.
Create and use a full template in new Outlook for Windows
Save a Mail Template
- Select Home > New > Mail.
- Build the message you want to reuse. You can include recipients, a subject, message text, formatting, images, tables, and attachments.
- On the Message ribbon, select Mail template > Save email as template.
- Enter a name in Save as email template.
- Select Save.
To manage saved templates, open Settings > Mail > Templates. Templates are listed by account.
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Send a message from a Mail Template
- Select Home > New > Mail from template.
- Choose the template in the Templates dialog.
- Check and change the recipients, subject, and body.
- Select Send.
Outlook creates a new draft from the saved template. Editing that draft does not change the stored template. To change the reusable version, save a replacement template through the template-creation process.
Create a short snippet with My Templates
- Select Home > New > Mail.
- On the Message ribbon, select My Templates.
- In the pane, select +Template.
- Enter a name in Title.
- Enter the reusable text in the field below it.
- Select Save.
The snippet appears in the My Templates pane. It does not retain a message’s recipients, subject, or attachments, and is not the right choice for a complex formatted message.
Create templates in Outlook on the web
Outlook on the web provides Mail Templates for complete messages and My Templates for reusable text snippets.
Create a full Mail Template
- Select New > Mail.
- Add recipients, subject, body, formatting, and attachments.
- On the Message ribbon, select Mail template > Save email as template.
- Give the template a name and select Save.
Open Settings > Mail > Templates to view saved templates. A Mail Template is saved to the account used to compose the draft and may not appear when composing from another account.
Create a My Templates snippet
- Select New > Mail.
- Select My Templates on the Message ribbon.
- Select +Template.
- Enter a title and reusable text.
- Select Save.
My Templates items are stored in the user’s primary mailbox and can be used from that mailbox in Outlook on the web, new Outlook for Windows, classic Outlook, and Outlook for Mac.
Create and use an .oft template in classic Outlook for Windows
The .oft format is the traditional local Outlook template. It is useful when you need a file that can be backed up, copied, or shared instead of a template stored in a mailbox.
Save a message as an Outlook Template file
- Select Home > New Email.
- Enter the message content, including the subject, formatting, and any attachments.
- In the message window, select File > Save As.
- Set Save as type to Outlook Template.
- Enter a file name and select Save.
Classic Outlook normally saves the file in:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates
If you save the file elsewhere, locate it manually when using the template.
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Open an .oft template
- From the main Outlook window, select New Items > More Items > Choose Form.
- In Choose Form, set Look In to User Templates in File System.
- Select the template and choose Open.
- Edit the recipients, subject, or body.
- Select Send.
For a file stored outside the default folder, select Browse in the Choose Form dialog and select the .oft file.
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Use Mail Templates and My Templates in classic Outlook
Classic Outlook also supports the mailbox-based Mail Templates feature. Select Home > New > Mail, add the full message content, then select Mail template > Save email as template on the Message ribbon.
For a short reusable phrase, select New Email, then select View Templates on the Message tab. In the My Templates pane, select +Template, enter the title and text, and select Save. These items are stored in the primary mailbox, not as local .oft files.
Create and use templates in Outlook for Mac
Save a local Mac template
Outlook for Mac uses the .emltpl format for its built-in local template feature.
- Select the email message you want to reuse.
- Choose File > Save As Template.
- Enter a template name.
- Optionally apply a tag, such as Red, Blue, Important, or Work.
- Select a save location.
- Select Save.
Open a Mac template
- Select File > New > Email From Template.
- Select the template location and file.
- Select Open.
- Add recipients and message-specific content.
- Select Send.
The resulting file uses the .emltpl extension. Microsoft says the built-in Mac template controls are available worldwide to Microsoft 365 subscribers and to users running Outlook for Mac version 15.35 (170610) or later.
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For a short snippet, select New Mail > My Templates, choose +Template, enter the title and reusable text, and select Save. Microsoft states that the My Templates add-in is available for Exchange accounts and is not available in shared mailboxes opened in Outlook for Mac.
Move or share an .oft template with new Outlook or the web
Putting an .oft file in the classic Outlook templates folder does not automatically make it available in new Outlook or Outlook on the web. Import it through the template settings.
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Download a saved template as an .oft file
- Open Settings.
- Select Mail > Templates.
- Find the template.
- Select Save as OFT.
- Choose a location in File Explorer.
Add an existing .oft file
- Open Settings > Mail > Templates.
- Select Add > Add OFT.
- In Add mail templates, select Choose.
- Select one or more .oft files.
- Select Add.
New Outlook and Outlook on the web require a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription for this .oft feature.
You can also share a draft as a file. Open or create the draft, select Forward as OFT on the Message tab, and Outlook will attach the .oft version to a new draft. Add the recipient and send it.
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Template behavior with shared mailboxes
Shared-mailbox template behavior depends on Outlook version and how the mailbox is opened.
- New Outlook: If the shared mailbox has not been promoted to a full account, My Templates created there are available only to the creator. If promoted, users with access can view and edit the templates, but they must also open and promote the mailbox as a full account in new Outlook. These shared templates are not available on other platforms or when the mailbox is accessed as a non-promoted account.
- Outlook on the web: Opening a shared mailbox in the same tab or window as the primary mailbox stores templates for the current user. To share and edit templates, users should open it through Open another mailbox in a separate tab or window. Templates from the primary mailbox are not available from a shared mailbox opened separately.
- Classic Outlook: My Templates created while working in a shared-mailbox context are available only to the person who created them.
- Outlook for Mac: The My Templates add-in is not available in shared mailboxes opened in Outlook for Mac.
If a team needs a dependable shared message, a centrally managed process or a shared .oft file may be more predictable than relying on mailbox context.
Fix common Outlook template problems
My Templates or View Templates is missing
Your organization may have disabled add-ins. In classic Outlook, check All Apps; the add-in may not be shown on the ribbon but may still be available there. Exchange Web Services restrictions can also cause problems. Microsoft reported a My Templates access incident that was fixed on March 27, 2026; administrators who disabled EWS may still be affected.
Microsoft documents these Exchange Online administration commands for checking and enabling the add-in:
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Do not run these commands casually. Microsoft says administrators should use them only when requested by a support engineer in connection with the missing-template issue.
A saved template is not in the list
Check the account or mailbox scope first:
- Mail Templates are listed by account and saved to the account selected for the draft.
- My Templates are saved to the primary mailbox.
- A template made in a shared-mailbox context may be visible only to its creator, depending on how the mailbox was opened.
Editing a generated draft did not update the template
This is normal. Selecting a template creates a new draft; edits to that draft are not written back. Save a replacement template if the reusable version needs to change.
The template lost its formatting or attachment
You probably used My Templates. It is a snippet feature with plain text and basic styling. Use Mail Templates or an .oft file for rich formatting, images, tables, and attachments.
An .oft file does not appear in new Outlook
Import it through Settings > Mail > Templates > Add > Add OFT. Select the file through Choose, then select Add. The classic Outlook folder is not an import location for new Outlook.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Practical template guidelines
- Use placeholders that are hard to miss. Write [CUSTOMER NAME] or [DUE DATE] instead of leaving an ambiguous blank.
- Keep variable information out of permanent recipients. A full Mail Template can preserve recipients, so check the To, Cc, and Bcc fields before sending.
- Review attachments before every send. A complete template may include an old price list, contract, or internal document.
- Separate shared and personal templates. A mailbox-based template may be stored under a different account from the one you normally use.
- Use snippets for small pieces. If only the closing paragraph or support-hours wording is reusable, My Templates or Quick Parts is less cumbersome than a complete message template.
For a complete customer response, use Mail Templates. For a two-sentence reply, use My Templates. For a portable local file, use .oft in Windows or .emltpl on Mac.
FAQ
What is the difference between My Templates and Mail Templates in Outlook?
My Templates stores short reusable text snippets with plain text and basic styling. Mail Templates stores a complete email, including recipients, subject, rich formatting, images, tables, and attachments.
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Where are Outlook Mail Templates stored?
Mail Templates are saved to the account used to compose the draft and managed through Settings > Mail > Templates. My Templates are saved to the user’s primary mailbox.
Can I edit an Outlook template after using it?
You can edit the new draft created from the template, but those changes do not update the saved template. Save a replacement template if you want to change the reusable version.
How do I open an OFT file in classic Outlook?
Select New Items > More Items > Choose Form, set Look In to User Templates in File System, select the file, and choose Open. Use Browse if the file is stored elsewhere.
How do I import an OFT file into new Outlook?
Open Settings > Mail > Templates, select Add > Add OFT, choose the file, and select Add. Copying it to the classic Outlook templates folder is not sufficient.
Can Outlook templates include attachments?
Mail Templates and Outlook Template Files (.oft) support attachments. My Templates is a text-snippet feature and does not store complete messages or attachments.
Why can’t my colleague see a template in a shared mailbox?
Visibility depends on the Outlook version, whether the mailbox is promoted to a full account, and how it was opened. A template created in a shared-mailbox context may be available only to its creator.
The Bottom Line
Use Mail Templates when you need to reuse an entire email. Use My Templates for short phrases, Quick Parts for reusable content blocks, and .oft or .emltpl when you need a local template file. Check the sending account, recipients, attachments, and mailbox context before sending.
Microsoft’s current instructions are available in Create email templates in Outlook, Send an email message based on a template, Download, add, and share templates as OFT files, Can I create email templates in Outlook for Mac?, and My Templates are missing from Outlook.
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