How to Pin or Unpin Emails in Outlook on Windows 11

Platform Version Discrepancies

The feature works in the New Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the Web, and some Microsoft 365 builds. In Outlook Classic the pin command often doesn’t appear at all.

If you can’t find Pin anywhere, check which app you opened before you hunt for a setting that isn’t there. Outlook Classic usually shows a New Outlook toggle at the top right of the window. Turn it on to switch to the New Outlook. From the New Outlook you can switch back with the same toggle. If you don’t see the toggle, your organization may have turned it off, so ask whoever manages your Microsoft 365 account.

Moving to a supported version is the only fix for a missing command. Outlook on the Web in your browser is a quick way to test, because it signs into the same mailbox and shows you whether pinning works for your account.

Disclaimer: Availability depends on your app version. The feature works in the New Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the Web (OWA), and certain Microsoft 365 releases. It typically doesn’t appear in Outlook Classic, because older and newer versions handle mail server sync differently. The steps below assume the New Outlook. Menu names in OWA are very similar, so you can follow along there too.

How to pin an email

To pin an email in Outlook on Windows 11, use one of three methods: the top ribbon, the quick action icon that appears when you hover, or the right-click menu. All three do the same thing and stick the message to the top of your message list. Pick whichever fits how you work. Steps 4 and 5 below are alternatives to step 3, so you only need one of them.

1. Open the New Outlook for Windows. Go to the folder that holds the email, such as your inbox. Your messages appear in the message list.
2. Select the email you want to pin. Click it once in the message list. The message opens in the reading pane.
3. Click the Pin button on the ribbon. The message should jump to the top of the list and show a pin icon.
4. Hover over the email to use the quick action instead. Click the Pin icon that appears in the quick action pop-up on the right side of the message. This is the fastest method when you’re scanning a long inbox.
5. Right-click the email to use the menu instead. Select the Pin command from the menu. Use this if the ribbon is collapsed or the hover icons don’t show.
6. Check that the message sits at the top of the list. It should carry a pin icon. If you don’t see Pin in any of the three places, you are probably in a version that doesn’t support it.

To unpin an email, follow these steps:

1. Find the pinned message at the top of the list. Select it, or right-click it, or hover over it.
2. Click Unpin. On a pinned message the same command you used before changes to Unpin, in the ribbon, the hover pop-up and the right-click menu 🖱️. The message returns to its normal place by date.

Pinning doesn’t delete or move the email to another folder, and no restart is needed in either direction.

Automating your pins

If you want certain senders or subjects pinned automatically, set up an inbox rule in the app settings. The rule applies a pin to incoming messages from the address you choose, so vital correspondence stays at the top without any clicking from you.

Rules run on new mail as it arrives. They won’t pin messages already in your inbox, so pin those by hand using the methods above. Here is how to set up the rule:

1. Click the Settings button, the gear icon at the top right of the app. A settings window opens.
2. Go to Mail, then select Rules. You should see any rules you already have, or an empty list.
3. Create a new rule based on an email address. Enter the sender whose messages you want pinned. Check the spelling, because the rule only matches that exact address.
4. Choose Pin to top as the action. If you don’t see this action, your version of Outlook may not support it in rules. Check the version notes earlier in this article.
5. Save your changes. The rule now appears in the list, and the next message from that sender should arrive pinned.

To stop the automatic pinning, return to the same Rules page and turn off or delete the rule. Messages already pinned stay pinned until you unpin them one by one.

Flagging vs. Pinning

Flagging and pinning do different jobs, so don’t treat them as the same thing. Flagging puts a visual marker on a message and adds it to your To-Do list for task tracking. Pinning anchors the email to the top of the folder view so you see it immediately.

As a rule of thumb, flag a message when it’s a task with a due date, and pin it when you simply need it in front of you. You can use both on the same email. Removing one doesn’t remove the other.

Troubleshooting and Syncing

If a pin shows on one device but not another, the cause is usually an account mismatch. Check that every device signs into Outlook with the same Microsoft 365 credentials, so the pin state can sync. A second, personal account on one device is a common culprit.

Also confirm that each device is running a version that supports pinning. A client that doesn’t support it, such as Outlook Classic, won’t show the pin even when the account is correct. If one device still looks wrong, open Outlook on the Web and see whether the message is pinned there. That tells you whether the problem is the pin or the app.

Keyboard Shortcuts

See Also

• Microsoft Support: Pinning Emails
• Managing Rules in Outlook

Summary

Pinning keeps your most important messages at the top of the inbox, so you can find them quickly and spend your attention on what matters. Pin what you need today, unpin it when you're done, and use a rule for senders you always want to see. If the command is missing, check your Outlook version first.