Rule to Delete Older Messages As a New Ones Arrive

Emails in Windows Outlook, be it Outlook Web App or desktop based program, they can be easily managed by working with some rules provided in the email client. Hence, it can be said that Outlook users can make use of rule to delete older messages as new ones arrive. As rule seems to be an attractive feature, let us know in detail about it.

What Is Rule In Outlook?

A rule is an action that MS Outlook executes automatically, i.e. on itself without having been instructed to do so, on incoming or outgoing messages, but grounded on conditions that the user specifies. Outlook users can create a rule either from a template, from a message, or using any other conditions. Also, if using Outlook Web App, rules can be created and managed (by gaining knowledge from Inbox rules) that also functions in the Outlook desktop program for Windows PC.

How Rules Assist in Managing Email Messages?

A rule is a process that Outlook accomplishes automatically on an arriving message, i.e. all those emails in Inbox folder or sent emails, i.e. all those in Sent folder, depending on the conditions specified by users.

Note - Many conditions and actions can be chosen by using the Rules Wizard.

Classes Of Rules – – There exists 2 classes (also termed as the category) of rules in Outlook and the can belong to either of the two categories which are as follows:

• Organization
• Notification

Note - Rules don't function on messages that have been read instead they can be only applied to unread messages.

Rules Wizard Dialog Box

Rules Wizard is featured in Outlook actually creates rule based on requirement and through this dialog box many conditions and actions can be chosen. Therefore, rule to delete older messages as new ones arrive can also be created. The Rules Wizard includes templates for the most frequently used rules, which include Stay Organized, Stay Up to Date and Start from a Blank rule which is explained as well as shown in the figure below:

1. Stay Organized - These rules help in filing and following up on messages. For e.g., users can create a rule for messages from a specific sender, such as Bob Thames, with the word 'process' in the Subject line, to be flagged for follow-up, categorized as Process and moved to a folder named Bob's Process.

2. Up-to-Date - These rules instructs users in a way when any particular message is received. For instance, users can create a rule that can automatically send an alert to a user's mobile device when a message is received from a particular sender.

3. Start from a Blank Rule - These rules can be created without the assistance of a rule template and can be entirely customized depending on user's requirement. The template 'Start from a blank rule' can be effectively used to create a rule to delete older messages as new ones arrive.

Know How to Make Rule to Delete Older Messages As New Ones Arrive

Though similar, but there are certainly some minor differences in the process that help us to reach Rule Wizard in each version of Outlook mail client. In customizing a rule to delete older messages as new ones arrive or any other rule, the first step is to reach the Rule Wizard and the differences based on editions of Outlook are shown below:

In Outlook 2003 and 2007

• In the Navigation Pane, click "Mail".
• On the "Tools" menu, click "Rules and Alerts".

In Outlook 2010 and 2013

• Click the "File" tab.
• Click "Manage Rules & Alerts".

Note - If more than one email account is present, select the desired folder for which you want to apply the rule.

• Then, in the Rules and Alerts dialog box, under the E-mail Rules tab, click New Rule when the Rule Wizard appears.
• Now, under Start from a Blank Rule, click 'Check messages when they arrive' and click 'Next' because our motive is to create a rule to delete older messages as new ones arrive. This is because of selecting our own conditions, actions and exceptions we need to select 'Start from a Blank Rule' as it provides the option to customize.

After this follow the below mentioned instructions stepwise:

Step: 1 – Selecting Conditions

'Check messages when they arrive' is clicked, the first screen of the Rules Wizard appears that allows selecting condition(s). In the figure below, is shown where the condition 'sent only to me' is selected.

• As Step 1: Select condition(s); select the conditions that you want the messages to meet for the rule to apply, e.g. 'sent only to me.'
• For Step 2: Edit the rule description; click an underlined value for any condition, e.g. 'Apply this rule after the message arrives, sent only to me' that you added and then click next.

Step: 2 – Selecting Actions

After clicking next, the second screen of Rules Wizard comes up that allows selecting actions as shown in the figure below. Here, the options delete it or permanently delete it is chosen to create a rule to delete older messages as new ones arrive.

• Under Step 1: Select action(s); select the actions, i.e. delete it or permanently delete it that is wanted for the rule to take when the specified conditions are met.
• In Step 2: Edit the rule description, click an underlined value for actions for e.g. "Apply this rule after the messages arrive 'sent only to me', delete it and permanently delete it and stop processing more rules, and then Click Next.

Step: 3 – Selecting Expectations

After clicking next, the third screen of Rules Wizard comes up that allows selecting exceptions (only necessary) as shown in the figure below.

• Under Step 1: Select exception(s), select any exceptions (only if necessary) to the rule and then click next. Here, for e.g. here 'except if sent only to me' is selected or any other exceptions can be selected.
• Under Step 2: Edit the rule description, click an underlined value for any exception that you added then specify the value and Click Next.

Step: 4 – Specify a Name

To finish the creation of the rule, specify a name for the rule and then select any other options as per your requirement.

By default, any new rule created is turned on. To apply this rule to all email accounts set up in Outlook, select the option "Create this rule on all accounts" on the last page of the Rules Wizard.

At the end, click Finish, when all the settings are applied.