Email messaging services are essential today for the efficient operation of multiple activities. In fact, it is practically necessary for people to have an email address where they can receive messages from different sources. In many places it is a requirement to obtain a document, a job application, open bank accounts, social networks, etc.
Outlook is one of those email services that offers us many resources to be able to organize the messages in the inbox. Depending on our activities, we may have to frequently check our Outlook account to see the messages that arrive to us. Going to the web and opening a browser just to check email can be tedious. In this article we are going to show how to create a shortcut to Outlook to quickly open our messaging server.
What should you do to get direct access to your email account?
If you want to access your email quickly to see the received messages then it is convenient to create a shortcut. If you have your messages well organized and have direct access to your account, you will save a lot of time. Next, we explain how to do it with the computer, be it with the Windows or Mac operating system.
On your Windows computer
When installing Microsoft Office programs on the computer, we can create a shortcut for any of them. If we didn’t do it at the time, but now we want to create it, then we can do it easily. To do this on your Windows computer, proceed as follows.
If we use Windows 10 we must click on the Windows key and then in ‘All programs’ we look for Outlook. Once we locate it, we click on it and drag it to the desktop. The shortcut for Outlook will be created automatically.
We can also right click on Outlook and then select ‘Open file location’. In the new window we locate and right click again on Outlook and select ‘Create shortcut’. This will prompt a message asking if you want to create the desktop shortcut. Hit ‘Yes’ to finish.
For versions of Windows 8 or earlier, we click on the Windows key and then in ‘All Programs’ we locate the Outlook icon and right click. Then we select the option ‘Open file location’, we click on the name of the program and in ‘Send to’ we choose ‘Desktop (Create shortcut)’ and that’s it.
with your mac
If you have a Mac or switched to one after Windows, you can also create shortcuts to your files or programs. In Mac OS shortcuts are renamed by an ‘Alias’. The procedure to create shortcuts or Aliases with your Mac is just as simple and fast as it is with Windows. Follow the steps indicated below.
First, we locate the file, folder or program to which we want to create the direct access, in this case Outlook. Then we right click on the name or icon and from the displayed options window we choose ‘Create Alias’. The access will be created in the same location that Outlook has, it only remains to copy or cut it to paste it on the desktop or the site that we want.
Another simpler method is to locate the icon of the Outlook program and then simultaneously press the Alt + Command keys, click on it and drag it to the place where we want to create the alias or shortcut.
How can you add a shortcut to your Outlook mail app from mobile?
One of the advantages that Outlook offers us is that it is multiplatform. We can use it on desktop computers and laptops with the Windows or Mac OS system. Also on mobile devices with Android or iOS system. For the latter, it has particular mobile applications.
With an iOS device
Once the Outlook app for iOS is installed, the icon will automatically appear on the home screen of your device. If you don’t have the app installed and want to access Outlook from the web, follow the steps below.
Open Safari and search for Outlook on the web, once the main page is open, locate the ‘Share’ option at the bottom. From the options choose ‘Add to the home screen’, we can change the name or leave it as it is and accept or ‘Add’. The direct access to the website will appear on the home screen of the mobile.
On an Android mobile
As in iOS, the Outlook icon will automatically appear on the home screen of your Android once you install the mobile application. If you do not have the application installed and you want to create a shortcut to a web page, in our case to the official Outlook site, proceed as follows.
From your mobile browser, go to the official Outlook website and go to the three-dot icon in the upper right next to the search window. Several options will appear from which you must choose ‘Add to main screen’. You can change the name or leave it as it is and then hit ‘Add’ and that’s it.
What is the procedure to add Outlook widgets on your mobile or PC desktop?
Outlook widgets are built-in elements that allow you to quickly access Outlook features with a single click. To add it to the home screen of the mobile, press for a few moments somewhere empty on the screen until the option to add widgets appears.
Find the Outlook widget you want and tap it, then drag it somewhere on the screen. Release it and a widget settings window will open, configure and press ‘Add widgets’.