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Create a Keyboard Shortcut to Your Open Outlook Inbox
Posted by Kevin Purdy at 10:30 PM on July 9, 2008
The How-To Geek offers a quick guide to creating a shortcut that Outlook users and inbox addicts might find helpful/irresistible—a keyboard switch to pull up your Outlook screen, whether it's open, closed, or minimized. The trick is creating or copying a standard Outlook shortcut, and adding a /recycle switch to the end of the "Target" field, forcing Windows to switch to an open window if one's available. The trick makes Outlook easier to keep minimised, and super-convenient to pull up for a quick email check, if that's your style. Got another shortcut that makes good use of the /recycle option? Share it in the comments.
Tags: keyboard shortcuts | organise | outlook | shortcuts | windows
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
AnarchicError
Posted 10:59 PM 9/7/08
For that matter why don't you just use GMAIL! Nice Kevin
AnarchicError
Kandy477
Posted 10:48 PM 9/7/08
Why not just use Launchy? Plus, you can also set it up to open up new emails, tasks, and appointments easily.
Kandy477
mfresco
Posted 11:35 PM 9/7/08
@ Kandy477, thank you for reminding me of that feature.
@ Anarchi, couldn't agree me more - unfortunately some of us are stuck with outlook in the corporates.
mfresco
strabes
Posted 11:46 PM 9/7/08
Does anyone know if there is something similar to /recycle on linux? It's not needed on OS X, but this would really really simplify things for my parents (running ubuntu).
strabes
kengray
Posted 11:44 PM 9/7/08
"a"
@Kandy477: why add one more program to your system to do something you can already do (e.g. you can crate new emails and tasks with the same method and put all those copied shortcuts into one folder for easy management). Personally I have a macro program that I use for stuff like this (along with a FingerWorks keyboard).
kengray
bobbo33
Posted 12:26 AM 10/7/08
You can use Outlook command line switches to create shortcuts for all kinds of things, like create new messages, appointments, go to specific folder, etc. See: [office.microsoft.com]
And for advanced users, check out [www.outlookcode.com] to see the available VBA (i.e. macros) and VBS (can be run from a shortcut) to really power-up your Outlook workflows.
bobbo33
kleinfelter
Posted 12:29 AM 10/7/08
Ummm... Did I miss something? The article title says, "...Open Outlook Inbox," but the shortcut switches to your Open Outlook whatever.
Is there a single-keystroke way to switch to the Outlook *inbox*? (I know about ctrl-1 switching to the mail view once you're in Outlook. I'm interested in going from whatever I'm doing, directly to my *Inbox*, regardless of what view or folder was open in Outlook.)
kleinfelter
mochamatt
Posted 1:33 AM 10/7/08
Nice tip.
To do this in Launchy, add the path (c:\program...) to the program column in the Runner plugin and add "/recycle" to the argument column, give it a name, like "inbox" maybe, and you're set. Definitely better than Alt-Tabbing through everything to get to your inbox.
I guess that this technically takes you to your "Mailbox," not your "Inbox," but it's pretty close.
mochamatt
mrsilver
Posted 1:04 AM 10/7/08
@kleinfelter: This website suggests using /select outlook:inbox to change the view to your inbox.
mrsilver
The How-To Geek
Posted 2:36 AM 10/7/08
The /select option only works when opening a new window, unfortunately.
What you need to do is set your startup folder to your inbox for the shortcut to always go to the inbox. ( Tools\Options\Other\Advanced Options)
I probably could have been more clear in the article, will update to prevent future confusion.
The How-To Geek
Jason
Posted 9:38 AM 10/7/08
If Outlook shows up as your email client in your Start menu, just type WIN then 'e'. Piece o' cake.
Jason
gcm
Posted 1:10 PM 10/7/08
And ofcourse in trusty AHK (autohotkey), I have a shortcut (windows-o) to invoke outlook.
#o::Run C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE /recycle
Take care that if you give #o::Run outlook /recycle, it will not run. You need to give the full path, if you are going to be using command line arguments such as /recycle.
gcm
Luke
Posted 3:05 PM 10/7/08
I have a ton of windows open at work. Now, rather than hunting for the window I want, I can re-launch with Launchy / AHK. With the /recycle switch, it will show the window if it's already open... love it.
Luke
-Bob
Posted 4:44 AM 10/7/08
CTRL+Shift+I will take you to your Outlook Inbox from any Outlook view or folder.
My fav tip is a Quick Launch shortcut to create a new message.
Create a shortcut to your Outlook.exe file and add [/c ipm.note] to the end of the shortcut "Target"
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE" /c ipm.note
(note: the Office12 number is different depending on which ver you are running)
-Bob