How to set a reminder in Outlook
To set a reminder in Outlook, open the calendar event and choose a time from the Reminder dropdown, such as 15 minutes or 1 day before. To be reminded about an email, flag it with Follow Up and pick a time, or choose Custom to set your own. To change the reminder that every new event gets, set a default reminder in Outlook's calendar settings.
The steps differ slightly between the new Outlook for Windows, classic Outlook, Outlook on the web and the mobile app, so each is covered below, along with what to check when reminders don't appear. By default, Outlook reminds you 15 minutes before an event.
Steps were checked against Microsoft Support on 7 October 2026. Outlook's menus change often, so labels may differ slightly in your version.
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Which Outlook are you using?
Microsoft now has several versions of Outlook, and reminder settings live in different places in each. Find yours first.
| Version | How to recognize it | Reminder settings |
|---|---|---|
| New Outlook for Windows | Looks like Outlook on the web, with a Settings gear at the top right | Settings, then Calendar, then Events and invitations |
| Classic Outlook | Has a File tab and the traditional ribbon | File, then Options, then Calendar |
| Outlook on the web | Runs in your browser, including Outlook.com | Settings, then Calendar, then Events and invitations |
| Outlook mobile | The Outlook app on iPhone or Android | Settings, then Notifications, then Calendar |
How to add a reminder to an Outlook calendar event
Each event can have its own reminder, set when you create it or changed later.
In new Outlook or Outlook on the web
Select Calendar, open the event, then choose a time from the Reminder dropdown. Choose Don't remind me to remove the reminder.
In classic Outlook
Open the event and, on the Appointment tab, choose a time from the Reminder dropdown. Choose None to turn the reminder off.
For a recurring meeting
Open the whole series rather than one occurrence if you want the new reminder to apply every time.
On your phone
Reminders you set in Outlook sync to the mobile app. To choose how they alert you, open the app's Settings, then Notifications, then Calendar.
How to change the default reminder time
The default reminder applies to new events you create, so you don't have to set one each time.
In new Outlook or Outlook on the web
Go to Settings, then Calendar, then Events and invitations. Under Events you create, choose a time from the Default reminder dropdown.
In classic Outlook
Select File, then Options, then Calendar. Under Calendar options, tick Default reminders and choose the time.
Pick a useful default
The standard 15 minutes is fine for calls at your desk. If you often need to travel or prepare, 30 minutes or an hour gives you time to act on it.
How to set a reminder for an email
In classic Outlook, select the email, choose Follow Up, then a time such as Today, Tomorrow, This Week or Next Week. Choose Custom, or Add Reminder, to pick an exact date and time. You can do the same on an email you are about to send, so you get a reminder to check for a reply.
In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, flag the email. Flagged emails can appear in the Flagged email list in Microsoft To Do, where you can add a due date and a reminder time. When you need someone else to act, Outlook can also add a flag and reminder for the recipient, but Microsoft suggests using that sparingly, since not everyone welcomes reminders added to their Outlook.
Turn on reminder pop-ups and sounds
A reminder only helps if it reaches you. Check that Outlook is allowed to show it.
In new Outlook or Outlook on the web
Go to Settings, then General, then Notifications. Turn on Calendar, then choose whether you want a popup reminder and a sound. In a browser, reminders only appear while Outlook on the web is open.
In classic Outlook
Select File, then Options, then Advanced. In the Reminders section, tick Show reminders, and Show reminders on top of other windows if you want them to stay visible.
On your phone
In the Outlook app, open Settings, then Notifications, then Calendar. Also check that Outlook is allowed to send notifications in your phone's own settings.
If Outlook reminders don't show up
Most missing reminders come from one of these settings.
The event has no reminder
Open it and check the Reminder dropdown. Invitations from other people may arrive with a different reminder, or none.
Reminders are switched off
Turn Show reminders back on in classic Outlook, or the Calendar notifications toggle in new Outlook. If the option is greyed out, your organization manages it, so ask your IT team.
Windows is blocking notifications
Make sure Do not disturb or Focus is off, Outlook is allowed under Windows notifications, and Battery Saver isn't on. A Do not disturb status in Teams can also hold back Outlook notifications.
The browser tab is closed
Outlook on the web can only remind you while it is open. Keep a tab open, or use the desktop or mobile app.
Reminders that reach you outside Outlook
Outlook reminders appear where Outlook is running, and they belong to your work or Microsoft account. For personal reminders, or ones you need to see away from your desk, Pokobot sends them as WhatsApp messages at the time you set.
Pokobot doesn't connect to Outlook; its calendar link works with Google Calendar. You set reminders by sending a message in plain English. Every feature is free for 7 days with no card required, then a paid subscription.
Remind me tomorrow at 8am to bring the laptop chargerOpen in WhatsApp - Meeting reminders on WhatsAppA prep reminder as well as the alert before the meeting.
- How to set reminders in Google CalendarIncluding WhatsApp alerts for Google Calendar events.
remind me at 5pm to send the weekly reportevery Monday at 9am remind me to plan the weekremind me tomorrow at 8am to bring the laptop chargerQuestions, answered
- How do I set a reminder in Outlook?
- Open the calendar event and choose a time from the Reminder dropdown. In classic Outlook it is on the Appointment tab; in new Outlook and Outlook on the web it is in the event window. Choose Don't remind me, or None, to remove it.
- How do I change the default reminder in Outlook?
- In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, go to Settings, then Calendar, then Events and invitations, and choose a Default reminder. In classic Outlook, go to File, then Options, then Calendar, and set Default reminders.
- How do I set a reminder for an email in Outlook?
- In classic Outlook, select the email, choose Follow Up and pick a time, or choose Custom or Add Reminder for an exact time. In new Outlook and on the web, flag the email; it appears in Microsoft To Do, where you can add a reminder.
- Why are my Outlook reminders not showing?
- Check that the event has a reminder, that reminders are turned on in Outlook, that Windows Do not disturb or Focus isn't blocking notifications, and, for Outlook on the web, that the tab is open. If the setting is greyed out, your organization controls it.
- How do I turn off reminders in Outlook?
- For one event, choose Don't remind me or None in its Reminder dropdown. For all new events, clear the default reminder in calendar settings. To stop pop-ups entirely, turn off calendar notifications in Settings or clear Show reminders in classic Outlook.
- Can Outlook send reminders to my phone?
- Yes, through the Outlook mobile app. Reminders sync from your account, and you can control how they alert you in the app's Settings, then Notifications, then Calendar, and in your phone's notification settings.
- Does Pokobot work with Outlook?
- Not directly. Pokobot's calendar connection works with Google Calendar. You can still set any reminder by sending it to Pokobot in WhatsApp, and it arrives as a message at the time you choose.