How to Color-Code Calendar Events on MS Outlook Using Categories – Guide

The Microsoft Outlook calendar is a great tool for managing your time and energy. However, it can be difficult to read through the calendar because of its color-coding. Adding color to your appointments makes it easier to select related calendar items and understand what they are without having to read every word.

How to Color code Outlook calendar events using categories

Individual event colors

Outlook makes it easy to create and assign color categories, but not all users need them. In some cases, you may want to color-code some important events. You can do this quickly without digging through the color palette and strategizing across multiple categories.

ExtendOffice creates a new event in the Outlook calendar and saves it. You can then right-click the event to create a drop-down menu of custom options. Hover over the Categorize option to see a list of commonly used color categories. Choose your preferred color or click on the color palette to find a new color.

When using the single event option, be aware of the color categories already used. Overlapping with a category that does not match the event will cause confusion later. Use a completely new and unique color to highlight the event on the page. This will trigger your memory and indicate that the event is not related to other commonly used categories.

Outlook Calendar Color Meaning

When assigning colors to Outlook categories, it is important to keep in mind the following:

  1. Consistency and clarity are key when using color coding.
  2. Before creating color codes, make a list of possible categories and work on your internal organizational process.
  3. Once you have identified the categories that make the most sense, think about the color labels that visually highlight them on the page. ..

Create a key in a Word document or annotate it to landmarks. A sticky note showing the category and color designations is helpful for the first few weeks. After a while, labels become second nature and the key may run out. Throw it away. Share this key with colleagues when the calendar is shared. ..

Now that you’ve determined the colors each category represents, it’s time to define Outlook with these colors. Context Colors makes it easy to quickly create labels for each event on the calendar. ..

Creating color categories

To create a new color category, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Events tab on the ribbon and select New Event from the drop-down menu.
  2. In the New Event dialog box, enter a name for your event and click OK.
  3. On the Categories tab, under Category Name, click New Category to open the New Category dialog box.
  4. In the New Category dialog box, type a name for your new color category and click OK.
  5. On the Events tab, under your newly created color category name, select Add an Event to add an event to your category.
  6. Enter information about your event in the Add Event dialog box and click OK to add your event to your category. ..

After entering the event information in the tools, look for the “Categories” label. There is a link in the top header of the event creation dialog. Click the option to create a new dialog box listing all color categories. Click New and choose a color. Then add a name for the category before saving the new category and event. ..

Create a color category and repeat the same steps to create the next desired category.

The Outlook calendar color categories are: -Blue -Green -Gray -Brown

Final note

This guide will show you how to color-code calendar events on MS Outlook using categories. If you have any query about this article, please ask us. Also, please share your love by sharing this article with your friends.