Juggling emails, tasks, calendar events, and to-dos across different apps is exhausting. Microsoft has designed Outlook and Microsoft To Do to work together seamlessly, creating a unified productivity system where your flagged emails automatically become tasks, your tasks appear in your calendar, and everything syncs across all your devices. This guide shows you exactly how to connect Outlook with Microsoft To Do and build a workflow that keeps everything organized in one place.
What Is Microsoft To Do?
Microsoft To Do is a free task management app available on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and web. It’s the evolution of Wunderlist (acquired by Microsoft) and is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365. When you flag an email in Outlook, it automatically appears in To Do. When you create a task in To Do, it syncs to Outlook Tasks. The two applications share the same underlying task system — making them a natural pair for managing email-generated action items.
How Outlook and To Do Work Together
Flagged Emails Become Tasks
The most powerful integration feature: flagging an email in Outlook automatically creates a task in Microsoft To Do’s “Flagged email” list. The task links back to the original email so you can always access the full context. Set a due date and reminder on the task in To Do, and a reminder notification will fire at the right time. This creates a seamless loop: receive email, flag it (one click), and it appears in your task list with a reminder — no more forgotten follow-ups.
Tasks Sync Between Outlook and To Do
Any task you create in Outlook Tasks (Ctrl+Shift+K) automatically appears in Microsoft To Do’s “Tasks” list. Conversely, tasks created in To Do sync back to Outlook Tasks. This means you can manage tasks from whichever app is most convenient — on your phone in To Do, or in Outlook while processing email — and everything stays synchronized automatically.
Setting Up the Integration
Step 1: Download Microsoft To Do
Download Microsoft To Do from the Microsoft Store (Windows), App Store (iOS), or Google Play (Android), or use the web version at todo.microsoft.com. Sign in with your Microsoft account or Microsoft 365 work account — the same account you use in Outlook.
Step 2: Enable the Outlook-To Do Sync
The integration is enabled automatically when you use the same Microsoft account in both apps. In Microsoft To Do, you’ll see a “Flagged email” list appear in the sidebar — this is populated automatically from your Outlook flagged emails. In Outlook, go to the Tasks view (Ctrl+4) and verify that tasks created in To Do appear there. No additional configuration is needed — it works out of the box.
Step 3: Set Up the My Day Feature
Microsoft To Do’s “My Day” is a daily focus list where you curate what you’ll accomplish today. Each morning, open To Do → My Day → tap the lightbulb icon to see suggestions (tasks with today’s due date, overdue tasks, and tasks from recently flagged emails). Add the most important ones to My Day. This creates a focused daily task list that helps you prioritize rather than being overwhelmed by everything in your inbox and task list.
Building an Effective Email-to-Task Workflow
- Process email in batches (2-3 times daily instead of constantly)
- For emails requiring action: flag them immediately — they become tasks in To Do
- Set due dates on flagged emails that have deadlines
- Archive emails that require no action (keeps inbox at zero)
- Each morning, review To Do’s My Day and plan your top priorities
- Mark tasks complete in To Do (removes the flag from the Outlook email automatically)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does Microsoft To Do work without a Microsoft 365 subscription?
Yes — Microsoft To Do is completely free and works with a free Microsoft account (Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live). The Outlook flagged email integration works with Microsoft 365 accounts (work/school) for the richest experience, but basic task management in To Do requires no subscription. The app is one of Microsoft’s best free offerings.
Can I integrate To Do with Teams as well?
Yes — Microsoft To Do integrates with Microsoft Teams through the Tasks app in Teams (which is powered by To Do and Planner). You can view your To Do personal tasks in Teams, and Teams tasks from Planner can appear in To Do. Go to the Teams app bar → click the ellipsis → find “Tasks by Planner and To Do” to add it. This creates a unified task view across Teams, Outlook, and To Do.
Want to set up a specific Outlook + To Do workflow for your job? Leave a comment describing your role and how you work, and our team will suggest the optimal configuration.