Receiving Visual or Audio Notification When New Messages Arrive

You can change how Outlook notifies you when new messages arrive. Outlook can notify you by displaying a text message, playing a sound, or changing the appearance of your mouse pointer.

StepMouse actionsKeyboard actions
1

On the Tools menu:

  • Select Options.

Display the Tools menu by pressing ALT+T.

  • Select Options by pressing O.
2

On the Preferences tab, in the E-mail area:

  • Select E-mail Options.

On the Preferences tab:

  • Select E-mail Options by pressing M.
3

In the E-mail Options dialog box, in the Message handling area:

  • Select or clear the Display a notification message when new mail arrives check box.

In the E-mail Options dialog box, in the Message handling area:

  • Select or clear the Display a notification message when new mail arrives check box by pressing ALT+N.
4

If you would like to be notified by a sound and a change in the appearance of your mouse cursor:

  • Select Advanced E-mail Options.

If you would like to be notified by a sound and a change in the appearance of your mouse cursor:

  • Select Advanced E-mail Options by pressing ALT+A.
5

In the Advanced E-mail Options dialog box, in the When new items arrive area:

  • Select or clear the check box for the options you want.

In the Advanced E-mail Options dialog box, in the When new items arrive area:

  • Select or clear the Play a sound check box by pressing ALT+P.
  • Select or clear the Briefly change the mouse cursor check box by pressing ALT+B.
6

To close the Advanced E-mail Options dialog box:

  • Select OK.

To close the Advanced E-mail Options dialog box:

  • Press ENTER.
7

To close the E-mail Options dialog box:

  • Select OK.

To close the E-mail Options dialog box:

  • Press the TAB key to move to OK.
  • Press ENTER.
8

To close the Options dialog box:

  • Select OK.

To close the Options dialog box:

  • Press the TAB key to move to OK.
  • Press ENTER.