Windows 10 Mail app now with ‘Focused Inbox’ and ‘Mentions’ features

Microsoft rolls out update for its Mail and Calendar apps with new features, including Focused Inbox, Mentions, interesting calendars, and summary cards.

Windows 10 Mail app with Focused Inbox

The Mail and Calendar apps on Windows 10 get a new update with a few new features, though the most noticeable addition is Focused Inbox, a feature that Microsoft first released on the Outlook app for Android and iOS, but now it’s available for Windows 10 users.

In addition, Calendar is also getting an update bringing features like colored categories, interesting calendars, and travel reservations and package deliveries support.

Mail Focused Inbox & Mentions

Focused Inbox is a feature that allows you to break your inbox into two sections that filters the most important emails into the new Focused section, and the less relevant messages, such as newsletters and offers will appear in the Other section.

Microsoft uses machine-learning to learn your habits and identify low-priority emails, which thus far has worked well on the Outlook app for mobile devices. However, Focused Inbox for Mail on Windows 10 is limited to Outlook.com and Office 365 accounts, even though the same functionality also works for Gmail and Google Apps accounts on the mobile version of the app.

You can improve the feature by manually adding emails to your Focused Inbox, just right-click the email and select “Move to Focused” or “Move to Other” options.

Focused Inbox for Windows 10 Mail is enabled by default, but it’s a feature you can quickly disable if it’s not for you. Simply go to the app’s Settings > Reading and turning off the option.

In this release, the email client for Windows 10 is also getting Mentions, a feature that allows you to brings others to the conversation. Simply add the @ symbol in the body of the email to include a new contact, letting the person know that they’ve been tagged in the email. If the person isn’t part of the conversation already, then they’ll be added to the “To:” line to receive a copy of the message.

Windows 10 Mail Mentions
Windows 10 Mail Mentions

Calendar improvements

Alongside the new Mail improvements, the Calendar app for Windows 10 is getting some changes as well. In this new version, Microsoft is adding colors to highlight categories, interesting calendars, and support for travel reservations and package deliveries.

Colors on categories gives you the ability to quickly scan and visually associate similar events.

Windows 10 Calendar Color categories
Windows 10 Calendar Color categories

Interesting Calendars is a new feature that allows you to keep track of TV shows schedules and your favorite sport teams.

Travel reservations and package deliveries is perhaps the most useful addition in the release. With the feature when you have a travel reservation or package tracking event a card will pop in your inbox and calendar to quickly jump into the event details, so you can check flight information, change hotel reservation or track your package status and more.

Windows 10 Calendar Travel Reservations and Package Deliveries
Windows 10 Calendar Travel Reservations and Package Deliveries

The new feature is enabled by default, but you can always change settings by using the “events in email” settings on your account on the web. Other changes include a new option to add Skype for online meetings, improvements on the locations feature, and a people picker to quickly select contacts.

The new update for Mail & Calendar is rolling out now, but it’ll take some time to reach everyone.

Source Microsoft

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.