Introduction

Let’s say you have two e-mail accounts you use in Windows Mail for Windows Vista. One account is for work and the other is personal. By default all e-mail is placed in the inbox regardless of which e-mail account it came from. Things can get a little confusing if e-mail from multiple accounts is saved in the same place.

This guide shows you how to sort your e-mail into folders based on account using message rules in Windows Mail for Windows Vista. Your work e-mail will be placed in a work folder and your personal e-mail will be placed in a personal folder.

Sort E-mail by Account

Create Folders

The first thing we need to do is create folders in Windows Mail where the sorted messages will go. Follow the steps below to create a folder for each e-mail address you want to sort.

1. Open Windows Mail.
2. Right-click Local Folders located at the top of the left sidebar and select New folder.
3. Type the name of this e-mail account as the folder name.

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4. Click OK to create the new folder.

Create a Message Rule

Now let’s create a rule that sorts e-mail by e-mail account. Do this for every e-mail account you use in Windows Mail.

1. Click Tools, point at Message Rules, and then select Mail.
2. Select the New Rules tab and then click New.
3. Scroll down the Conditions list and check off Where the message is from specified account.

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4. Check off Move it to the specified folder in the Actions list.

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5. Click specified (underlined and blue) in the Rules Description box in the Where the message is from the specified account line.
6. Select the account you want to sort and then click OK.

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7. Click specified in the Move it to the specified folder line.
8. Select the folder you want the e-mail placed in and then click OK.

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9. Give this rule a name under Name of the rule and then press OK.

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Apply the Rule to Existing E-mail

Once you’ve created a new message rule any mail that is received will be sorted by the rule. What if you already have an inbox full of e-mail that needs to be sorted. This section shows you how to apply a message rule to unsorted e-mail in your inbox.

1. Click Tools, point at Message Rules, and then select Mail.
2. Click Apply Now.

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3. Select the rule you want to apply and then click Apply Now.

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