how to create a template- the template drop fails to appear

Question

how to make the temp[late drop down appear in outlook classic?

Answer 1

Hi @Oconnell, Courtenay - FS, NM, 

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum. 

Thank you very much for reaching out regarding the missing template drop‑down in Classic Outlook.

After reviewing your question, I’d like to clarify how templates work in Classic Outlook for Windows, as this version does not include a built‑in “Template” drop‑down on the main ribbon. This is expected behavior in the Classic Outlook interface.  

Classic Outlook uses two different mechanisms for templates: 

1/ My Templates add‑in  

For inserting short text snippets. 

• To access it, please open New Email > go to the Message tab > select View Templates.  
• 
• If the My Templates button is missing, it may be disabled by your organization or affected by a past service incident that Microsoft has already fixed. Your organization’s IT admins may need to re‑enable the add‑in 

For your references:  

• Create an email message template - Microsoft Support 
• My Templates are missing from Outlook - Microsoft Support 

2/ Full email templates (.OFT)  

For complete, formatted email messages. 

• You can create one via File > Save As > Outlook Template (*.oft). 
• To use it later, please go to Home > New Items > More Items > Choose Form > User Templates in File System. 
• 

For your reference: Send an email message based on a template - Microsoft Support 

Because of these design choices, Classic Outlook does not provide a unified “Template” drop‑down button on the ribbon, and this cannot be enabled as a toggle or setting. 

3/ How you can access templates more quickly 

If you’d like faster access, you can manually add a Choose Form button to your ribbon. Please: 

• Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Choose commands from: All Commands > “Choose Form” > Add. 
• 
• This gives you one‑click access to your .OFT templates.  

(Note: the default folder selection cannot be changed.) 

4/ Submit Feedback to Microsoft 

As a forum moderator, I hope you understand that I don’t have the ability to modify or escalate product issues directly. However, I strongly recommend submitting your feedback through the Outlook · Community portal. This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered for future improvements.  

Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility.  

If you are unable to submit feedback from your side, please let me know and I will be happy to submit it on your behalf.   

Additionally, since many other users have expressed similar concerns but may not know where to submit feedback, if my response has helped you better understand the situation and guided you toward a possible next step, please mark it as the "Accepted Answer". Your action will help pin this post to the top, making it easier for others in the community who are experiencing the same issue to find your feedback and support it.    

I hope this information is helpful. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to reach out.   

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

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Answer 2

In classic Outlook for Windows there is no “Template” drop-down in the ribbon by default. Email templates are created and used through the standard File/Save As flow or via the My Templates add-in, not a built‑in “Template” menu.

To work with templates in classic Outlook for Windows, use one of these supported methods:

1. Create a full email template (.oft file)
   1. On the Home menu, select New Email.
   2. In the message body, enter the content that should be reused.
   3. Select File > Save As.
   4. In Save as type, choose Outlook Template.
   5. Give it a name and select Save.
   6. By default, templates are saved in: c:\users\*username*\appdata\roaming\microsoft\templates
2. Use the My Templates add‑in for text snippets
   1. Select New Email.
   2. On the Message tab, select My Templates to open the task pane.
   3. Select +Template.
   4. Enter a Title and the template text, then select Save.
   5. Saved snippets appear in the My Templates pane for quick insertion.
   6. If My Templates is missing, add-ins may be disabled by the organization; an administrator must enable them.

There is no setting that “turns on” a missing template drop-down in classic Outlook; instead, use the supported template mechanisms above.

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References:

• Create an email message template