Outlook Quick Parts vs text expander
Outlook has several ways to save text you repeat. Find out which one your version has, how to use it and when a text expander suits you better.
If you write a lot of emails in Outlook, you probably repeat the same lines every day: confirmations, follow-ups, answers to the same questions. Outlook has tools to save them, but they change depending on the version you use.
In this guide we compare Quick Parts, AutoText, My Templates, mail templates and signatures with a text expander like NexoPad. You'll see the steps for each one, their limits and when what you already have is enough.
Short answer
If you only use the classic Outlook desktop app for Windows, Quick Parts is your best option. It's free, it's already included and NexoPad doesn't work in that app, because it's a browser extension.
If you use new Outlook or Outlook on the web, you have My Templates and mail templates. They work for fixed text, but inserting them takes several clicks and they don't ask for the details that change in each email.
If you write in Outlook on the web and on other sites too (Gmail, your CRM, a support chat), a text expander like NexoPad saves you more time. You type a shortcut like /hello and the text appears, with the name or date already filled in.
Outlook's options for repeated text
Quick Parts and AutoText
Blocks of text you save in a gallery and insert again from the Insert tab. They're in classic Outlook for Windows (Microsoft 365, 2024, 2021 and earlier versions).
My Templates
An add-in to save short texts and insert them from a side pane. It works in new Outlook, Outlook on the web and classic Outlook.
Mail templates and .oft
They save a whole email, with subject, formatting and attachments. In classic Outlook they're saved as an Outlook Template file (.oft).
Signatures
Your name, job title and contact details at the end of the email. You can have several signatures and choose which one is added automatically to new messages or replies.
Outlook's tools compared with a text expander
| Quick Parts | My Templates | NexoPad | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Classic Outlook for Windows (also in Word) | New Outlook, Outlook on the web and classic Outlook | Any website in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera and Brave, including Outlook on the web. Not in the desktop app |
| Variable details | Doesn't ask for details: you change the name or date by hand | No: plain text with basic styling only | Yes: name, date, fill-in fields and dropdown lists |
| Sync | Saved in a template on your computer | Saved in your primary mailbox and available in other Outlook versions | With your account, across browsers |
| Sharing with your team | By sending a template with the blocks | No shared library | Shared vault with NexoPad Teams (3 to 25 users) |
| How you insert it | Insert > Quick Parts > click the block | Open the My Templates pane and pick one | By typing a shortcut like /hello |
| Price | Included in classic Outlook | Requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription | Free Semilla plan; Pro $7/month or $49/year; Teams $12/user/month |
How to use Quick Parts in classic Outlook
Write and select the text
Open a new email, write the text you want to save and select it. If you want to keep the paragraph formatting, include the paragraph mark too.
Save it to the gallery
On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Quick Parts and choose Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery.
Give it a name
In the Create New Building Block dialog, type a name that's easy to remember, choose the gallery and category and click OK.
- Use short, clear names, like “Follow-up” or “Bank details”.
- Put texts that belong together in the same category.
Insert it in an email
Click where you want the text, open Insert > Quick Parts and click the block. If it doesn't show, right-click the gallery and choose Organize and Delete to see them all.
If you prefer AutoText
It works the same way, but it's saved in a different gallery. Go to Insert > Quick Parts > AutoText > Save Selection to AutoText Gallery. To insert it, go back to Quick Parts > AutoText and pick it.
How to use My Templates in new Outlook and on the web
Open the pane
Start a new email. On the Message tab of the ribbon, select My Templates. A pane opens on the right. In classic Outlook, the button is called View Templates.
Create a template
Click +Template, type a name in the Title field, paste the text in the box below and click Save.
Insert it
With the cursor in the email, open My Templates again and click the one you want. The text is added to the message.
If you don't see the button
Microsoft says your organization may have add-ins turned off. If so, ask whoever manages your email. You also need a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription.
Mail templates and .oft files
In new Outlook and on the web
Write the email and, on the Message ribbon, select Mail template > Save email as template. Give it a name and click Save. You can see them all in Settings > Mail > Templates.
In classic Outlook: save the .oft
Create a new email, go to File > Save As and, in the Save as type list, choose Outlook Template. It's saved as a file in the templates folder on your computer.
In classic Outlook: use it
Go to New Items > More Items > Choose Form. In Look In, choose User Templates in File System, select the template and click Open. Change what you need and send.
And signatures
Your signature is the most used reusable text. In new Outlook and on the web you create it in Settings > Accounts > Signatures > Add signature. In classic Outlook, from a new email, go to Message > Signature > Signatures.
Heads up: if you use both new Outlook and Outlook on the web, Microsoft notes that you need to create the signature in both. And in classic Outlook the signature is stored on the computer where you created it. For ideas on what to write, see our email signature guide.
Limits of Outlook's tools
- They change with the version. Quick Parts is in classic Outlook, but if you move to new Outlook you'll have to recreate your texts in My Templates.
- You insert them with clicks. Both Quick Parts and My Templates open from a menu or a pane. Typing a few letters isn't enough.
- They don't ask for details. The text goes in as is. If it includes a name, an order number or a date, you change it by hand in every email.
- My Templates is text only. Microsoft describes it as plain text with basic styling, meant for short snippets. For images, tables or attachments you need mail templates.
- Sharing is tricky. Quick Parts is shared by sending a template. With My Templates, in a shared mailbox the templates may stay available only to your account.
- They only work in Outlook. If you also reply from Gmail, your CRM or a support chat, you have to copy and paste.
What a text expander adds
A text expander saves your texts with a short shortcut. In NexoPad you type /followup in the body of the email and the text appears right away. No menus or panes to open.
The big difference is variables. {{first_name}} adds the name, {{date:+3_days}} gives you the date three days from now and with {{input:Order number}} NexoPad asks you for the detail before inserting. With {{dropdown:Time|morning|afternoon}} you pick an option from a list.
Plus, your texts work on any website: Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com and outlook.live.com), Gmail, your CRM or your support tool. They sync with your account across browsers. And if you work in a team, NexoPad Teams gives you a shared vault so everyone uses the same replies.
You also keep notes and links in the same place, and you can use AI with your own key (BYOK) to draft or improve texts. To see how it works in Outlook step by step, read our guide to text shortcuts in Outlook web.
Example reusable texts
Acknowledgment · /received
Hi {{first_name}}, I've received your message. I'll look into it and get back to you by {{date:+3_days}}. Thanks for writing.
Proposal follow-up · /followup
Hi {{first_name}}, did you get a chance to review the proposal I sent? If it works for you, let's talk on {{date:+3_days}} and go over any questions. Best regards.
Suggest a meeting · /meeting
Hi {{first_name}}, would a 20-minute call this week work for you? I'd prefer the {{dropdown:Time|morning|afternoon}}. Let me know which day suits you.
Sending an invoice · /invoice
Hi {{first_name}}, please find attached invoice {{input:Invoice number}}. Payment is due within 30 days. If you have any questions, just reply.
Thanks after a call · /thanks
Hi {{first_name}}, thanks for your time today. Here's a quick summary of what we discussed: {{input:Summary}}. I look forward to your feedback.
Contact details · /sig
Best regards, {{input:Your name}}. You can reach me at this email or call me Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00.
More templates to get started
You'll find many more ideas, ready to copy, in our template gallery. And if you also write from Gmail, see how to create Gmail templates and our comparison of Gmail templates vs text expander.
When to choose each one
Use Quick Parts if…
You always write from the classic Outlook desktop app for Windows. NexoPad doesn't work there, and Quick Parts is already included.
Use My Templates if…
You use new Outlook or Outlook on the web, you have a few fixed texts that hardly ever change and you only write in Outlook.
Use NexoPad if…
You write in Outlook on the web and on other sites, your texts include details that change, you want to insert with a shortcut or share replies with your team.
FAQ
Where are Quick Parts in Outlook?
In classic Outlook for Windows, inside a new email: Insert tab, Text group, Quick Parts button.
Does new Outlook have Quick Parts?
Microsoft's help on Quick Parts refers to classic Outlook. For new Outlook and the web, Microsoft suggests the My Templates add-in and mail templates.
What's the difference between Quick Parts and AutoText?
They work almost the same way and both are in the Quick Parts menu. AutoText is saved in its own gallery. Both insert the text as is.
Does My Templates support variables?
No. It inserts the text exactly as you saved it. If it includes a name or a date, you have to change it by hand in each email.
Does NexoPad work in the Outlook desktop app?
No. NexoPad is a browser extension, so it works in Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com and outlook.live.com), but not in the Outlook app for Windows or Mac.
Can I use My Templates and NexoPad together?
Yes. They don't get in each other's way. You can keep the texts you already have in Outlook and use NexoPad for the ones with variable details or that you also use outside Outlook.
How much does NexoPad cost?
It has a free plan, Semilla, for basic use in one browser at a time. Pro costs $7/month or $49/year, with a 7-day free trial. Teams costs $12 per user per month ($96/year) and includes a shared vault for teams of 3 to 25 people.
Can I share my Outlook texts with my team?
With Quick Parts, by sending a template that contains them. My Templates has no shared library. With NexoPad Teams, the whole team uses the same vault of replies.
Published on October 18, 20269 min read
Communication: ready-to-use templates
Copy them or add them to NexoPad and type them with a shortcut.
- Out-of-office auto-reply
/ooo - Ask for a meeting
/meeting - Meeting follow-up
/recap - Reschedule a meeting
/reschedule
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