Today’s Unread Mail folder

My "Today's Unread Mail" Search Folder is pretty much the folder where I live in Outlook.

As the name suggests, it contains all the emails I've received today but haven't read yet. Since it is a Search Folder, it doesn't matter in which folder I have received the message.

I also have it configured to show my Drafts and Outbox folder to easily see the emails I'm working on.

Creating the Today's Unread Mail folder

1. Start with a New Search folder:
• Keyboard shortcut: CTRL+SHIFT+P
• Right click on “Search Folders” in the Folder Pane and choose; New Search Folder…
2. Scroll to the bottom of the New Search Folder dialog and choose:
   Custom-> Create a custom Search Folder
3. Press the "Choose…" button.
4. Name: Today's Unread Mail
5. Press the "Criteria…" button.
6. On the Messages tab set the following condition:
   Time: received today
7. On the More Choices tab set the following condition:
   Only items that are: unread
8. Press OK.
9. Press the "Browse…" button.
10. Deselect the option "Outlook Today" and select the following folders;
    Drafts, Inbox, Outbox
    (Note: of course you can select more top folders if you want, like the “Junk E-mail” folder to really see all your email that you have received today)
11. Verify that the option "Search in subfolders" is enabled.
12. Press OK to close the open dialog.

See which new messages from today you haven't read.

Grouping the messages by folder

To keep the items sorted, I have the view set to "Arrange By Folder" and have "Show in Groups" enabled.

• Simplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
  View-> Arrange By-> Folder
  View-> Arrange By-> Show in Groups
• Classic Ribbon
  View-> Arrangement Gallery-> Folder
  View-> bottom right expand icon of the Arrangement Gallery-> Show in Groups

To really finish it off, I've placed the Today's Unread Mail folder on the top my Favorites list and have configured Outlook to startup in that folder.

• File-> Options-> Advanced-> Start Outlook in this folder