Windows – Outlook Unread Messages System Tray Envelope Icon Not Showing when System Tray is minimized

It’s pretty old question but any way…perhaps this will help those who do not like pop-up message boxes. The rule wizard has an action “start application”. I have written a simple app which shows little envelope icon in the tray. When you double click on the icon it brings up Outlook window like original Outlook icon does (and no pop-up message boxes). The app and source code are uploaded on github, here.

You can download source code and compile the app by yourself or you can just download executable from bin folder as given here.

Point start application action to the app and it will show little envelope icon in the tray when rule is triggered.

Perhaps this will help those who do not like pop-up message boxes.

This information was obtained from this message board. http://forums.techguy.org/business-applications/695618-outlook-2003-mark-read-rule.html

The method that worked for me was as listed in the thread on the above site.

Adjust the rule by splitting into two sepearte rules.

Rule 1 should mark the message as read. Rule 2 should move the message to the specific folder.

You should be certian that the rules are listed in the order above (rule 1 showing before rule 2)