How to make Outlook Calendar reminders stay on top in Windows 7

Question

I'm just starting to use Windows 7 and I want to know how to make my Outlook reminders pop up and show themselves prominently. They keep opening discreetly, as just another window in the Outlook stack on the taskbar. As a result, I keep overlooking them because they pop up behind everything else.

How do I make them less easy to overlook?

(Clearly, one usually doesn't want obnoxious apps that push themselves to the forefront. But there are a few places where such behavior is desirable, and Outlook calendar reminders are one of them.)

Answer 1

I had the same problem with Outlook 2010. Use the steps mentioned below, it works like a charm. Don't forget to enable all macros: Trust Center > Macro Settings.

• Create a Digital certificate for later: Hit Start and type 'certificate', select 'Digital Certificate for VBA Projects'
• Enter a name for your certificate. Click OK. Open Outlook and hit Alt + F11 to start the VBA editor.
• In the tree on the left, expand 'Microsoft Office Outlook Objects' and double click on 'ThisOutlookSession'

• Paste in this code:

  Private Declare PtrSafe Function FindWindowA Lib "user32" _
  (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
  
  Private Declare PtrSafe Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" ( _
  ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal hWndInsertAfter As Long, _
  ByVal X As Long, ByVal Y As Long, ByVal cx As Long, _
  ByVal cy As Long, ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long
  
  Private Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
  Private Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
  Private Const FLAGS As Long = SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE
  Private Const HWND_TOPMOST = -1
  
  Private Sub Application_Reminder(ByVal Item As Object)
  Dim ReminderWindowHWnd As Variant
  On Error Resume Next
  ReminderWindowHWnd = FindWindowA(vbNullString, "1 Reminder")
  SetWindowPos ReminderWindowHWnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, FLAGS
  
  End Sub
  

• Sign the Macro so it will run: Tools > Digital Signature... and choose the certificate you created earlier

• Close the VBA window
• Enable all macros in File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings

Answer 2

AutoHotKey can also be used to solve this. This script will put the reminder window on top without stealing focus (tested with Win10 / Outlook 2013)

TrayTip Script, Looking for Reminder window to put on top, , 16
SetTitleMatchMode  2 ; windows contains
loop {
  WinWait, Reminder(s), 
  WinSet, AlwaysOnTop, on, Reminder(s)
  WinRestore, Reminder(s)
  TrayTip Outlook Reminder, You have an outlook reminder open, , 16
  WinWaitClose, Reminder(s), ,30
}

AHK Script - Compiled EXE

Answer 3

The best answer I've found is here: How to get Outlook appointment reminders to pop up in front of other windows again using some simple VBA.

It entails adding a few lines of simple VBA code to "ThisOutlookSession". Now, it pops up a window every time. Much better.

• Create a Digital certificate for later
• Hit Start and type ‘certificate’, select ‘Digital Certificate for VBA Projects’
• Enter a name for your certificate
• Done
• Open Outlook and hit Alt + F11 to start the VBA editor.
• In the tree on the left, expand ‘Microsoft Office Outlook Objects' and double click on ‘ThisOutlookSession’

• Paste in this code, modifying the text in quotes to suit your preferences. Leave the quotes in.

  Private Sub Application_Reminder(ByVal Item As Object)
  
  
      If TypeOf Item Is AppointmentItem Then
      MsgBox "Message text", vbSystemModal, "Message title"
      End If
  
  
  End Sub
  

• Sign the Macro so it will run by going to Tools > Digital Signature… and choosing the certificate you created earlier

• Close the VBA window

Answer 4

As of Version 1803 (February 2018), the "Show reminders on top of other windows" option is now available. It does not appear to be enabled by default.

Answer 5

There is no way. Our company tried escalating it to Microsoft directly. One thing people do here is assign it a more obnoxious sound, to help notice it. But Microsoft has told us it is by design.

Answer 6

Same as Gullu's anwer above but with change to accommodate different window title:

Private Declare PtrSafe Function FindWindowA Lib "user32" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

Private Declare PtrSafe Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal hWndInsertAfter As Long, ByVal X As Long, ByVal Y As Long, ByVal cx As Long, ByVal cy As Long, ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long

Private Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Private Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
Private Const FLAGS As Long = SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE
Private Const HWND_TOPMOST = -1

'// TO ACCOUNT FOR WINDOW TITLE CHANGING WITH NOTIFICATION COUNT:
Private Sub Application_Reminder(ByVal Item As Object)
    Dim ReminderWindowHWnd As Variant
    'On Error Resume Next
    On Error GoTo err
    'Loop 25 times as FindWindowA needs exact title which varies according to number of reminder items...
    Dim iReminderCount As Integer
    For iReminderCount = 1 To 25
        'Try two syntaxes...
        ReminderWindowHWnd = FindWindowA(vbNullString, iReminderCount & " Reminder"): SetWindowPos ReminderWindowHWnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, FLAGS
        ReminderWindowHWnd = FindWindowA(vbNullString, iReminderCount & " Reminder(s)"): SetWindowPos ReminderWindowHWnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, FLAGS
    Next
Exit Sub
err:
    Debug.Print err.Number & " - " & err.Description & " (iReminderCount = " & iReminderCount & ")"
    Resume Next
End Sub

Answer 7

This was bugging me too. After some intense searching I found a partial answer: http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/hidden-outlook-reminders-t3972914.html

If you change the "Taskbar buttons" setting under the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" to "Never combine," then the grouping separates and the reminder pops-up in front of whatever else you have open.

I tried to test it and found that it was inconsistent; one time it stayed hidden behind what I was working on, and another time it popped up front. In both cases there was an icon on the task bar that looked different from Outlook itself, so there was at least a chance that I would notice it.

Answer 8

I used Filebox eXtender and when the first reminder comes in I open it and click the new 'pin' icon at the top right of the caption bar. Then when the next reminder comes in, it comes in the foreground...

Answer 9

I found an addin called ShowReminders (http://www.sagelamp.com/pages/showreminders.aspx), which brings the reminders window to the top. It even works when you minimize the reminder window.

Answer 10

I finally find a simple solution using Outlook VBA and a simple EXE.

Here is how to never missed outlook meeting appointment again.

Why a stand alone exe application just for this purpose? Well I had the the big red box embeded in the VBA, but that solution was full of problem (I believe it is because I have to use hwnd and other unusual system property to keep the big red box on top) . So to make things simpler why not a basic EXE that do one thing. You can use free tools from microsoft (Visual studio Community 2015 is free).

This is the EXE code. simple windows form application with one form. Compile this code.

Imports System.Timers
Public Class Form1
    Dim tTimer As New Timer
    Public Sub New()
        InitializeComponent()
        Me.StartPosition = Windows.Forms.FormStartPosition.CenterScreen
        Me.TopMost = True
        Me.TopLevel = True
    End Sub
    Private Sub Form1_DoubleClick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.DoubleClick
        Application.Exit()
    End Sub 
    Private Sub Form1_Shown(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Shown
        flashingQuick()
    End Sub
    Sub flashingQuick()
        tTimer.Start()
        AddHandler tTimer.Elapsed, New ElapsedEventHandler(AddressOf TimerTick)
    End Sub
    Sub TimerTick(ByVal source As [Object], ByVal e As ElapsedEventArgs)
        Dim theTimer As System.Timers.Timer = DirectCast(source, System.Timers.Timer)
        theTimer.Interval = 500
        theTimer.Enabled = True
        If Me.BackColor = System.Drawing.SystemColors.Control Then
            Me.BackColor = Color.Red
        Else
            Me.BackColor = System.Drawing.SystemColors.Control
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

And this is all I need in the outlook VBA. Put this in ThisOutlookSession

Private Sub Application_Reminder(ByVal Item As Object)
    On Error Resume Next
    If Item.MessageClass <> "IPM.Appointment" Then
      Exit Sub
    End If
    Dim sAPPData As String
    Dim sFileName As String
    sAPPData = Environ("AppData")
    sFileName = "\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\BigRedBox\BigRedBox.exe"
    If Dir(sAPPData & sFileName) <> "" Then
        Call Shell(sAPPData & sFileName)
    End If
End Sub

Answer 11

This is an enhanced version of tbone's answer which works on German versions.

Private Declare PtrSafe Function FindWindowA Lib "user32" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Private Declare PtrSafe Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal hWndInsertAfter As Long, ByVal X As Long, ByVal Y As Long, ByVal cx As Long, ByVal cy As Long, ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long
Private Declare PtrSafe Function BringWindowToTop Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Boolean
Private Declare PtrSafe Function SetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Boolean
Private Declare PtrSafe Function SetFocus Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long

Private Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Private Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
Private Const FLAGS As Long = SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE
Private Const HWND_TOPMOST = -1

Private Sub Application_Reminder(ByVal Item As Object)
    Dim ReminderWindowHWnd As Variant
    On Error GoTo err
    'Loop 25 times as FindWindowA needs exact title which varies according to number of reminder items...
    Dim iReminderCount As Integer
    For iReminderCount = 1 To 25
        'Try two syntaxes...

        ReminderWindowHWnd = FindWindowA(vbNullString, iReminderCount & " Erinnerung")
        SetWindowPos ReminderWindowHWnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, FLAGS
        BringWindowToTop (ReminderWindowHWnd)
        SetForegroundWindow ReminderWindowHWnd
        SetFocus ReminderWindowHWnd

        ReminderWindowHWnd = FindWindowA(vbNullString, iReminderCount & " Erinnerung(en)")
        SetWindowPos ReminderWindowHWnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, FLAGS
        BringWindowToTop ReminderWindowHWnd
        SetForegroundWindow ReminderWindowHWnd
        SetFocus ReminderWindowHWnd
    Next
Exit Sub
err:
    Debug.Print err.Number & " - " & err.Description & " (iReminderCount = " & iReminderCount & ")"
    Resume Next
End Sub

I've added German window titles and also some new functions (BringWindowToTop, SetForegroundWindow and SetFocus).

Works on my German Windows 10 together with Outlook 2016.

I did not manage to generate a new certificate (pressing Start and entering "certificate" revealed nothing), but simply selected another certificate in the list when signing.