SUMMARY Foxo transcription factors integrate extrinsic signals to regulate cell division, differentiation and survival, and specific functions of lymphoid and myeloid cells. Here we showed the absence of Foxo1 severely curtailed the development of Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells, and those that developed were nonfunctional in vivo. The loss of function included diminished CTLA-4 receptor expression as the Ctla4 gene was a direct target of Foxo1. T cell specific loss of Foxo1 resulted in exocrine pancreatitis, hind limb paralysis, multi-organ lymphocyte infiltration, anti-nuclear antibodies and expanded germinal centers. Foxo-mediated control over Treg cell specification was further revealed by the inability of TGF-β cytokine to suppress T-bet transcription factor in the absence of Foxo1, resulting in IFN-γ-secretion. In addition the absence of Foxo3 exacerbated the effects of the loss of Foxo1. Thus, Foxo transcription factors guide the contingencies of T cell differentiation and specific functions of effector cell populations.