Microsoft Announces Outlook for Mac is Now Free to Use

[StevieD100]

I use Outlook for Mac all day every day for work and while it's honestly pretty good, it has a TON of bugs that absolutely drive me crazy. I wish they would polish it up. Maybe getting more users will help?

Getting more users with zero income won't make MS fix even on bug. OTOH, it might spur them to introduce more

 

[FCX]

Mandated use for work, but I can't stand it. And that's the "old" outlook. "New" outlook is even worse.

 

[bsmr]

New" outlook is even worse.

I think it’s much better! It has a search function that works! Big difference!

 

[Joe Rossignol]

@Joe Rossignol seems like you are missing the negation in the first line, the way its right now seems like you need Microsoft 365 at least, but source article says you don’t need a subscription or Microsoft 365.

I feel like "no longer necessary" was clear, but I reworded it to "eliminating the need for a Microsoft 365 subscription or license" in light of your feedback.

 

[jeme]

I am currently using Mac for Outlook with an enterprise 365 Subscription. Version 16.70 specifically.

What is the difference between what I have and the new one if anyone can help me, finally do I need to uninstall the older one to use this one?

I just checked the 365 Update tool and there are no updates?

Does anyone know the version number on this new one?

 

[olavsu1]

you can get free cheese from the trap....

 

[justern]

'New Outlook', A Truly revolting application.

• No read receipts
• The BCC/CC fields need to be toggled each time
• No PST file support (import only), not open/close

...and so many more bugs. Users who use Outlook, want the PC experience. This is, as the kids used to say - an epic fail.

 

[M5RahuL]

Apple's mail client is absolute trash. Literally anything else will be way better.

Wholly agreed! On mac as well as iOS!

 

[genovelle]

So they can have more of my data no thank you.

Now you are getting to the heart of this announcement. They need more data for bing’s new AI integration they paid 10 billion on. Lol

 

[genovelle]

Wholly agreed! On mac as well as iOS!

Trash to me is probably what you prefer. I have been forced to use Office and Gmail with some companies and I totally HATE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!
That is only a small sample of my disdain for both of them. I have preferred and still prefer Apple email on iOS and my Macs

 

[Dreamweaver12]

Free Outlook? Ooooohhh..they must be hard-up for user data to sell/mine.

 

[rgeneral]

They should make the entire office free

 

[StandingGoose]

That unification is one of the best features. I frequently turn emails into calendar events and email from calendar events to all attendees.

complex formatting is difficult to get right in outlook as it only supports a subset of html formatting but that is true of most email. it's not a layout program and you are better off keeping it simple.

If I only used email for communication, I suppose the unification might make sense. But it certainly doesn't for my current (multiple) communication channel usage.

The formatting also can't be too simple: Last time I used Outlook (and ripped it out a few months later), it didn't allow me to send plaintext e-mails.

 

[TTTedP]

Apple has a chance to fix Apple Mail and the constant "this message has no content" blank emails. If not, there will be more people who give this a shot.

this. It has been going on for multiple versions of MacOS now. Comes and goes. Can never figure out the cause.

 

[chachawpi]

Is this better than the default Apple mail client?

If you're connected to an Exchange account, it is significantly better. It also ties into Microsoft Teams which is quite prevalent now.

If it's for personal use, probably not.

 

[Sovon Halder]

There is none. It's 100% free now just like the Windows version is. They're also adding menu bar functionality too and widgets.

Microsoft optimizes Outlook for M1 and M2 Macs, teases menu bar 'peek' feature

You no longer need a Microsoft 365 or other license to use Microsoft's robust email client.

www.macworld.com

Are you currently using it yourself?

 

[FoxyKaye]

I've used Outlook for Mac as a desktop application several times in the corporate world, and it keeps improving with every iteration through the years. I'd probably jump on this had I not gotten used to how Gmail uses labels (Outlook still uses folder taxonomy), and frankly Apple Mail still feels horrible to me. Still, Outlook is a great app if you think in "folders" and not in "labels." Would have been amazing as an alternate interface to Gmail when it came online back in 2004.

 

[M5RahuL]

Trash to me is probably what you prefer. I have been forced to use Office and Gmail with some companies and I totally HATE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!
That is only a small sample of my disdain for both of them. I have preferred and still prefer Apple email on iOS and my Macs

o...k then..

 

[Marx55]

Competition is good. Is Apple listening?

 

[chachawpi]

Trash to me is probably what you prefer. I have been forced to use Office and Gmail with some companies and I totally HATE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!
That is only a small sample of my disdain for both of them. I have preferred and still prefer Apple email on iOS and my Macs

You hate them why?

 

[Kottu]

I use outlook web version at work. To be true, it su#%$! Attachments preview works only sometimes. Search function is terrible. No wonder why people prefer Gmail. I hope dedicated App works better.

 

[rafark]

Hmmm, nothing is free, probably phones home a lot with all your data.

Hmm what are you using to get and send emails that is not free?

 

[Oz.]

Is this better than the default Apple mail client?

No!

 

[votdfak]

I just got forced to the web app version of Outlook at work after using actual Outlook for years....and it sucks. I'm not sure why my company did it. I assumed saving money on program licensing. But if this is "free" for macOS do they not have a free version for Windows?

Free version for Windows is Windows Mail, but that's considered as mobile client (Exchange ActiveSync).

 

[iStorm]

I am currently using Mac for Outlook with an enterprise 365 Subscription. Version 16.70 specifically.

What is the difference between what I have and the new one if anyone can help me, finally do I need to uninstall the older one to use this one?

I just checked the 365 Update tool and there are no updates?

Does anyone know the version number on this new one?

Not quite sure what you're asking, but the new look has been out for quite awhile now if that's what you're wanting. There should be a toggle switch to turn it on. Or if you're wanting to use other accounts in Outlook, you could have done that already since Outlook would have been unlocked with your 365 subscription.

As for your version and the version found in the App Store, they are essentially the same. The one in the App Store is also 16.70. The only thing different is how they're installed and updated. Sounds like you installed using Microsoft's installer, so you need to use their update tool. If you install through the App Store, then updates are installed through there. I don't like dealing with Microsoft's update tool, so I have installed the Office apps from the App Store (which also works with my enterprise 365 subscription.)