What you need to know
- Microsoft Outlook for Mac is now free for all users.
- Outlook for Mac supports a variety of email accounts, including Outlook.com, Gmail, and iCloud.
- A redesigned version of Outlook rolled out to macOS in 2020.
Outlook for Mac is now free for all users, including those using the app at home, work, or school. The email client no longer requires a Microsoft 365 subscription or license. Microsoft announced the news in a Tech Community post and highlighted some of the features available for Outlook for Mac.
Outlook.com, Gmail, iCloud, and Yahoo accounts are all supported on Outlook for Mac, as are any accounts that use IMAP. Users can view emails from different accounts in a unified inbox if they'd like.
Outlook for Mac is optimized for Apple Silicon and integrates with Apple's ecosystem in other ways. The app supports widgets on the desktop and will soon show calendar events in the Menu Bar. Apple's Handoff feature is also supported by Outlook, allowing people to continue emails on their iOS devices that they began on their Mac.
While Microsoft is transitioning Outlook for Windows to a Progressive Web App, the company has no plans to do so on macOS.
"The new Outlook for Mac is a native macOS app. Microsoft plans to continue building and maintaining best-in-class native apps on macOS and iOS. No Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are planned for Mac Outlook," said Partner Product Group Manager for Outlook Michael Palermiti to The Verge.
Outlook may not be moving to a PWA, but Microsoft has more features planned for the email client. "There is more to do and many more features we are excited to bring to the Outlook Mac experience,” said Product Manager for Outlook for Mac Jeremy Perdue to The Verge. “We are rebuilding Outlook for Mac from the ground up to be faster, more reliable, and to be an Outlook for everyone.”
