Microsoft Outlook is an application that’s used mainly to send and receive emails. It’s also used to manage various types of personal data including calendar appointments and similar entries, tasks, contacts, and notes. Microsoft Outlook isn’t free though; you must purchase it outright or pay a subscription for it if you want to use it.

The Evolution of Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook was introduced to the public in 1997 and was included with Microsoft Office 97. Outlook Express was included with Windows XP (and was the only free version). Since then, Microsoft has released an abundance of updated versions, each offering more features than the one before it.

Outlook is included in many of the Microsoft Office application suites, including Office 2010, 2013, and 2016, and Microsoft 365. It’s important to note that not all versions include Outlook though. As an example, Microsoft Outlook is available in Microsoft 365 Home but isn’t included in Office Home & Student 2016 for PC.

Do You Need Microsoft Outlook?

If you only want to send and receive emails, you don’t need to purchase Microsoft Outlook. You can use the Mail application included with Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. You can also get your email from your provider’s web site (like https://mail.google.com/mail/). If you need to do more than that though, you need a more powerful email management program.

Microsoft Outlook is an application you pay for and install on your device. An Outlook email address is a free email address from Microsoft, and can be accessed for free from the Outlook webmail portal: https://outlook.live.com/.

With Microsoft Outlook you can sync your personal data with your phone, tablet, and other computers, provided you can log in to those with your Microsoft Account. You can sort your email into folders based on rules you create, send Out Of Office messages automatically, flag emails for follow up, and get email from Exchange servers. The latter means that you can get work email as well as personal email from the same Microsoft Outlook application, even when you are away from the office. You can’t do that with the Mail app that comes with Windows 10. You can also delay the sending of emails, ask for receipts, and more.

It’s also possible to integrate your personal data with Microsoft Outlook. It includes an address book, calendar, task list, and virtual sticky notes. What you put in the calendar can be synced to your other devices. You can delegate tasks to others. You can also share and delegate calendars.

Do You Have Microsoft Outlook?

You might already have a version of Microsoft Outlook on your computer, tablet, or even your phone. You should find out before you make a purchase.

To see if you have Microsoft Outlook installed on your Windows device:

  • From the Search window on the Taskbar (Windows 10), the Start screen (Windows 8.1), or from the Search window on the Start menu (Windows 7), type Outlook and press Enter.Look for an Outlook entry.

To find out if you have a version of Outlook on your Mac, look for it in the Finder sidebar, under Applications. To find out if you have Microsoft Outlook on your phone; perform a search from any search area.

Where to Get Microsoft Outlook

If you’re sure you don’t already have a Microsoft Office suite that includes Outlook, you can get the latest version with Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 is a subscription service, though, and you pay for it monthly. If you’re not interested in a sub, consider purchasing Microsoft Outlook outright.

You can compare and purchase all of the available editions and suites at the Microsoft Store. Microsoft Outlook is available now in the following Office Suites:

Some employers, community colleges, and universities offer Microsoft 365 free to their employees and students.

  • Microsoft 365 Home
  • Microsoft 365 Personal
  • Office Home and Business 2016 for PC or Mac
  • Office 2019 Home and Business for PC or Mac

Additionally:

  • You can purchase Microsoft Outlook separately for PC or Mac.

Once you decide to make the purchase, follow the steps required to download the installation files. With that done, run the installation program. It’s straightforward and mostly foolproof if you opt for Microsoft 365.

Microsoft Outlook Has Lots of Identities

People reference Microsoft Outlook in many ways and using a lot of different terms. This creates confusion around Microsoft Outlook, which is quite simply a single application for managing email and other personal data. However, for the sake of completeness, understand you might hear Microsoft Outlook referred to in these terms as well:

  • OutlookOutlook 365Outlook emailMicrosoft emailOutlook ExpressOutlook OnlineOutlook HotmailMicrosoft Office email

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What’s the difference between Outlook and Gmail? Outlook and Gmail both let you access your messages via POP3 or IMAP. You can set up multiple email providers in Outlook, while Gmail is mainly used with Google’s email service. Generally speaking, Gmail is free and offers a more streamlined experience, while Outlook is more feature-rich and requires a subscription.
  • What is Outlook for iOS? Microsoft Outlook for iOS is the Outlook email client designed to work on iPhone and iPad. It’s especially useful for people who use Outlook on the desktop and want to access their emails on an iOS device. Download it from the App Store for free.
  • What is my Outlook email address? To find your connected email address(es) in Microsoft Outlook, select File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Email tab. To find your Outlook.com email address, select your profile photo in the upper-right corner; your email address is located beneath your name.
  • What’s my Outlook password? Your Outlook password depends on the email service connected to your Outlook account. For example, if you’re using Gmail, your password is the same one that you use to sign in to your Google account. To retrieve a Gmail password, or almost any forgotten password, select Forgot password? on the email log in screen.

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