Microsoft Outlook


Microsoft Outlook is a personal information manager software system from Microsoft, available as a part of the Microsoft 365 software suite. Primarily popular as an email client for businesses, Outlook also includes functions such as calendaring, task managing, contact managing, note-taking, journal logging, web browsing, and RSS news aggregation.
Individuals can use Outlook as a stand-alone application; organizations can deploy it as multi-user software for shared functions such as mailboxes, calendars, folders, data aggregation, and as appointment scheduling apps.

Versions

Outlook replaced Microsoft's previous scheduling and email clients, Schedule+ and Exchange Client.
Outlook 98 and Outlook 2000 offer two configurations:
  • Internet Mail Only : A lighter application mode with specific emphasis on POP3 and IMAP accounts, including a lightweight fax application.
  • Corporate Work group : A full MAPI client with specific emphasis on Microsoft Exchange accounts.
Perpetual versions of Microsoft Outlook include:
NameVersion numberRelease dateNotes
Outlook 978.0January 16, 1997Included in Office 97 and bundled with Exchange Server 5.0 and 5.5. This was a renamed and slightly upgraded version of the Microsoft Exchange client.
Outlook 988.5June 21, 1998Freely distributed with books and magazines to cope with the newest Internet standards such as HTML email. Outlook 98 setup was based on Active Setup which also installed Internet Explorer 4.
Outlook 20009.0June 27, 1999Included in Office 2000 and bundled with Exchange 2000 Server
Outlook 200210May 31, 2001Included in Office XP
Outlook 200311November 20, 2003Included in Office 2003 and bundled with Exchange Server 2003
Outlook 200712January 27, 2007Included in Office 2007, except Office Home and Student edition
Outlook 201014July 15, 2010Included in Office 2010 Home and Business, Standard, Professional and Professional Plus
Outlook 2011 for Mac14October 26, 2010Included in Office for Mac 2011 Home and Business
Outlook 201315January 29, 2013Included in Office 2013, except Home & Student edition
Outlook for Mac15.3October 31, 2014Included in Office 365, except some commercial editions
Outlook 201616September 22, 2015Included in Office 2016 and Office 365
Outlook 2016 for Mac15.12September 25, 2015Included in Office 2016 and Office 365
Outlook 201916September 24, 2018Included in Office 2019 and Office 365
Outlook 2019 for Mac16.17September 24, 2018Included in Office 2019 and Office 365
Outlook for Phones & Tablets1.32015Included in Office 365, except some commercial editions
Includes iOS and Android support

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is an email and personal information manager software primarily used in professional settings. As part of the Microsoft Office suite, it offers email management, contact storage, calendar scheduling, and task tracking. Outlook can function independently or as part of a larger Microsoft ecosystem, including integration with SharePoint for file sharing. While it stores email data locally for offline access, newer versions restrict link opening to Microsoft's own browsers.
Privacy is severely degraded in the latest versions, as the new Outlook sends passwords, mails and other data to Microsoft.

Outlook 2002

Outlook 2002 introduced these new features:
  • Autocomplete for email addresses
  • Colored categories for calendar items
  • Group schedules
  • Hyperlink support in email subject lines
  • Native support for Outlook.com
  • Improved search functionality, including the ability to stop a search and resume it later
  • Lunar calendar support
  • MSN Messenger integration
  • Performance improvements
  • Preview pane improvements, including the ability to:
  • *open hyperlinks;
  • *respond to meeting requests; and
  • *display email properties without opening a message
  • Reminder window that consolidates all reminders for appointments and tasks in a single view
  • Retention policies for documents and email
  • Security improvements, including the automatic blocking of potentially unsafe attachments and of programmatic access to information in Outlook:
  • * SP1 introduced the ability to view all non-digitally signed email or unencrypted email as plain text;
  • * SP2 allows users to—through the Registry—prevent the addition of new email accounts or the creation of new Personal Storage Tables;
  • * SP3 updates the object model guard security for applications that access messages and other items.
  • Smart tags when Word is configured as the default email editor. This option was available only when the versions of Outlook and Word were the same, i.e. both were 2002.

    Outlook 2003

Outlook 2003 introduced these new features:
Features that debuted in Outlook 2007 include:
  • Attachment preview, with which the contents of attachments can be previewed before opening
  • * Supported file types include Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, and Word files. If Outlook 2007 is installed on Windows Vista, then audio and video files can be previewed. If a compatible PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat 8.1 is installed, PDF files can also be previewed.
  • Auto Account Setup, which allows users to enter a username and password for an email account without entering a server name, port number, or other information
  • Calendar sharing improvements including the ability to export a calendar as an HTML file—for viewing by users without Outlook—and the ability to publish calendars to an external service with an online provider
  • Colored categories with support for user roaming, which replace colored flags introduced in Outlook 2003
  • Improved email spam filtering and anti-phishing features
  • *Postmark intends to reduce spam by making it difficult and time-consuming to send it
  • Information rights management improvements with Windows Rights Management Services and managed policy compliance integration with Exchange Server 2007
  • Japanese yomi reading name support for contacts
  • Multiple calendars can be overlaid with one another to assess details such as potential scheduling conflicts
  • Ribbon interface
  • Outlook Mobile Service support, which allowed multimedia and SMS text messages to be sent directly to mobile phones
  • Instant search through Windows Search, an index-based desktop search platform
  • * Instant search functionality is also available in Outlook 2002 and Outlook 2003 if these versions are installed alongside Windows Search
  • Integrated RSS aggregation
  • Support for Windows SideShow with the introduction of a calendar gadget
  • To-Do Bar that consolidates calendar information, flagged email, and tasks from OneNote 2007, Outlook 2007, Project 2007, and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 websites within a central location.
  • The ability to export items as PDF or XPS files
  • Unified messaging support with Exchange Server 2007, including features such as missed-call notifications, and voicemail with voicemail preview and Windows Media Player
  • Word 2007 replaces Internet Explorer as the default viewer for HTML email, and becomes the default email editor in this and all subsequent versions.

    Outlook 2010

Features that debuted in Outlook 2010 include:
  • Additional command-line switches
  • An improved conversation view that groups messages based on different criteria regardless of originating folders
  • IMAP messages are sent to the Deleted Items folder, eliminating the need to mark messages for future deletion
  • Notification when an email is about to be sent without a subject
  • Quick Steps, individual collections of commands that allow users to perform multiple actions simultaneously
  • Ribbon interface in all views
  • Search Tools contextual tab on the ribbon that appears when performing searches and that includes basic or advanced criteria filters
  • Social Connector to connect to various social networks and aggregate appointments, contacts, communication history, and file attachments
  • Spell check-in additional areas of the user interface
  • Support for multiple Exchange accounts in a single Outlook profile
  • The ability to schedule a meeting with a contact by replying to an email message
  • To-Do Bar enhancements including visual indicators for conflicts and unanswered meeting requests
  • Voicemail transcripts for Unified Messaging communications
  • Zooming user interface for calendar and mail views

    Outlook 2013

Features that debuted in Outlook 2013, which was released on January 29, 2013, include:
  • Attachment reminder
  • Exchange ActiveSync
  • Add-in resiliency
  • Cached Exchange mode improvements
  • IMAP improvements
  • Outlook data file compression
  • People hub
  • Startup performance improvements