New Outlook for Windows Introduces Personal Non-Microsoft Account Support

Recently, Microsoft has introduced a series of enhancements to the New Outlook for Windows, aimed at boosting its offline functionality. Notably, the app will now feature significantly improved email synchronization, confirming it can operate without an internet connection.

These upgrades to offline capabilities aren’t the only changes on the horizon for the New Outlook. Microsoft appears to recognize that many users may still prefer the Classic Outlook experience over its newer version.

To address this, the company is set to launch a significant update for the New Outlook. Users will soon be able to integrate personal accounts that are not linked to Microsoft. This enhancement will allow individuals with Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) and Copilot Pro subscriptions tied to their personal emails, access these features within the New Outlook for Windows app.

According to Microsoft, the implementation of this feature is expected to commence next month, around mid-November, with a full rollout anticipated by mid-December 2024 and completion by mid-January 2025.

In a recent communication via the Microsoft 365 Message Center, the company outlined its plan for this update, stating:

Coming soon: Users will be able to add a new type of personal Microsoft account in the New Microsoft Outlook for Windows.

Incorporating a personal Microsoft account into Outlook is advantageous if that account is associated with subscriptions like Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Copilot Pro. For example, a user may have an individual subscription for Microsoft 365 Personal linked to a Microsoft account such as you@gmail.com.

Before this update, the New Outlook for Windows did not allow adding personal Microsoft accounts, preventing users from accessing any linked subscriptions. Post-update, users will be able to enjoy the perks associated with their Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscriptions directly within Outlook.

As part of the account setup process, a new option labeled “Additional Microsoft accounts”will be introduced under the “Your accounts”section in the New Outlook app.

A new option on the New Outlook app which says Additional Microsoft accounts

The “Your accounts”section is designed to assist users in managing their various email profiles linked to the application:

Before this rollout: Outlook permitted connections to personal email accounts from services such as Outlook.com, Gmail, and Yahoo, enabling users to access emails from these platforms within Outlook.

After this rollout, users will have the ability to add a new personal Microsoft account that does not possess a Microsoft email address (like outlook.com, hotmail.com, or live.com) by navigating to Settings > Accounts > Your accounts > Additional Microsoft accounts, allowing access to any subscriptions associated with that Microsoft account.

This announcement can be found in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center dashboard under message ID MC915492.

Source: Joao Ferreira