Microsoft announced that it’s now making its Outlook app free for Mac users, adding new features to make the email app more appealing.
Before now, macOS users that wanted to use the Microsoft Outlook app needed an Office license or Microsoft 365 subscription. But that’s no longer the case. Yesterday, Microsoft announced that the email app is now free to use on macOS.
“Today we have an exciting announcement to share about the evolution of Microsoft Outlook for macOS,” says the tech giant in a press release. “Now consumers can use Outlook for free on macOS, no Microsoft 365 subscription or license necessary,”.
Furthermore, Microsoft has redesigned the email app for a more consistent, reliable, and robust experience within the Apple ecosystem. Here’s how.
Redesigning the Microsoft Outlook for the Apple Ecosystem
Outlook for Mac now has native Apple Silicon support, bringing some performance improvements.
Whether your macOS device is running M1 or M2 series chip, the email app should be able to offer faster sync than the previous version. Besides improved performance, Outlook now supports Handoff, allowing iOS users to resume the work they started on their computers quickly.
Other new features on Outlook for Mac are:
- Native notification support
- Widget for viewing your agenda
- Upcoming Calendar event in the menu bar
Future versions of the email app on macOS could support Focus Mode. That way, outlook users can filter unwanted notifications and prominently display critical emails.
“There is more to do and many more features we are excited to bring to the Outlook Mac experience, says Microsoft. “We are rebuilding Outlook for Mac from the ground up to be faster, more reliable, and to be an Outlook for everyone.”
You can download the new Outlook for Mac app for free on the Mac App Store. However, it’s best if your computer runs macOS 11 Big Sur or a newer operating system.
