What is MS Outlook?
There are lots of things to talk about MS Outlook. It may require pages. In this article, you learn some basic and advanced features of MS Outlook including versions. The topic may be long but it will give you a clear picture of the application.
MS Outlook is a personal information manager introduced in 1997 by Microsoft. It is an old application, but has continuously evolved to provide the best output. The app latest version is MS Outlook 2021. Now, the email client is an integral part of the MS Office suite. If you have taken the subscription of MS Office suite, you have access of MS Outlook.
Versions & Specification of MS Outlook
Outlook 97 – It was launched on 16 Jan 1997. With its emergence, it has replaced several existing email clients, like Exchange Client and Schedule+.
Outlook 98– It was launched on 21 June 1998. Microsoft allocated the app to books and magazines for free to meet with the latest internet standard.
Outlook 2002– Released on 31st May 2001, it was available with Office XP and had introduced several new features such as coloured tables, autocomplete, hyperlinks, and MSN messenger.
Outlook 2003– The version brought several useful features for users, such as desktop alerts for emails, email filtration, Unicode support, and expandable distribution list.
Outlook 2007– Released on 27 January 2007, it was one of the biggest moves for MS Outlook by bringing several incredible features, such as Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. At the time, MS Outlook brought preview the attachments feature.
Outlook 2010 – Released on 15 July 2010, it came with another lucrative feature and it was group messaging. It helps connect users with social media platforms.
Outlook 2013 – Released on 29 January 2013, Microsoft added some useful features like People hub, compression of Outlook file, and a reminder feature to attach files.
Outlook 2016 – Released on 22nd September 2015. Microsoft added no new features, but made Outlook available for Cloud users.
Outlook 2019 – Released on 24th September 2018, the version offers users filtering and sorting of mails and multiple time zones.
Outlook 2021 – The latest version offers several features to improve users’ experience and compete with other applications, such as translator and ink in Outlook, instant search for emails, and see the stock media.
Top Features of MS Outlook
MS Outlook has hundreds of features, but we highlight those features that people want to use and they are useful for future purposes.
MS Outlook allows users to create more than one account. It means, users can create one, two, three, and unlimited accounts in a system downloaded with MS Outlook. It is an incredible feature for those who want to separate their personal emails from business emails.
MS Outlook is available with a very useful feature, called calendar. It allows users to save dates and schedule meetings. They have easy to them. There is a reminder feature that works as an office secretary to keep you remind of important meetings if you have scheduled them in the calendar.
It has the stay-focused feature that allows you to stay focused to your necessary emails and ignore spam emails.
MS Outlook has inbuilt feature of message alert to keep you alerts for every single email. It means you will never miss your necessary messages.
Outlook makes email management quick and easy by separating emails into several folders. You can customize folders of your choice.
Another interesting feature of the app is the side-by-side view where you can view Calendar, Tasks, Notes, Shortcuts, Folders, and Add-ins in one frame without going back and forth.
Top FAQs
What is the way to log in my MS Outlook?
It is simple and easy. Open your system, access MS Outlook, and login to your account by providing credential details.
What is the difference between MS Outlook and Gmail?
Gmail is a server-based email application to send and receive emails. MS Outlook is a desktop-based as well as a cloud application. It offers more features than Gmail and other server-based applications.
What is a file extension? Does Outlook support any file extensions?
MS Outlook supports two file extensions- PST and OST. A PST file can hold up to 50 GB of databases. It can keep emails, notes, journals, calendars, and several other folders offline.
Can users run MS Outlook without Office Suite?
Yes, the good news is that you don’t need the full suite of MS 365 to access Word, Excel, PowerPoint including Outlook. In other words, it is useful as a standalone personal email application.
Is it valuable for individual users?
MS Outlook is valuable to use by businesses and individuals. It is a stand-alone application to manage personal emails, contacts, and schedules. You can use it as your personal manager that needs subscriptions and keep you updated with your essential emails and contacts.