Major new features coming to Outlook 2016 for Mac

Jun 20, 2017 09:55 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has just announced a new set of improvements for the Mac version of Outlook 2016, as it tries to provide Apple users with a substantially refined email experience on their devices.

The new features are all based on user feedback, Microsoft says, so the company looked at all the suggestions that it received for Outlook 2016 for Mac and prioritized the ones with the biggest number of votes.

New features coming to Outlook 2016 for Mac

First and foremost, users will get a scheduling feature for the email client, which means they will be able to send a message at a later time without even having Outlook or the computer open. This feature can already be tested as part of the Office Insider program and will go live for everyone next month.

Additionally, Microsoft is implementing read and delivery receipts to track emails, so you can find out when someone receives and read your message. The new options are located in the ribbon in the Options section when writing new emails.

Outlook is also getting email template support, and this substantially reduces the time needed to write emails, especially when the same message is sent over and over again.

An improved account setup experience will be included as well, with settings automatically detected or imported from other Office apps if you’ve already configured accounts.

“Previously, you needed to know details about what type of account you have (e.g., Office 365 or Exchange, IMAP or POP). Now you can simply enter your email address and Outlook detects your account settings and guides you through the process. And if you’ve signed in to other Office apps before launching Outlook for the first time, you will be asked if you want to add that account automatically,” Microsoft says.

All these features, except for the Send Later option, are already available for Office 365 subscribers running version 15.35 (170610) or newer.