UPDATE in 2020: Oultook.com offline access feature has been removed.
Offline access is a handy feature available in Outlook.com to help users access their accounts when offline. In this guide, we will see how to turn on and use Outlook.com offline access feature.
What is Outlook.com offline access?
The Outlook.com offline feature enables you to use Outlook.com or Outlook on the web when your PC is not connected to the internet. Once the Outlook.com offline access feature is enabled, you can read emails in your inbox, replay to emails, view or edit contacts, send new emails, and view or edit your calendar. That said, it’s important to note that attachments are not available when you’re using Outlook.com in offline mode.
When offline, you can’t search for emails, and also only your primary calendar will be available.
How does Outlook.com offline access work?
It’s quite simple. When you turn on offline access, Outlook.com saves all required information on your PC for offline access. All the work or changes that you have done when you’re in offline access mode is saved on your PC. And once you are online, Outlook.com automatically updates the offline information. For instance, if you replay to an email in offline mode, Outlook.com actually sends the replay once you’re online.
Can I access all messages and information offline?
Obviously, you can’t view all your old email messages in your inbox. The Outlook.com offline access allows you to view only messages from the past few days in Inbox, Drafts, and other folders viewed in the last few days (maximum 20 folders). Each folder will display your messages from the previous three days or 150 items, whichever is larger.
Where does Outlook.com offline store its files?
Well, your web browser decides where to save your Outlook.com offline files.
How do I enable Outlook.com offline access?
Please note that you need to turn off Outlook.com offline access on the PC, where you want to access Outlook.com offline. Also, please don’t turn on Outlook.com offline access if you share your PC with others as others can not only read your messages but also view contacts and send email messages without knowing your Outlook.com password.
Step 1: In your Chrome, Internet Explorer (10 or above), Safari or Chrome browser, sign in your Outlook.com account.
Step 2: Click Settings and then click Offline settings.
And if your account is not upgraded to the new Outlook.com yet, navigate to Settings > Options > General > Offline settings.
Step 3: Check the box labeled Turn on offline access and then click OK (or Save if you’re on older Outlook.com).
Step 4: Once you click the OK or Save button, you will see the Offline access setup screen with “Are you the only person who uses this computer?” message. Click the Yes button to continue.
Step 5: Next, you will see another message saying that your web browser might display a warning that the website is requesting space on your PC. If you see any such warning, please click Yes or OK button to continue using Offline access.
Step 6: When you at the following screen, either press Ctrl + D to add Outlook to Favorites (Bookmarks) or simply click the Next button to complete setting up Outlook.com offline access.
Step 7: Finally, click the OK button. Outlook.com and your browser will begin saving the required information for offline access. Depending on your internet connection speed, you might have to wait up to a few minutes to begin using Outlook.com offline.
Note that after enabling offline access, you can go open Offline settings to select folders that you would like to access offline.
Learn how to close or delete the Outlook.com account.
