MC915492 – New Microsoft Outlook for Windows: Add Microsoft accounts with non-Microsoft email addresses

Product:

Copilot, Microsoft 365 Apps, Outlook

Platform:

Online, World tenant

Status:

Change type:

New feature, User impact, Admin impact

Links:

Details:

Summary:
Outlook for Windows will soon support adding personal Microsoft accounts with non-Microsoft email addresses, allowing users to access subscriptions like Microsoft 365. Rollout begins mid-November 2024 for Targeted Release and mid-December 2024 for General Availability, completing by mid-January 2025. This feature is on by default.

Details:
Coming soon: Support for users to add a new personal Microsoft account type in new Microsoft Outlook for Windows. Adding a personal Microsoft account to Outlook is useful if that personal Microsoft account is linked to Microsoft subscriptions such as Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Copilot Pro. For instance, a user might purchase a subscription for Microsoft 365 Personal with a Microsoft account such as you@gmail.com. Before this rollout, new Outlook for Windows would not support adding this personal Microsoft account to Outlook and the user could not access any subscriptions linked to those accounts. After this rollout, users will be able to enjoy the benefits of their personal Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscription in Outlook.
[When this will happen:]
Targeted Release for new Outlook for Windows users with a primary work or school account: We will begin rolling out mid-November 2024 and expect to complete in mid-December 2024.
General Availability (Worldwide) for new Outlook for Windows users with a primary work or school account: We will begin rolling out mid-December 2024 and expect to complete in mid-January 2025.
A primary email account is the first account listed at Accounts > Your accounts settings page.

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:

Created:
2024-10-22

updated:
2024-10-22

Task Type

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Docu to Check

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MS How does it affect me

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MS Urgency

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Pictures

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summary for non-techies**

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Direct effects for Operations**

User Experience Disruption
Users may experience confusion or frustration when trying to add personal Microsoft accounts with non-Microsoft email addresses, leading to potential delays in accessing their subscriptions.
   - roles: End Users, IT Support
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2024/10/01/new-microsoft-outlook-for-windows-add-microsoft-accounts-with-non-microsoft-email-addresses/

Increased Support Requests
The introduction of this feature without prior user preparation may lead to an increase in support requests as users encounter issues or have questions about the new functionality.
   - roles: IT Support, Help Desk Staff
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2024/10/01/new-microsoft-outlook-for-windows-add-microsoft-accounts-with-non-microsoft-email-addresses/

Configutation Options**

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explanation for non-techies**

Imagine you have a keychain with different keys for different locks. Previously, if you had a key (email address) that wasn't made by the same company that made the lock (Microsoft), you couldn't use it to open certain doors (access Microsoft subscriptions) through Outlook for Windows. Now, with this new update, you can use keys from other companies (non-Microsoft email addresses) to open those doors, as long as those keys are linked to a Microsoft account.

This means if you have a subscription to Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Copilot Pro, and your Microsoft account is linked to an email like you@gmail.com, you can now add this account to Outlook for Windows. This wasn't possible before, but soon you'll be able to enjoy all the features of your subscription directly through Outlook, even if your email isn't a Microsoft one.

The rollout for this feature will start in mid-November 2024 for some users and will be available to everyone by mid-January 2025. The change will happen automatically, so there's no need for any administrative action. It's like getting a new universal key added to your keychain without having to visit the locksmith.

This update doesn't change the benefits or features you already have with your organization's Microsoft 365 subscription. It's simply an enhancement that allows more flexibility in how you access your Microsoft services. It might be a good idea to inform your team about this change and update any guides or documentation to reflect this new capability.