By now, you're likely using an @outlook.com email address. Hotmail has been retired since 2013, replaced by Microsoft's Outlook services. If the differences between Outlook Web App, Outlook Online, and others still confuse you, we've got the details covered in our Microsoft Outlook Email Services Explained guide.
While Outlook users can access their accounts via desktop clients like the free options we recommend in our 5 Best Desktop Email Clients roundup, this article focuses on the web app. Mastering its features can often make a desktop client unnecessary.
Here are seven powerful, under-the-radar Outlook.com features to elevate your email experience.
PayPal, with over 200 million active accounts as of mid-2017, remains the go-to for quick online payments despite alternatives outlined in our 6 Online Payment Alternatives and Venmo vs. Google Wallet comparisons.
Skip the PayPal website by adding the PayPal add-in to Outlook.com. It lets you send money directly from your compose window to contacts in your address book.
To install, visit the Office Store add-ins list and click Add, or go to Gear icon > Options > General > Manage add-ins > +.
Aliases let you create multiple @outlook.com addresses tied to one inbox and login. You can even switch which one is primary or set multiple for sign-ins.
Navigate to Options > Accounts > Connected accounts > Email aliases > Manage or choose a primary alias, then click Make Primary. Use Change sign-in preferences to adjust login options.
Achieving Inbox Zero requires more than buzzwords—check our 5 Action Steps to Cure Your Email Inbox for deeper strategies. Outlook's Sweep feature automates cleanup, like deleting expired promo emails or monthly social notifications.
Open a target email, click Sweep in the header, select frequency and action, then confirm.
Manage rules at Options > Mail > Inbox and sweep rules.
Hover over emails to reveal customizable Quick Actions icons. Choose from Delete, Mark as read/unread, Flag, File, Move to folder, Pin, or Nothing for four slots.
Adjust at Options > Mail > Layout > Quick Actions.
Personalize Outlook.com's interface with themes ranging from colors to images, unlike Gmail's options.
Go to Options > General > Change theme, select, and Save. No third-party themes yet from the Office Store.
Connect accounts to attach Facebook photos directly, despite privacy concerns detailed in our Facebook Photo Privacy Settings and How to Beat a Facebook Addiction guides.
Under Options > Mail > Attachment options > Storage accounts, link Facebook alongside Box, OneDrive, etc.
Then, in a new email, click Attach > Facebook.
Outlook Light is a streamlined web version for slow connections, older devices, or accessibility needs. Key differences:
Enable at Options > General > Light version and check Use the light version of Outlook.com. Learn more access methods in our How to Access Outlook From Any Platform.
Recap: PayPal payments, alias management, sweeps, quick actions, themes, Facebook sharing, and Light mode. With updates like those in The New Outlook.com, it keeps evolving.
Share your favorites or tips in the comments!
