Add-ins are a very simple but incredibly useful feature that help to increase efficiency and productivity. They run inside other programs, in this case, Outlook, as a way to enhance and increase its functionality. These add-ins are sometimes also referred to as extensions or plug-ins. Some of the add-ins that are available in Outlook are pre-installed by default but not all of them are activated. These unactivated add-ins will be shown as being disabled. In order to activate these add-ins, users need to manually activate them by adjusting their settings. This blog post will highlight how you can enable add-ins in Outlook when they have been disabled.
Enabling add-ins in Outlook:
- Open Microsoft Outlook
- Select ‘File’
- Click on ‘Options’
- From the left hand side panel, select ‘Add-ins’
- From the drop down list for ‘Manage’, select ‘COMM Add-ins’
- Click on ‘Go’
- Select the boxes for the add-ins you want to turn on.
- If the add-in you want to turn on is not showing up in the list, then select ‘Add’
- Browse your computer to find the file you want, then click on it to add
- Select ok when you’ve done
To disable an add-in follow these steps again, but rather than selecting a box and ticking it, deselect it so there is no longer a tick in the box. This will remove the deselected files as an add-in from Outlook.
Third party add-ins for Outlook:
In addition to activating the pre-installed add-ins in Outlook, users can also download a number of third party files and applications and select them as add-ins for Outlook. There are a wide range of add-ins that can be installed to help you stay on top of all your tasks. Below is a list of some popular add-ins that users have found to help them with productivity, collaboration and communication, and the majority of them are completely free to use.
1) Duplicate Email Remover
This Add-in’s function is stated in its name. It searches for any duplicate emails and removes them. It has a powerful search tool that can filter through all your email folders in order to find any duplicate emails that might be taking up too much storage and affecting the organisation of your folders, and deletes them. Another useful feature of this tool is that it can also be used to find and move certain messages to any folder of your choice. The settings of this add-in are incredibly flexible.
2) Grammarly
Grammarly is a popular and effective way to ensure that your emails (or any other written documents) are written to a high standard without any grammar, spelling or stylistic errors. This add-in stays in Outlook and proofreads your emails while reminding you of professional email etiquette. Grammarly also spots any common mistakes you tend to make and can even help you to enhance your writing skills.
3) PayPal
One of the most popular ways to pay friends or even work colleagues is through PayPal. The PayPal add-in on Outlook can help you to easily send money to an email contact using their email address that Outlook will automatically fill in for you. After making the transfer, all the relevant information about your transaction will appear in your inbox. The PayPal add-in can be used for both Outlook Web and Outlook desktop versions.
4) FindTime
This is a great tool for online collaboration with colleagues as it helps you to set up your online meetings. FindTime allows you to easily find a slot in a busy schedule when all team members are available to meet. This add-in can schedule a meeting between multiple people without them having to send emails back and forth to discuss a time that suits all of the meeting attendees. It can suggest a few times that are available for everyone and find the one that suits everyone the best. Another advantage of this add-in, is that not all the team members are required to install it as it works with email.
5) Translator for Outlook
For companies and organisations that work internationally, this is a very beneficial tool. This add-in is the official translations feature for Outlook, made by Microsoft that can instantly translate emails into english (or any other language). According to Microsoft, all the data transmissions are secured via a SSL and are never sampled, shared or stored.
Step by step guide to Enabling add-ins in Outlook:
- Open Microsoft Outlook
Sign into Outlook using your credentials if you haven’t already. For the purpose of this tutorial, I will be using an example Outlook account.
- Select ‘File’
From the top corner of the screen, select ‘File’
- Click on ‘Options’
When the window for Account Information appears, Selection ‘Options’ front eh bottom left corner of the window.
- From the left hand side panel, select ‘Add-ins’
Then, when the Outlook Options window appears, select ‘Add-ins’
- From the drop down list for ‘Manage’, select ‘COMM Add-ins’ and click ‘Go’
At the bottom of the window where it says ‘Manage’, ensure that ‘COMM Add-ins’ is selected from the drop down list, then click on ‘Go’
- Select the boxes for the add-ins you want to turn on.
Click on the box and a tick will appear to select the add-ins you want to turn on, add a tick for each one that you would like to turn on and activate.
- If the add-in you want to turn on is not showing up in the list, then select ‘Add’
This will open up a window that will let you select other add-ins to activate.
- Browse your computer to find the file you want, then click on it to add.
Double click on the add-ins to select and activate them.
- Select ok when you’ve done
Now that you have activated your add-ins, they will appear on the top panel of your Outlook page and are ready to be used.
Thank you for reading, if you have any questions or comments about Outlook add-ins, feel free to leave a comment below.