How to work offline in Outlook

One of the best things about having an email client is that you can keep working around emails even if there is no internet connection. If you are an Outlook user, working offline in Microsoft Outlook, Outlook 365, Outlook on the web or the new Outlook app can come handy. In this post, we will share how you can work offline in Outlook by enabling the offline mode or using the PWA app to get similar features.

How to work offline in MS Outlook

Start Microsoft Outlook on your desktop and in the top menu, click on Send/Receive. Next, in the Preferences section, click Work Offline.

When you click it, Outlook will go offline even if the internet is available. However, it will allow you to read, write, and organize emails without a connection. Any emails you compose or changes you make will be synced the next time you go online.

Once you are ready or want to go back online, click on Work Offline again to reconnect Outlook to the internet.

How to work offline in Outlook 365

There is no dedicated app for Outlook 365, but if you want to have a close to offline feature, you can use the Outlook Progressive Web App (PWA) feature in Chrome or Edge.

• Open Outlook (e.g., Chrome or Edge), click on the browser menu (usually three dots or lines in the top-right corner) and select Install Outlook.
• Go to Settings > Offline settings and turn on Enable offline access. This option downloads limited data to read, write, and respond to emails offline. The data syncs as soon as you’re back online.

The Outlook desktop app is generally preferable for more control and better offline access.

How to work offline in new Outlook app

The New Outlook App is the latest version of Outlook, and it comes with a dedicated setting to ensure the app works even when you are not connected to the internet.

• Open the new Outlook App, and click the Settings icon on the title bar.
• Click on the General tab or section in the left-side pane, then select the Offline option in the sub-section list.
• You can activate or deactivate the new offline feature by turning on/off the option Enable offline email, calendar, and people.

I hope this helps.

Read: How to change how much email to keep offline in Outlook

Will my email drafts automatically send when I go back online in Outlook?

Yes, if you compose and save emails offline, they will automatically send once you reconnect to the internet. Outlook syncs any offline changes, including sending drafts, emails to trash, or receiving new emails when you return online.

How much storage does Outlook use for offline emails?

While there is no limit, as it will depend on your PC’s storage, when using the new Outlook App or the Outlook app, you can change the offline settings to select a number of days or months of emails you want to be available offline.