How to connect Claude to Outlook

Yes. Use the Microsoft 365 connector for chat, or the Claude for Outlook add-in for a sidebar inside Outlook. Both need a work or school account.

Picks: 5; ranked

To connect Claude to Outlook, use the Microsoft 365 connector. It works on every Claude plan, as long as you sign in with a work or school account. If you want Claude inside Outlook itself, install the Claude for Outlook add-in, which needs a paid Claude plan. Both routes need a Microsoft admin to approve Claude once, and personal outlook.com or Hotmail accounts do not work with the connector.

Good for

Office workers who want Claude to find and summarize email and meetings
Microsoft 365 admins who approve connectors for their company
Claude Code users who want mail and calendar context while they work
People on a personal outlook.com or Hotmail account who need a workaround

Install Claude

Claude Code

1
Add Microsoft 365 in Claude first (see the Claude tab).
2
Log in to Claude Code with the same Claude account.
3
Run /mcp to confirm Microsoft 365 is listed as a claude.ai connector.

Requires Microsoft 365 connector set up in Claude, Work or school account, claude.ai login in Claude Code.

Read-only mode: For the Softeria server, add the --read-only flag. For the connector, leave write actions off.

On Team and Enterprise only admins can add servers. The second method is the community Softeria server, not Anthropic's connector.

From the vendor's docs. Source.

Connect Claude to Outlook and run your first task

Claude

1
Check your account
You need a work or school Microsoft account. Personal outlook.com, hotmail.com and live.com accounts do not work with the connector.
2
Get your admin to approve Claude
A Microsoft Entra Global Administrator must grant one-time consent for your organization. The admin can do it from Customize > Connectors, or with the consent link in the setup box. On Team and Enterprise plans, a Claude Owner adds Microsoft 365 first.
Tip: If you see "Admin must grant app permissions", consent has not been done yet.
3
Connect Microsoft 365
Use the setup box above. In short, open Customize > Connectors, choose Microsoft 365, select Connect and sign in with your work credentials.
4
Turn it on in a chat
Click + at the lower left of the message box, open Connectors and switch on Microsoft 365.
5
Find something in your mail
Start with a narrow request. Broad searches can come back incomplete, so give a sender and a date range.
Prompt
```
Find emails from my manager in the last two weeks about the Q4 budget and list the decisions and open questions.
```

Prepare for a meeting

Claude reads your calendar and related mail.

Prompt

Look at my meetings tomorrow and give me a short brief for each one, using recent email threads with the attendees.

7
Draft a reply
Drafting and sending work only if your admins enabled write actions. Otherwise Claude can still read and search. The Claude for Outlook add-in drafts replies inside Outlook and never sends them.
Prompt
```
Draft a reply to the latest email from the vendor asking for a two-week extension. Keep it polite and short.
```

Permissions

Medium risk

Claude can read all your work email and, once admins enable writes, send mail and change meetings. Keep write actions off unless you need them, and check every draft before it goes out.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only modeHow to turn it on

Watch out for

Email text can try to steer Claude
Email bodies and attachments may hold instructions meant for Claude. Review every draft, especially the recipient list, before you send. claude.com
With write actions on, Claude can send and delete
The connector can send mail and delete calendar events once admins enable writes. Calendar changes notify attendees, so keep write actions off unless you need them. support.claude.com
It sees everything your account can see
Access is delegated, so Claude reaches your mail, calendar and any shared mailbox you can open. Ask admins to limit who can use it with Assignment required in Entra. support.claude.com
The add-in is not in Enterprise audit logs
Add-in activity is included in the Compliance API but not in Enterprise audit logs. Tell your compliance team before you roll it out. claude.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 1, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	The connector reads and searches by default. Sending and calendar changes work only after admins enable write actions, and per-tool toggles sit under Customize > Connectors > Microsoft 365 > Tool permissions.
Talks to	Anthropic connector service. api.anthropic.com (add-in prompts)
Sign-in and keys	Connector tokens are cached encrypted, and refresh tokens expire after 90 days of inactivity by default. The add-in keeps its Microsoft token in the browser cache and does not send it to Anthropic.
Data retention	The connector fetches content per query and does not cache it, but tool results in saved chats are kept. The add-in deletes content from Anthropic's backend within 30 days.
Scopes	Mail.Read Mail.ReadBasic Mail.Read.Shared MailboxFolder.Read MailboxItem.Read MailboxSettings.Read Calendars.Read Calendars.Read.Shared Mail.Send (write actions only) Mail.ReadWrite (write actions only) Calendars.ReadWrite (write actions only) MailboxSettings.ReadWrite (write actions only)

Where it works

Where	Status	Note
claude.ai	Native connector	Microsoft 365 connector on every plan. Work or school accounts only, and an Entra admin must approve it once.
Claude Desktop	Native connector	Same Microsoft 365 connector as claude.ai. The Claude for Outlook add-in runs inside Outlook on web, Windows and Mac.
Claude Code	Native connector	A Microsoft 365 connector added on claude.ai shows up in Claude Code when you sign in with your Claude account.
Claude mobile	Native connector	Connectors added on web or desktop carry over to the mobile apps. The Outlook add-in does not run in Outlook for iOS or Android.
ChatGPT	Official app	Separate Outlook Email and Outlook Calendar apps. A workspace admin may need to enable actions.
Gemini	Not available	No Outlook connection in the consumer Gemini app. Gemini Enterprise has an admin-set Outlook data store.
Microsoft Copilot	Native connector	Built into Outlook. Copilot Chat comes with work accounts; full mail grounding needs a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT has its own Outlook Email and Outlook Calendar apps, connected under Settings > Plugins.

Plan: The Outlook apps depend on your ChatGPT plan, region and workspace. OpenAI does not list the plans in its help article.

What it can do

Search and read Outlook email and look up people
Read and search calendar events
Send plain-text mail from shared or delegated mailboxes when your admin enables it
Create, update, RSVP to and cancel events on supported shared calendars when enabled

Limits

Outlook Email and Outlook Calendar are two separate apps.
A workspace admin must enable each action, and some actions need Microsoft Entra admin consent.
OpenAI does not say whether personal Microsoft accounts work.
On Free, Plus, Go and Pro, app data can be used for training if Improve the model for everyone is on.

Claude

Claude has two official routes into Outlook. The connector lives in your Claude chats, and the add-in lives inside Outlook.

Plan: Any Claude plan for the Microsoft 365 connector. Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise for the Claude for Outlook add-in.

What it can do

Search email threads and archived mail by date, sender or subject
Review calendar meetings, summaries and attendees
Draft replies in the Outlook sidebar with the add-in, and read Word and Excel attachments
Send mail, manage drafts and create or change calendar events, only after your admins turn on write actions for the connector
Use the same connector in Claude Code after you sign in with your Claude account

Limits

Work or school Microsoft accounts only for the connector; personal outlook.com, hotmail.com and live.com are not supported.
A Microsoft Entra Global Administrator must approve Claude once for your organization.
The connector cannot attach files to drafts, and it does not search the Online Archive.
The add-in only drafts and never sends; it has no Outlook mobile support and no PDF reading inside email.
Some Windows users lost add-in chat history and uploaded skills after the September and October 2026 Microsoft 365 updates.

Plugs to turn on

Microsoft Work IQ: Microsoft's own server for Microsoft 365 work data, for people who prefer to add a server themselves.
ms-365-mcp-server: Community server that handles personal Outlook.com accounts, which the connector cannot.

Microsoft Copilot

Copilot is built into Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers can also use it in personal outlook.com accounts.

Plan: Copilot Chat is included for work users. A Microsoft 365 Copilot licence adds full grounding in your emails, meetings, chats and files.

What it can do

Work inside Outlook with no connector setup
Ground answers in your meetings, emails, chats and files with a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence
Work in personal outlook.com, hotmail.com, live.com and msn.com accounts for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers

Limits

Work users without a Copilot licence get limited grounding, based on uploaded files.
Personal and Family subscribers get monthly AI credits, not unlimited use.

Gemini

Gemini reaches Outlook only through Gemini Enterprise, and an admin has to set it up.

Plan: Gemini Enterprise, set up by an admin. Google documents no Outlook connection for the consumer Gemini app.

What it can do

Search mail, calendar and contacts
Send, reply, forward and draft mail, and create events
Use the admin-configured Microsoft Outlook data store

Limits

Needs an admin to set up Microsoft Graph permissions on an app registration.
Exchange Online only.

Top picks

Ranked by official status first, then stars, recent commits and fit. Data checked November 1, 2026.

Verdict

Start with the Microsoft 365 connector if you have a work account and an admin who will approve it. Use the add-in if you want Claude inside Outlook. For a personal account, use the Softeria server.

Start with the Microsoft 365 connector if you have a work account and an admin who will approve it. Use the add-in if you want Claude inside Outlook.

For a personal account, use the Softeria server.

Best for

Work or school accounts where an admin can approve Claude
Searching mail and preparing for meetings from a Claude chat
Drafting replies inside Outlook with the add-in

Skip it if

You use a personal outlook.com, hotmail.com or live.com account and want the official connector
You cannot get a Global Administrator to approve Claude
You need Claude to attach files or work on Outlook mobile

Questions

Can Claude access my Outlook email?

Yes, on a work or school account. Connect the Microsoft 365 connector and Claude can search your mail and read your calendar. A Microsoft admin must approve Claude once first.

Does Claude work with a personal Outlook.com or Hotmail account?

Not through the official connector. Anthropic says personal accounts such as outlook.com, hotmail.com and live.com are not supported. The add-in docs do not say either way. The Softeria community server defaults to personal accounts.

Can Claude send emails from Outlook?

Only through the connector, and only after your admins turn on write actions. Until then Claude can read and search. The Claude for Outlook add-in never sends. It leaves every draft unsent for you to review.

Is the Claude Microsoft 365 connector free?

The connector is available on every Claude plan, including Free. You still need a work or school Microsoft account with an active licence. The add-in needs Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise.

What is the difference between the connector and Claude for Outlook?

The connector lets Claude search your mail and calendar from a Claude chat. Claude for Outlook is an add-in that opens a Claude sidebar inside Outlook and drafts replies. Both need admin approval.

Why does Claude say my admin must approve Microsoft 365?

Your organization has not granted tenant consent yet. A Microsoft Entra Global Administrator needs to approve it once. For the add-in, skipping this step shows every user a Need admin approval message.

Does Claude for Outlook work on the Outlook mobile app?

No. It runs in Outlook on the web, new and classic Outlook for Windows, and Outlook for Mac. Outlook 2016 and 2019, Outlook for iOS and Android, and on-premises Exchange are not supported.

How do I use my Outlook connector in Claude Code?

Sign in to Claude Code with your Claude account. Connectors added in Claude are then available automatically, and the /mcp command lists them.

Can ChatGPT connect to Outlook?

Yes. ChatGPT has separate Outlook Email and Outlook Calendar apps. A workspace admin must enable each action, and OpenAI does not list the plans that include them.

Is it safe to let Claude read my email?

It sees only what your account can see. Email text can contain instructions meant to trick Claude, so check every draft, especially the recipient list.

Information

updated Nov 1, 2026

Made by: Anthropic
Connector directory: claude.ai/directory

In the Claude directory

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 19

Microsoft 365 connector · claude.com
Connect to Microsoft 365 · support.claude.com
Use Claude for Outlook · claude.com
Collaborate with Claude across Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook · claude.com
Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP · code.claude.com
softeria/ms-365-mcp-server · github.com
Set up the Microsoft 365 connector · support.claude.com
Microsoft 365 connector security guide · support.claude.com
Outlook Email and Calendar apps in ChatGPT · help.openai.com
Apps in ChatGPT · help.openai.com
Connect Microsoft Outlook · docs.cloud.google.com
What Copilot license do I have · support.microsoft.com
Use the connectors directory to extend Claude's capabilities · support.claude.com
How Copilot Chat works with and without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license · support.microsoft.com
Microsoft 365 Copilot pricing · microsoft.com
Copilot is now included in Microsoft 365 Personal and Family · microsoft.com
Work IQ MCP overview · learn.microsoft.com
Keeps loosing authentication, auth-server has to be running all the time? · github.com
littlebearapps/outlook-assistant · github.com