Outlook Mail: Definition, Features, Advantages

Outlook Mail is one of the most widely used mail client applications today. This is because Outlook Mail has a user-friendly interface and email settings can also be used to store email files directly on the device used. That way, the email space problem can be resolved.

The main function of Outlook Mail is to receive, send and read incoming email messages. Apart from that, Outlook Mail also has other uses such as a calendar, making work schedules, notes, and many others.

Definition of Outlook Mail

Outlook Mail is an email software that is included with the paid service Microsoft Office. But actually, Outlook Mail is not only used as an email but can be used for other purposes.

Outlook Mail can help users manage schedules using calendars and task lists, send reminders, save contact information, and much more. This is why Outlook Mail is also known as Personal Information Manager (PIM).

If you want to use Outlook Mail for your organization or email needs, then be aware that there are some differences in the tool depending on the version you are using. Outlook Mail was released in the late 1990s and has undergone many changes until now.

Also read: Download Microsoft Outlook 2019 (Free Download)

If you are using an older version, there may be some differences in the user interface as well as some features.

Benefits of Outlook Mail

There are several benefits that you can get when using Outlook Mail and here are some of them:

• Popular for large organizations: Research shows that more than 40 thousand companies use Outlook Mail worldwide.
• Works well with MS Exchange: Microsoft Exchange is an enterprise-grade server used for businesses, schools, and other large organizations.
• Compatible with popular software: Outlook Mail can work well with Microsoft Office. In addition, Outlook Mail can also work well with add-ins available in the Microsoft store.
• Includes organizational tools: Even without add-ins, Outlook Mail already has its own organizational tools such as address books and calendars.
• Good level of security: Outlook Mail comes with a lot of security features. Examples include offering two-factor authentication, the ability to view recent account activity, and message encryption.
• Provide technical support: Outlook Mail provides telephone technical support at an additional cost, available 24 hours a. For that, when you have a problem, you can contact technical support.
• For email, namely sending and receiving messages in the form of an email.
• Calendar: The built-in Outlook Mail calendar can be used to schedule and keep track of appointments and meetings. It can even be used to schedule reminders for yourself.
• Address book: Outlook Mail can be used to store not only email contact information but also other information such as delivery devices and phone numbers.
• Outlook Mail can also be used to read emails offline.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Outlook Mail

Although there are already many advanced features, Outlook Mail also has some drawbacks. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of Outlook Mail:

Advantages of Outlook Mail

• Have a user-friendly display.
• Can connect with social media.
• Can be used to open and edit office documents that have been integrated with OneDrive.
• Has a free capacity of 5 GB.
• The free version of mailbox storage is up to 15 GB.
• Have a good spam-cleaning system.
• Can be synchronized with the user’s smartphone.
• Can be used for video calls using Skype.
• Can separate incoming emails according to the desired category.

Disadvantages of Outlook Mail

• Limited features: Features are limited for users of the free version, and only 5 GB of storage space is provided

Differences between Outlook Mail and Gmail

• View messages: For Outlook Mail, when you want to view messages and message replies are done by default with separate entries in the inbox. Whereas in Gmail, messages and replies will be grouped by default in conversation threads so that several related messages will appear in 1 view.
• Spell check: In Outlook Mail, spell check will be performed automatically while writing. Meanwhile, in Gmail, a spell check will be carried out after you have finished writing.
• Attach messages: In Outlook Mail you can attach and forward multiple messages. Whereas in Gmail, forwarding all selected messages or messages is carried out in a series of conversations.
• Outlook Mail requires its users to delete messages to save storage space. Meanwhile, in Gmail, messages must be archived so that the inbox can be tidier.
• In Outlook Mail, messages must sort themselves by sender, date, or size. Whereas in Gmail, messages are sorted by sender, topic, date, and so on.
• In Outlook Mail, a color category will be assigned to messages. Whereas in Gmail, a color code will be given for the label.
• In Outlook Mail, important messages will be flagged. Whereas in Gmail you will be given stars or markers for important messages.
• In Outlook Mail, incoming email is managed by rules. Whereas in Gmail, managing incoming email is done with filters.

Difference between POP3 and IMAP in Outlook Mail

When setting up email client software or email recipients, users are usually a little confused about the choice of POP3 or IMAP. Here are the differences between the two to make it easier for you when choosing:

1. POP3

POP3 or Post Office Protocol version 3 is an email protocol used to download email content on the server. That way, when you want to read the contents of an email, you have to download it first to the email client. All email data will be stored in the email client so that it can be read again even when you are offline.

In addition, there is also the option to keep emails on the server or delete them immediately when they are finished downloading. If you choose to keep emails on the server, deleting emails on the email client will not affect the email server data and vice versa. POP3 can be selected when:

• Want to access email from only one device or place?
• Requires continuous email access even without an internet connection.
• When the server storage capacity is limited.

2. IMAP

IMAP or Internet Message Access Protocol is a standard protocol used to access email from a server. That way when you want to read email, you have to be online or connected to an internet network.

Email data is also still stored on the server so that all emails do not have to be downloaded. Downloaded emails are emails that the user wants to read-only.

The email client will sync data to the server such as deleting emails on the email client which will also delete emails on the server and vice versa. IMAP can be used to easily identify unread emails.

However, IMAP requires a large email space because all email data will be stored on the server. You can select this IMAP when:

• Want to access email on multiple devices or places simultaneously.
• Have an internet connection to access email on the device continuously.
• When the storage capacity of a gadget or computer is very limited.
• Has a large server capacity that is used to store email data.

Advantages Of Outlook Mail

Outlook Mail enables users to send and receive email messages, manage calendars, track tasks, and store contact names and numbers. Apart from that, there are also several advantages of Outlook Mail that you should know as follows:

1. Prevent Sending Emails Without Attachments

Outlook Mail can’t remind you of tasks that have never been entered or appointments that have been forgotten. However, this program can prevent users from sending emails without attachments.

When you are writing a new email and typing the word attachment and then sending it without including the attachment, Outlook Mail will remind you if you may have forgotten to attach the file.

2. Remind Flight Schedules and More

If you receive flight, car rental, or hotel bookings via email, Outlook Mail will automatically add them to the calendar complete with related information such as tracking numbers, and confirmations to links.

However, Outlook Mail cannot calculate the travel time to the airport, so you still have to check traffic conditions before traveling.

3. Can Stay Focused and Ignore Certain Conversations

Someone from a large company may be able to add you to the distribution list without you knowing. Instead of having to delete one by one when there is an incoming message, in Outlook Mail you can ignore all of these conversations.

All messages in the conversation will be moved to the Deleted Items folder. Meanwhile, the next message in the conversation will pass through the Inbox or Inbox so that it will go directly to the Deleted Items folder.

4. Remind Users For Important Messages

You can use Outlook Mail new item notifications which are useful to notify you when an incoming message meets certain criteria. This notification will appear on top of other applications that are currently in use so that the message will not be missed.

5. Cleaning Folders

Another advantage of Outlook Mail is that it can clean folders. You can use the Clear button to delete messages in bulk, leaving only messages that are unread or have special information in them.

How to Setup Outlook Mail

Outlook Mail can be said to be one of the best email management solutions. The main function of Outlook Mail is to send, receive, and store email. Here are some things that need to be prepared before starting the configuration of the Outlook Mail application:

• Domain name.
• Email address.
• Email passwords.

For example, now you have registered a domain and have an email, then the three conditions above, namely the domain name, email address, and password, are available. However, to access email via the application, you must have information or details on the incoming server, namely IMAP or POP, and also the outgoing server, namely SMTP.

Outlook Mail has many versions and each version has a different section. For how to set up Outlook Mail, Outlook Mail 2019, 2016, and 2013 are used.

1. Outlook Mail 2019

• Open Outlook Mail 2019: After the pop-up window is displayed, please enter your email and click Continue. If you want to add an account, then please click add account.
• Select IMAP/POP: In the provider options, please select IMAP/POP. Here you will set the outgoing mail server or outgoing server and incoming mail server or incoming server.
• Configure IMAP or POP settings: After having IMAP/POP, then proceed to fill in the data with the appropriate information then click Add Account.
• Complete Setup: Please enter the password then click Connect and wait a few moments for the setup process to complete. If there are no problems and the setup is successful, a pop-up will appear.

2. Outlook Mail 2016

• Open Outlook Mail 2016: When the application is opened for the first time, a window will be displayed. Please enter your email then put a tick in the small column and click Connect.
• Configure POP/IMAP and SMTP Server: In the pop-up window shown, please choose between POP and IMAP. Another window will also open please complete the form with the data obtained from the control panel then click Next and enter the password then click Connect.
• Complete the setup process: If an error window is displayed, please readjust the configuration again by clicking Change
• Account Settings and make sure everything is set to standard settings. If the configuration settings are correct, a pop-up window will appear.

3. Outlook Mail 2013

• Open Outlook Mail 2013: A welcome window will appear. Please click Next to continue with the setup process.
• Email account configuration: The next window will appear please select Yes then click Next one more time. Please select Manual setup or additional server types then enter your email address, and password and click Next.
• Choose POP or IMAP: Complete the form with the required information. Select the type of POP or IMAP account then add the information obtained from the control panel on the incoming server and outgoing server then enter the full email address in the username column complete with the password.
• Click more settings: In the window that appears afterward, please look for the Outgoing Server tab then put a tick in the My Outgoing Server [SMTP] requires authentication box. Please select Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
• Complete the setup process: Click Next and Outlook will check the account settings to see if everything is working as it should. If no errors occur, then the account settings test screen will appear.

Outlook Mail Features

Outlook Mail is a webmail service owned by Microsoft which used to be known as Hotmail because it was originally owned by Jack Smith and Sabeer Bhatia. In 1997, Hotmail was acquired by Microsoft and its name changed to MSN Hotmail.
After that, it was rebranded as Windows Live Hotmail. In 2013, Hotmail officially changed its name to outlook.com until now.

Because it is a Microsoft product, the account is indirectly automatically connected to other Microsoft products such as OneDrive, Skype, Microsoft Office Online, and so on. If you don’t have an email account at outlook.com, then the registration method can be done as easily as creating a new email account on another platform.

But on outlook.com, you can choose 2 domains namely outlook.com or hotmail.com. You can even create an email account via smartphone very easily if you don’t have a computer or laptop. Following are some of the features of Outlook Mail:

1. Home or Middle Page

In other virtual mail platforms, categorizing emails is one of the features that users like because it is much easier. You don’t have to look for important emails from the many emails in your inbox.

In Outlook Mail, by default, the type of email is only divided into two, namely Focused and Other. All emails that are notifications, updates, circulars, or promotions will automatically go to the Other section. Meanwhile, emails from individuals such as colleagues, friends, office matters and so on will go to Focused. These groupings can be arranged by adding a new category or mail folder.

2. Top Left

On the email page, you can directly connect with all platforms belonging to Microsoft. At the top left, there are 9 small blue boxes. If clicked, it will display all other Microsoft platforms that you can use immediately.

3. Lower Left

At the bottom left, apart from Outlook Mail, you will also be given 3 shortcut options to other Outlook Mail platforms, namely:

• Outlook calendar.
• Outlook people.
• Outlook tasks.