MUNICH: Outlook is now free of charge for Mac users, and provided you can accept a few ads, you no longer need to pay for a Microsoft 365 subscription to run Microsoft's email client on Apple devices.

However this only works with ads on MacOS computers. If your computer runs on Windows, then you'll still need an Outlook 365 subscription or an Office licence to install and use this mail client.

For Mac users with a subscription or licence, Outlook will remain ad-free. On Apple devices, Outlook offers not only the core mail features for free, but also contact management and a calendar.

For MacOS, Microsoft has also redesigned Outlook and adapted it to the famously fast M1 and M2 processors that Apple has developed for its own hardware.

Outlook, which can also manage iCloud and Gmail accounts, will also get widgets for the MacOS desktop and see email notifications, as well as appointment reminders in the message centre of the Apple operating system.

You'll also be able to start an email on the Mac and then seamlessly continue writing on the iPhone in the Outlook app where you left off on the phone - or vice versa, an Apple feature known as Handoff.

Microsoft Outlook is available for download in the Mac App Store.

 - dpa