Every organization wants its consumers to have the power to jump from one of its products to the other without any issue. And Microsoft is no different.
They permit users to go from Outlook to Microsoft Teams seamlessly by integrating the Teams add-in to Outlook.
This will allow you to create Teams meetings from Outlook; you can open chat, make audio calls using Outlook, and find out whether someone is busy or not from Outlook contacts. No need to open Teams.
In this article, I’ve explained what you need to add to the Teams add-in in Outlook, how to install and use the add-in, and what to do if you have problems utilizing the add-in.
Let’s start!
How to Get the Teams Add-in in Outlook
With the help of the Teams add-in in Outlook, you can use all the core features of Teams from Outlook without even launching the Teams. You can create meetings, open chat, make audio calls, and view your contacts’ status in Outlook.
And thankfully, Outlook is available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, so most of us can enjoy the Teams add-in functionalities.
But not every version of Microsoft Office supports the Teams add-in integration.
Here are the requirements to use the Teams add-in with Outlook:
Teams Meeting Add-in in Outlook for Windows
After installing Microsoft Teams on your Windows device, you should automatically get the Teams meeting option in Outlook. But not all Microsoft Office versions can merge Outlook with Teams.
You need at least Microsoft Office 2013 to utilize Teams add-in to Outlook. And you can use the newer Office versions such as Office 2016, Office 2019, Office 2021, or Office 365 to use the Teams add-in with Outlook.
Follow our guide to fixing how to Add Yahoo Mail in Outlook.
Teams Meeting add-in in Outlook for Mac
To get the Teams meeting button to show up in the Outlook toolbar on your Mac, you need Outlook version 16.24.414.0 or later versions. And you need to activate that Outlook version with a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 client subscription.
Teams Meeting Add-in in Outlook Web Browser
If you are on a recent version of Outlook on the web, you can use the Teams add-in without any problems. You’ll see the Teams Meetings button in Outlook Web App will appear as a feature of new event creation.
Teams Meeting add-in in Outlook for iOS and Android
To add the Teams add-in to Outlook on your iOS or Android device, the iOS version needs to be 14.0+, and the Android version should be 8 or higher.
Read more on the new post how to Add Signature in Outlook 365.
How to Install the Teams Add-in in Microsoft Outlook
You can use the main features of Microsoft Teams from Outlook just by adding the Teams add-in to Outlook. This is pretty easy as they are both Microsoft products. You just need to install Outlook and Teams, and you are good to go.
Just keep in mind that you close and restart whichever program was installed first before running the other one to confirm the add-in gets added.
Some users have run into problems with merging the Teams add-in to Outlook because they didn’t maintain specific order when running Teams and Outlook.
Microsoft themselves implied to download, install and sign in to Teams first. After that, restart Teams and then restart Outlook. Run the apps in this order. If you added the Teams add-in manually to Outlook, you have to restart both Teams and Outlook.
How to Add Microsoft Teams to Outlook
Adding the Microsoft Teams add-in to Outlook will allow you to call and chat with your contacts directly from Outlook; you can also set up Teams meetings using Outlook.
If you meet all the requirements for using the Teams add-in with Outlook and install Microsoft Teams and Outlook and run them the way I’ve described in the previous sections, then adding Teams to Outlook won’t be an issue.
Simply just installing the two apps will add the Teams add-in to Outlook. Still, if you don’t see the Teams Meeting option in the Outlook toolbar, the add-in might be disabled. Follow the steps below to enable it.
Here are the steps to enable the Teams add-in to Outlook:
- Open Outlook.
- Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
- Select COM Add-ins and click Go.
- Ensure Microsoft Teams Meeting Add-in is checked and press OK.
In case you don’t see the Microsoft Teams Meeting Add-in in the COM Add-ins list of Outlook, you can add the add-in manually.
Also, check out our separate post on how to fix Microsoft Teams you can’t send messages error.
Here’s how to manually get the Teams add-in in Outlook:
- Launch Microsoft Teams on your device.
- Select the 3 horizontal dots at the top right corner and choose Settings.
- Go to the General tab.
- Make sure Register Teams as the chat app for Office is checked.
- Restart Teams.
- Restart Outlook.
And you should be able to get the Microsoft Teams Meeting Add-in in the COM Add-Ins list. outlook-teams-add-in
How to Use the Teams Add-in for Microsoft Outlook
After installing and running Microsoft Teams and Outlook in the correct order and ensuring the Teams add-in is enabled in Outlook, you don’t need to do much to use the add-in.
Here’s how to use the Teams add-in in Outlook:
Using Teams add-in for Outlook Desktop App
Follow the steps below to utilize the Teams add-in for the Outlook desktop app:
- Launch the Outlook app on your desktop.
- Move to Calendar from the navigation panel.
- Select New Teams Meeting from the toolbar of the Home tab.
Using this add-in, you can add meeting subjects and participants, choose the meeting duration and send meeting invitations without even running the Teams app. The meeting details are automatically added to the invitation.
Quickly check out our epic guide on Microsoft Teams set out of office alerts.
Using Teams add-in for Outlook Web Browser
Here’s how to use the Teams add-in for the Outlook web:
- Open your browser and go to Outlook Live.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account.
- Go to the Calendar tab from the left sidebar.
- Select New event to make a new meeting.
- Enable Teams meeting to connect the newly created meeting to Microsoft Teams.
Using Teams add-in for Outlook on iOS & Android
Similar to the web browser, you can use the Teams add-in on your mobile device when creating a new event.
Here’s the process for using the Teams add-in in Outlook for Android and iOS:
- Open Outlook on your mobile.
- Select Calendar at the bottom right corner.
- Tap the Plus (+) icon to make a new event.
- Turn on Teams meeting.
- Tap the Send button to add the Teams meeting information to the Calendar.
Check out our separate post on how to Add Teams Meeting in Outlook.
How to Fix Teams Add-in Not Working with Outlook
Usually, Teams integration to Outlook is pretty clear and happens automatically when you install Teams.
But sometimes, you may face problems due to an outdated Office version, you are on a different Exchange server from the management that sends out the add-in, or you are not signed in to Office through multi-factor authentication.
In case you are having problems merging Teams with Outlook, I’ve explained the tested fixes to solve this issue.
Here’s how to fix Teams not integrating with Outlook:
1. Reinstall Microsoft Teams
If the Teams app isn’t installed correctly or the files get corrupted, you’ll be unable to include the Teams add-in to Outlook. And the first step should be to uninstall and reinstall Teams.
Here are the steps to reinstall Teams:
- Click the Search icon, search for the Control Panel and open it.
- Choose Uninstall a program under Programs.
- Select Microsoft Teams and click Uninstall.
- Open your web browser.
- Move to the Microsoft Teams Download page.
- Select your Teams version.
- Download the setup file.
After these steps, open the setup file, and the Teams launcher will download the central files and install the app.
2. Run Teams as an Admin
It will allow Teams to modify the registry files so that the COM add-ins in Outlook can identify Teams adds-in.
Here’s how to run Microsoft Teams as an admin:
- Right-click on the Microsoft Teams icon and choose Properties.
- Move to the Compatibility tab.
- Check Run this program as an administrator.
- Click Apply to confirm the changes.
You don’t have to run Outlook as an admin; in fact, It’s better just to run it normally.
3. Clear Microsoft Teams Cache Files
Sometimes cache can contain defective files, which may result in the issue you are getting. Delete the cache file and check whether the problem is fixed.
Here’s the process to clear the Teams cache files:
- Exit from Microsoft Teams and ensure it’s not running in the background.
- Right-click on the Windows icon and select Run.
- Type in %appdata%/Microsoft/Teams to open the Teams cache folder.
- Select all the files and folders and Delete Skip the other files and folders that can’t be deleted.
4. Repair Office
Repairing Microsoft Office can sometimes solve the issue. So, follow the steps below to repair your MS Office.
Here’s how to repair Microsoft Office:
- Open Control Panel.
- Move to Programs > Programs and Features.
- Choose Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 or whichever version you use and click Change.
- Select Quick Repair, and if the problem continues, choose the Online Repair option.
5. Stop Teams from Running in the Background
If Teams runs in the background, it might prevent Outlook from adding the Teams add-in.
Here’s how to stop Teams from running in the background:
- Open Microsoft Teams.
- Click the 3 horizontal dots and select Settings.
- Move to the General tab.
- Uncheck On close, keep the application running.
After these steps, Microsoft Teams will stop running when you close it.
FAQs
How do I enable Microsoft Teams add in Outlook?
To enable Microsoft Teams add-in, open Outlook, select File > Options > Add-ins > COM Add-ins and choose Go. Check Microsoft Teams Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Office.
Why is my Outlook not connecting to Microsoft Teams?
Outlook is not connecting to Microsoft Teams because the Teams add-in is not enabled. To enable Microsoft Teams add-in, open Outlook, move to File > Options > Add-ins > COM Add-ins, and click Go. Check Microsoft Teams Meeting Add-in and click OK.
How do I add a team meeting to an existing Outlook invite?
To add Teams meeting to an Outlook invite, go to Calendar and double-click the invite. Choose Teams Meeting from the toolbar and select Send Update.
Final Thoughts
Using the Teams add-in in Outlook, you can call our contacts and chat with them directly from Outlook. You can create new Teams meetings using Outlook.
Thanks to this add-in, Outlook can take over the communication features of Teams.
And here, I’ve described the process of integrating the Teams add-in to Outlook, explained the problems you could face while adding Teams to Outlook, and provided the solutions to fix them.
Let me know if you have any questions regarding Outlook or other apps. See you in the comment section.
