May 02 2017 04:04 PM - edited Nov 10 2017 01:02 PM
Edited: Nov 10, 2017 with updated information.
Focused Inbox is coming to an Outlook near you! Here is an update on our status for Outlook 2016 for Windows. If you want to see our latest for other platforms, see our blog post, as these details haven’t changed.
Note: we have provided admins the ability to control the rollout of Focused Inbox in their organizations. For more details, read our blog post on admin controls.
Rollout status
As a reminder, there is a client and service side component required for Focused Inbox to appear in Outlook. The user’s mailbox in Office 365 & Outlook.com must receive a service side update to be Focused Inbox enabled. Secondly, the user must have a build of Outlook that includes the client-side updates necessary for Focused Inbox to appear.
Service side status:
We deployed to 100% of Office 365 (Exchange Online) and Outlook.com mailboxes. This is no longer a factor in availabilty.
Client side status:
There are a few client side requirements:
Sep 05 2017 11:32 AM
Sep 05 2017 11:33 AM
Sep 05 2017 12:38 PM
And were I to install MA would FI then be activated?
Sep 06 2017 07:35 AM
Understood - Last question, will the Focused Inbox work on-prem if we upgraded to Exchange server 2016?
Sep 06 2017 04:29 PM
Sep 06 2017 04:31 PM
Sep 07 2017 12:49 AM
Sorry, just to be absolutely clear. Are you saying that on Business Essentials I can NOT get FI on my Windows PC installed Outlook irrespective of whether or not MA is enabled? If that is correct, is there any intention to have FI in the future on a PC with a Business Essentails subscription?
Sep 07 2017 01:06 AM
Sep 07 2017 01:12 AM
Many thanks. Couldn't be clearer!
To those like me using a pc with Business Essentials, I periodically log on to office.com, select all the stuff in the non FI section and move them out of the inbox or delete them en masse.
Sep 08 2017 11:46 AM - edited Sep 08 2017 11:49 AM
Hi Allen, quick question regarding "teaching" Outlook about what a user wants to flow to Focused versus Other; when you right-click and 'Move to Other' or 'Move to Focused', is it learning based on the sender of the email and/or the subject or type of email? For example, if I get a response to a meeting request from my boss and move that to Other, will all my boss' emails start to go to Other, or just meeting request responses?
Sep 08 2017 12:30 PM
Both play into the machine learning involved. However in this case, that signal is unlikely to override the prominence privided in the algorithm for one's direct boss. One of the benefits of having the Focused/Other intelligence housed in our service is that we can continue to make it better. I'll pass along this feedback to the team.
Sep 10 2017 03:17 PM
I appologize if this is redundant, I've read this and other threads multiple times, I'm just trying to get some clarfication as to if I should already have access to Focused Inbox (or when its going to be available) in Outlook 2016. I'm currently using Office 365 Personal (Subscription) with the version and build info below. I have two email accounts, one is a personal one (outlook.com) and the other is from my institution (Office 365 ProPlus). I believe both are Exchange accounts (that's what it says when I look at account settings in Outlook 2016). When I logon to the web version of both accounts I have Focused Inbox, and FI also shows up on Windows 10 Mail app, however it does not display in Outlook 2016 (no option under 'View' tab). Is this behaving as it should?
I also have access to Outlook 2016 through my institution, if I install this 'ProPlus' version instead of my Home one will I then have access to Focused Inbox? This is actually causing some issues for me as I used to use Clutter to organize my inboxs, but since I turned on Focused Inbox on the web access Clutter is obviosuly no longer working which is leading to a very 'cluttered' inbox in Outlook 2016 (my primiary method of checking mail) since there is no FI. Please advise, thanks.
Outlook 2016 (Office 365 Home Subscription)
Version: 1708 (Build 8431.2070 Click to run)
Monthly Channel (Targetted)
Sep 10 2017 10:16 PM
Sep 11 2017 07:53 AM
Thank you for your response.
Sep 12 2017 03:59 PM
Thats wrong.
If I go to buy Outlook today, there is no difference in the marketing of perpetual or 365. No where on perpetual does it say what features it is missing, or that it is not the same as 365. It is sold as Outlook 2016 period. It is sold as the same product.
I dont expect perpetual to be updated to 2019 or whatever the next version is, but I do expect it to be exactly the same as 365, now and forever.
The difference between 365 and perpetual is only promoted as a different licencing regime, not a different product.
Sep 13 2017 06:15 AM
@Allen Filush I just installed yesterdays patches, bringing My client up to Version 1708 (Build 8431.2079 Click-to-Run) Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted), we have Modern auth enbabled. Still no focused Inbox. Please advise.
Get-OrganizationConfig | Format-Table -Auto Name,OAuth*
Name OAuth2ClientProfileEnabled
---- --------------------------
***.onmicrosoft.com True
Sep 21 2017 09:28 AM
I have MS Office 365 for home/personal version 1708 and I still haven't received the Focused Inbox on my desktop Outlook 2016 -- it appears on outlook.com (although I don't import my active email accounts in to it - they are all IMAP and Exchange and I want to keep it that way)
I recently set up a new laptop with a fresh install of O365 and it doesn't show up either.
Focused inbox works fine the way it is on my android devices.
Is there a setting that I have to do on our computers to allow "Modern Authentication" or something. I have a small business - just me.
I really want to make this work - it will help keep me organized.
Sep 21 2017 09:39 AM
You're using an Outlook.com mailbox (consumer account)? Focused is not yet supported for Outlook.com in Outlook desktop; at this time, you need to have a mailbox on Office 365 business/enterprise. When they remove the modern auth requirement, it should work in the desktop.
Sep 21 2017 10:39 AM
@Diane Poremsky wrote:You're using an Outlook.com mailbox (consumer account)? Focused is not yet supported for Outlook.com in Outlook desktop; at this time, you need to have a mailbox on Office 365 business/enterprise. When they remove the modern auth requirement, it should work in the desktop.
Thank you - when do you think that might be - removing modern authorization I use Office 365 for personal. I do have an exchange account that i get free with my Comcast business internet. I am not sure that matters.
I wish Microsoft would explain this further. I can find Focused info on my Help in my build of Outlook.
Sep 21 2017 10:51 AM
It only works with office 365 exchange accounts - so if comcast uses office 365, rather than their own exchange servers in-house, it might work there (if it doesn't, they need to change a setting to enable it). I don't have an ETA for outlook.com support, sorry.