How to install an Outlook Add-in (or any other Office Add-in)?

There are basically two ways to install an Outlook Add-in (and any other Office Add-In):

  • directly in Outlook via the “Get Add-ins” button in the “Home” section of the Outlook Ribbon Bar (recommended)
  • via Microsoft AppSource Add-in store (you can reach the store here: https://appsource.microsoft.com/)

 

Recommended: Installation of Add-ins directly in Office applications like Outlook 2016 (or Outlook 2016 for Mac / Outlook on the web)

  1. Just open your Microsoft Outlook 2016 application, select the mailbox where you want to install the Add-in and navigate to the “Home” section of your Ribbon bar. Click on “Get Add-Ins” to open the Add-in store.
    Click on Get Add-ins in the "Home" Ribbon bar of Outlook 2016
  2. If you cannot see the “Get Add-ins” Button either your company Administrator disabled the installation of Add-ins or you’re not using an Microsoft Exchange mailbox (e. g. an email account of apple, google, …). Unfortunately, Microsoft only supports Add-ins for Microsoft Exchange mailboxes (please take a look at the official Microsoft post: Get an Office Add-in). 
  3. In the Add-ins window you can use the search bar in the upper right corner. Just start writing “reply” and Outlook will suggest you the “Reply with attachment” Add-in.
    Search for Reply with Attachment in Outlook 2016 Add-ins
  4. At the Add-in detail page you can install the Add-in by clicking “Add”.
    Install reply with attachment in Outlook via Add-in details page
  5. After a few secconds Outlook should show you that Reply with attachment has been added successfully.Add-in installation successful in Outlook 2016
  6. The Add-in is now available for the previously selected Microsoft Exchange mailbox. If you want to use it with another mailbox you have to repeat the installation with that other mailbox selected.
    Reply with attachment successfully installed directly in Outlook

 

Installation via Microsoft AppSource Add-in store

  1. Search for the Add-in in AppSource or navigate directly to the Add-in: Reply with attachmentInstall the Add-in via AppSource by clicking on Get it now
  2. By choosing “Get it now” you have to sign in with your Microsoft account. Office 365 accounts are considered as work/school accounts. Sign in to Microsoft AppSource e. g. with your Office 365 account
  3. Microsoft AppSource will forward you to the Microsoft Login Page. Enter your credentials or choose an account which is already signed in.
  4. If signing in was successful you’re back on AppSource. Just accept the terms and conditions and click on “Continue”.Finish the installation by accepting terms and conditions
  5. After another redirect and signing in again you should be redirected again on AppSource and AppSource should show you a success message.The installation via AppSource was successful

 

Why don’t we recommend to install Office Add-ins via Appsource?

From our perspective, the Microsoft AppSource Add-in store is often struggeling with different user accounts and sometimes it is just not clear why the installation is not working properly. Sometimes it’s caused by cached identities but it’s not easy to fix by users themselfes. Unfortunately, we often received bad feedback bad feedback that was about the faulty installation via AppSource, which we unfortunately cannot influence. In case you face any problems just try to install Add-ins directly in the Office applications.