Microsoft Outlook is now free to use on Mac

(Image: Reuters)

Microsoft has announced that its email client, Outlook, is now free to use on Apple's Mac desktops and laptops.

Free to use means users will not need a Microsoft 365 subscription or licence to use the app. The email client supports multiple email providers including popular ones such as Google's Gmail, Apple iCloud, Yahoo Mail and IMAP accounts.

The Redmond-based technology giant redesigned Outlook's interface in 2020 to be more optimised for macOS, and the app takes advantage of Apple's processors for snappier performance and faster sync speeds than previous versions of the app.

It also has a handy macOS widget that can be pinned on the desktop for calendar and mail notifications, speaking of which, it supports Apple's native notification system.

Outlook on Mac takes advantage of Handoff, an Apple feature that lets you carry over progress between devices, to let users tend to their mails on both iOS and Mac.

Coming soon are Outlook Profiles, which will integrate with Apple's Focus modes for Mac. It allows to individualise the client according to the setting - Home, Travel, Office etc. and will stop unwanted notifications from appearing.