How to add tracking to Outlook emails
Adding tracking to Outlook in 2026 means installing an Office.js add-in. Office.js add-ins are the only extension model that works across Outlook Desktop (Windows + Mac), Outlook on the Web, and New Outlook. They install in about 5 minutes and don't require local admin rights.
This guide covers the simplest setup using Outsolvi as the example.
Before you start
- Outlook account (personal or work)
- Outsolvi account (free 14-day trial)
Step-by-step
- 1
Get the Outsolvi Office.js add-in
From outsolvi.com/install/outlook, click 'Get add-in'. This opens AppSource with the Outsolvi listing.
- 2
Install via Microsoft AppSource
Click 'Get it now' on the AppSource listing. Sign in to your Microsoft account if prompted. The add-in installs in seconds.
- 3
Open Outlook and find the Outsolvi button
In Outlook Desktop, the ribbon shows the Outsolvi icon on the Home tab. In Web and New Outlook, the icon appears in the taskpane buttons.
- 4
Sign in and enable tracking on next send
Click the Outsolvi icon, sign in to your Outsolvi account, and toggle tracking on. The next email you send will be tracked.
- 5
Verify the first opens land in your dashboard
Send a test email to yourself or a colleague. The open event should appear in your Outsolvi dashboard within seconds, graded Tier 1 through Tier 5.
Set up tracking in 2 minutes instead of 20.
Outsolvi installs as a native Outlook add-in or Gmail Chrome extension. Confidence-scored opens, AI follow-up alerts, native Outlook and Gmail tracking. From $7/mo, 14-day free trial.
Troubleshooting
AppSource shows 'admin approval required'
Your IT admin needs to approve the add-in. Forward the Outsolvi AppSource URL with the note 'Microsoft-verified Office.js add-in, no special permissions'. Most admins approve within a day.
Outlook 2016 or earlier doesn't show the add-in
Office.js add-ins require Outlook 2019 or later, or Outlook 365. Upgrade Outlook or use Outlook on the Web instead.
Tracking events not firing after install
Check that the tracking toggle is on in the compose window (icon should be highlighted). Sign out and back in to refresh the OAuth grant.
Frequently asked
Do I need IT admin approval?
For most enterprise Microsoft 365 tenants, yes. Outsolvi is a Microsoft-verified Office.js add-in and the approval process is typically a 10-minute task for the admin.
Does this work for Outlook Mac?
Yes. Office.js add-ins work on Outlook Mac (2019+), Outlook Web, Outlook Desktop Windows, and New Outlook.
Will this slow down Outlook?
No measurable impact. The add-in is a sandboxed iframe that loads on compose, not on every Outlook interaction.
More on email tracking
Glossary terms, comparisons, and feature deep-dives related to this guide.
Nate built Outsolvi after watching every email-tracking tool he had ever used lie to him about opens. Outsolvi runs Tier 1 to 5 confidence scoring on every open, native in Outlook and Gmail, so the number on the dashboard is one a rep can actually act on.
We update these pages when the underlying mechanics change. new mailbox-provider rules, new tracker behavior, new measurement gaps. The dates above are real revisions, not auto-touches.