Set preferences for Outlook for Mac

Applies to: Outlook for Mac, Outlook Long Term Service Channel (LTSC) for Mac 2024, Outlook LTSC for Mac 2021

The following preferences can be used to simplify account setup for Microsoft 365 mailboxes, help protect company data, and support a streamlined user experience.

As an IT admin, you can provide Mac users in your organization with a standard set of preferences for Outlook in either of the following ways:

• Set a default preference, which users can change.
• Force a particular preference, which users can’t change.

Most preferences can be changed using the Terminal, or via a script. For example:

defaults write com.microsoft.Outlook DefaultWeatherLocation -string 'Paris, France'

When you change preferences in Terminal, users can override the value in the Outlook app. To change the value and enforce it so that users can't override it, use a Configuration Profile.

All of these keys are CFPreferences-compatible, which means that they can be set by using enterprise management (MDM) software for Mac, such as Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro.

The following list shows the preferences that are covered in this article:

• Allow only corporate mailboxes to be added
• Allow S/MIME certificates without a matching email address
• Automatically configure Microsoft 365 mailbox on first launch
• Block access to mailboxes from unauthorized domains
• Disable automatic updating of weather location
• Disable calendar sharing permissions
• Disable Copy or Move emails between accounts
• Disable "Do Not Forward"
• Disable "Do not send a response"
• Disable "Encrypt-Only"
• Disable export
• Disable Focused Inbox
• Disable import
• Disable Junk settings
• Disable Pride theme
• Disable retention messages
• Disable setting someone as a delegate
• Prevent users from sharing any mail folder with other users
• Disable signatures
• Disable Skype for Business online meetings
• Disable S/MIME
• Disable Teams online meetings
• Enable new Outlook
• Hide local folders
• Hide text about adding noncorporate mailboxes
• Set the order in which S/MIME certificates are considered
• Specify calendar first day of week
• Specify default weather location
• Specify Microsoft 365 mailbox to be added on first launch
• Specify when pictures are downloaded for email
• Trust AutoDiscover redirects

Mailbox settings

Automatically configure Microsoft 365 mailbox on first launch

The email address used for Office activation is added during the first launch.

Specify Microsoft 365 mailbox to be added on first launch

Set the domain or full email address of Microsoft 365 mailbox to be added on first launch.

Allow only corporate mailboxes to be added

Specify one or more domains users are allowed to add in Outlook.

Block access to mailboxes from unauthorized domains

Specify one or more domains where mailbox access is blocked.

Hide text about adding noncorporate mailboxes

Hide the “Did you know? Outlook supports…” text in the Set Up Your Email success dialog box.

Import/export settings

Disable import

Prevent users from being able to import archive files (.olm and .pst) and Outlook for Mac 2011 data.

Disable export

Prevent users from being able to export archive files (.olm).

Disable sharing of mail folders

Prevent users from sharing any mail folder with other users.

Meetings settings

Disable "Do not send a response"

Prevent users from selecting "Do not send response" when replying to a meeting request.

Disable Skype for Business online meetings

Prevent users from adding Skype for Business online meeting details to events.

Disable Teams online meetings

Prevent users from adding Teams online meeting details to events.

Disable calendar sharing permissions

Prevent users from sharing their calendar.

Disable setting someone as a Delegate

Prevent a user from adding another user as their delegate.

Security settings

Disable "Encrypt-Only"

Prevent users from applying the Encrypt-Only option to emails when using Microsoft Purview Message Encryption.

Disable "Do Not Forward"

Prevent users from applying the Do Not Forward option to emails when using Microsoft Purview Message Encryption.

Allow S/MIME certificates without a matching email address

Allow users to decrypt and encrypt S/MIME messages when the S/MIME certificate doesn't match the email address.

Set the order in which S/MIME certificates are considered

Set the order in which certificates are used to decrypt and encrypt S/MIME messages.

Disable S/MIME

Prevent users from applying S/MIME option to email messages.

Trust AutoDiscover redirects

Automatically trust server redirects through AutoDiscover.

Weather location settings

Specify default weather location

Set default location for weather in calendar view.

Disable automatic updating of weather location

Prevent users from choosing Update Location Automatically for weather location.

Other settings

Hide local folders

Prevent users from viewing local On My Computer folders in the sidebar.

Specify when pictures are downloaded for email

Set when pictures are automatically downloaded from the internet for email.

Disable signatures

Prevent users from being able to create, edit, and add client-side signatures.

Specify calendar first day of week

Set the first day of week in calendar view.

Enable new Outlook

Set the availability and default position of the New Outlook switch.

Disable Junk settings

Prevent users from applying Junk options to emails.

Disable Pride theme

Prevent users from applying Pride themes to Outlook.

Disable retention messages

Hide information about message retention settings when viewing message contents.

Disable Focused Inbox

Prevent users from viewing Focused Inbox.

Disable Copy or Move emails between accounts

Prevent users from copying or moving emails between accounts.

Related articles

• Configuration Profile Reference (Apple developer documentation)
• Deploy preferences for Office for Mac