15 Awesome Free Add-ins to Make Outlook Better

Outlook is one of the most popular and powerful email client available for Windows and it is included in the Microsoft Office Suite. Outlook packs with features needed for enterprise and with every new version there are some major changes included. The current version of Outlook 2013 is probably the best email client out there. Apart from the features included in Outlook, you can even add options to Outlook using add-ins.

The main purpose of the add-ins is to add new functional capabilities into Microsoft Outlook and automate some routine operations. there are hundreds of add-ins available for Outlook, but in this post we are covering the best free add-ins to get the best out of Outlook.

1. Xobni:

Xobni plugs into Outlook and offers fast search and people-based navigation of email archives. Xobni Gadgets bring you info about your contacts from Evernote, Dropbox and more, all inside your inbox. It is one of the popular add-ins for Outlook and it is available in both paid and free versions.

2. FBLook:

FBLook is a social add-in for Outlook which allows you to connect to Facebook and update your status, see your friend statuses and see the number of new requests without having to open the browser or any other applications. FBLook seamlessly integrates Facebook into Outlook. More details here.

3. Outlook Sync

Outlook Sync has been designed to let you synchronize Outlook folders between two computers. The program works in a local network and is especially useful in home or small business scenarios. You can use it to share Outlook between your two PCs (e.g. laptop and desktop), cooperate with your workmate, stay up-to-date with your family members, or to back up your Outlook to another computer.

4. Outlook Attachment Reminder:

Outlook Attachment Reminder helps you avoid an awkward situation of sending messages without an attachment when you have just forgotten to add one. Based on a list of keywords, the program recognizes messages that are supposed to include attachments, so when you press the Send button before attaching appropriate files, the application reminds you of the missing attachments and you can still add them to your e-mail.

5. Export Outlook items to PST format:

This add-in creates a new PST storage file and copies (or moves) there Outlook items from specified folders. Messages, contacts, appointments, notes, tasks and journal entries supported. You can download it from here.

6. Categorize Outlook Items:

This add-in helps you assigns or removes specified categories to/from messages, contacts, appointments, tasks, notes and journal entries. Possible to change read/unread state. You can download it from here.

7. Outlook Export:

Outlook Export is an easy to use free tool for exporting data from Microsoft Outlook to CSV text files, which can later be imported into many different programs and systems. It is faster, easier to use and can export more data than the built-in export Outlook feature. It also gives you the ability of exporting user-defined fields from Outlook.

8. Outlook AutoConfig:

Outlook AutoConfig is handy add-in which can create your email account in Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail just by providing your email address and all the configurations are done automatically by the add-in.

9. Reply All Reminder:

Outlook Reply All Reminder saves you from embarrassing situations of skipping other recipients in the group message correspondence. Whenever you hit the Reply button, the application will alert you about other people included in the original e-mail giving you a choice between replying to one or all recipients concerned.

10. Task Workflow:

Task Workflow is an Outlook add-in, which adds new options to the task feature. It allows the user to manage tasks and projects in Outlook in an easy way thanks to a smart task pane. The program provides a complex task view, progress statistics and automatic email notifications concerning task changes

11. TwInbox:

With TwInbox you do not need to open any other applications or the browser. Plus you will be able to archive, manage and search your tweets the same way you manage your email. More details here.

12. Important Mail Alert:

Important Mail Alert This free add-in will notify you any time you get an important e-mail. You just enter the alert text and the add-in will pop up a message saying that an e-mail with this text arrived. If you have this handy tool, important messages will never be missed. Important Mail Alert will find them in any in any Outlook Inbox folder, even if it gets to Junk mail. More details available here.

13. Duplicate Items Remover:

Outlook Duplicate Items Remover(ODIR) enables you to find and remove duplicate emails, contacts, tasks, notes and appointments in your Outlook easily. More detail and review here.

14. InboxEx:

InboxEx is a powerful and freeware add-in for Outlook which provides you with better search and other advanced options. It provides you with fast email search of all inboxes including events, meetings. You can also do search results refining by topic, content, sender, recipient, type, dates and attachments. You can synchronize your calendar with Google Calendar making it easy to schedule meetings and calls, inside and outside your company.

15: Attach Unblocker:

Attach Unblocker allows fast and convenient configuration of Microsoft Outlook to unblock attachments blocked by Outlook by default (for example, .exe, .url, .reg files). The program is setup directly in Microsoft Outlook, which ensures quick and convenient editing.

We have covered only the best ones, there are many more free add-ins available for Outlook.