Pinning Apps in Outlook by default for all users

Question

Pinning Apps in Outlook by default for all users

anthony 81

Within the latest version of Outlook, users can add and pin apps to their side-bar/launcher by clicking “More apps”.

2025-09-04 14.46.57

As an organisational administrator, I would like to be able to have a specific app pinned to the Outlook side-bar by default for all employees to encourage adoption and prompt its usage. It looks like this can be easily configured in Microsoft Teams using policies.

However, I’m having trouble finding whether Microsoft 365/Outlook apps provide the same option.

I’ve tried following the steps in this similar post, but it appears the advice was more relevant to Office add-ins. In my case, the app I want installed (Team Forms) is an app that runs across Office/Teams/Outlook, not just a "Add-in”

Has anyone been able to configure this for Outlook apps centrally? Or is this feature simply not yet supported?

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Answer 1

Hello @anthony

Welcome to Q&A forum!

Thank you for reaching out to us with your detailed information.

I have searched for your concern and I need to inform you that currently, there is no way for an admin to pin an app to the Outlook sidebar for all users.

Microsoft only allows you to:

Deploy the app (allow or block it) for Outlook through the Teams Admin Center or Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
Pin the app centrally in Teams using App Setup Policies.

However, Outlook (both the new desktop version and Outlook on the web) does not support any centralized pinning policy. Users must manually go to More apps → Pin if they want the app to appear in their Outlook sidebar.

If you still want to set this app as the default for all employees to encourage adoption and promote its usage, here is my detailed guidance on how to do it in Microsoft Teams

Step 1: Allow the App in Teams (via Teams Admin Center)

This ensures the app is available for everyone in Teams.

Sign in to https://admin.teams.microsoft.com/.
In the left navigation, go to Teams apps → Manage apps.
Search for the app (e.g., "Team Forms").
Click the app name to open its details.

Check and edit the "Availability" to "Everyone"

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Step 2: Pin the App in Microsoft Teams (App Setup Policy)

This makes the app appear in the Teams left rail for your users.

In Teams Admin Center, go to Teams apps → Setup policies.
Either edit the Global policy or create a new custom policy for your target users.
Under Pinned apps, click Add apps.
Search for the app (e.g., Team Forms), select it, and click Add.
Use the Move up/down arrows to position it where you want in the Teams left rail.
Click Save.

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Step 3: Assign the policy to users

Click on "Group Policy assignment" -> "Add"
Assign this policy to the groups of user that you want to apply this policy
"Select a group" -> "Select a Policy" that you have set above.
Select rank: 1
Click on "Apply" -> "Confirm"

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Please feel free to reach out to me again if I can do anything more for you in this case.

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