fill out and submit a form directly from an Outlook email

Hello @Sophie N
Hello, I want to implement functionality where users can fill out and submit a form directly within an Outlook email.

However, I do not want to use the standard GET or POST methods to submit the data. My idea was to somehow use JavaScript or jQuery inside the email (for example, through a <script> tag) to capture the selected options and pass the data.
Can you please clarify if this is possible in Outlook emails? If not, what would be the correct way to allow form submission from Outlook?

Dear Mamta Mavani,

Thank you for your question. While Adaptive Cards are primarily designed for Microsoft Teams, bots, and other Microsoft 365 applications, they have limited native support in Outlook emails. Here’s what you need to know:

Can You Send Adaptive Cards via PHP in Outlook?

1. Outlook’s Current Support:
   • Adaptive Cards render natively in apps like Teams but do not fully render in Outlook emails.
   • Outlook emails support HTML/CSS instead. You may need to design a compatible HTML alternative.
2. Alternative Approach:
   • If you want interactive elements, consider:
   • HTML Email Templates: Design responsive HTML forms that work in Outlook.
   • Links to Adaptive Cards: Send a link in the email that opens the Adaptive Card in a web browser or Teams.
3. Using PHP to Send Outlook-Compatible Content:
   • You can use PHP (e.g., with the Microsoft Graph API) to send emails with HTML content.
   • Example:

$htmlBody = "<div style='font-family: Arial; padding: 20px;'>
<h2>Interactive Form</h2>
<p>Click below to open the form:</p>
<a href='https://example.com/adaptive-card-link'>Open Form</a>
</div>";

Send via Microsoft Graph API or SMTP  

Official Microsoft Resources:

• Adaptive Cards Documentation (Not Outlook-specific)
• Outlook Email API (Graph API)

We’re happy to help refine a solution for your needs!

Dear Mamta Mavani,

Good day and thank you for your kindly reply. That is an excellent and logical question about using an <iframe> as a potential solution. 

Unfortunately, for critical security reasons, embedding a form within an <iframe> is not supported in Microsoft Outlook or virtually any other modern email client. 

For more information you can research here: Use IFRAME and web resource controls on a form | Microsoft Learn 

Email clients intentionally block or strip out <iframe> tags because they pose a significant security risk. They can be used to load malicious content, phishing pages, or unwanted scripts without the user's knowledge. This is a standard security practice across the email industry. 

The official and secure Microsoft technology designed to achieve exactly what you want submitting a form directly from within an Outlook email is called Actionable Messages, which use Adaptive Cards. 

Unlike an <iframe> which can load arbitrary web content, Actionable Messages use a secure JSON-based format (Adaptive Cards) that allows for rich, interactive UI components like text boxes and buttons. This process is controlled and validated by Microsoft's servers, ensuring a safe experience for the user. 

Here is the official Microsoft documentation where you can learn more and get started: 

• Official Documentation: What are actionable messages in Office 365? - Outlook Developer | Microsoft Learn 
• Design Tool: Designer | Adaptive Cards- This free tool helps you visually build the interactive forms that you can then send as Actionable Messages. 

In summary, while the <iframe> method is blocked for security, the recommended and fully supported path to your goal is to implement an Actionable Message. 

I hope this explanation is clear and directly addresses your question. 

Note: Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link__. __ 

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Hi Mamta Mavani,

Thank you for reaching out with your question regarding submitting forms directly from a new Outlook email.

Most email clients, including Microsoft Outlook, do not support interactive HTML forms directly embedded in the body of emails for security and compatibility reasons. While some web-based email clients (such as Gmail in certain browsers) may render basic HTML forms, Outlook specially the desktop application intentionally disables support for form elements like <form>, <input>, and <button>. This is a widely adopted industry standard and not a bug or misconfiguration. 

• Microsoft Forms Integration: Outlook supports integration with Microsoft Forms for organization users. You can use the "Collect Responses" feature within Microsoft Forms to send an email invitation that allows recipients to fill out the form from a secure link. For users inside your organization, the Outlook email will sometimes display a summary or interactive preview, but the actual form completion generally occurs in a web browser, not in the Outlook client itself. 
• Limitations: Direct in-email HTML forms will typically appear as plain text or non-interactive blocks in Outlook. Users cannot submit form data from within the Outlook window—submissions must occur through an external browser. 
• Microsoft does not permit embedding interactive forms directly inside an Outlook email body. The recommended approach is to use Microsoft Forms and include a link in your email message. 
• If you are trying to publish or use custom Outlook forms (for workflows or automation), troubleshooting steps and detailed documentation are available: Official Microsoft Outlook Form Issue Troubleshooting. 

As a member of the Microsoft 365 Q&A forum community support team, my role is to clarify product behavior, guide you through available features, and address any questions or challenges. While I am not part of the development team and cannot directly alter product features, I am dedicated to ensuring that you receive clear and useful information. 

Your feedback is incredibly important to Microsoft. Direct input from users helps shape future updates and improvements. If you feel this limitation impacts your workflow, I warmly encourage you to share your experience directly with our product team via the Ideas · Community. You can also search for similar suggestions and vote to increase their visibility. 

The more specific your feedback, the greater its potential impact on influencing future product development. 

If you need step-by-step instructions for this process, or would like alternative workflow suggestions, please let me know. I am happy to help further. Thank you again for your engagement and your commitment to improving Microsoft products. 

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".   

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