Outlook add-in works in Outlook Web but not in Desktop app

Poonia, Dev Manish 5 Reputation points
2025-06-05T08:47:05.38+00:00

I'm building an Outlook add-in that loads a task pane using Office.onReady. In Outlook Web, the callback is triggered as expected and Office.context.mailbox is accessible. In Outlook Desktop, although Office and Office.onReady are both defined (typeof Office === 'object', typeof Office.onReady === 'function'), the callback never executes.

What I’ve Tried

  • Confirmed that the task pane is opened via the ribbon button, not by navigating to the URL manually.
  • Verified that the task pane loads visually and all JS files are served successfully via ngrok over HTTPS.
  • Cleared %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Wef\ to remove sideload cache..
  • Checked with console.log that Office and Office.onReady exist in the global scope.

Environment Outlook Desktop on Windows

Manifest host: Mailbox, permission: ReadWriteItem

Office.js from CDN: https://appsforoffice.microsoft.com/lib/1.1/hosted/office.js

Task pane served via ngrok, built with Webpack


Question Why is Office.onReady not triggering in Outlook Desktop even though the environment appears to be correctly set up? How can I ensure the task pane is properly initialized in the Office context?

What I’ve Tried

  • Confirmed that the task pane is opened via the ribbon button, not by navigating to the URL manually.
  • Verified that the task pane loads visually and all JS files are served successfully via ngrok over HTTPS.
  • Cleared %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Wef\ to remove sideload cache.
  • Checked with console.log that Office and Office.onReady exist in the global scope.

Environment Outlook Desktop on Windows

Manifest host: Mailbox, permission: ReadWriteItem

Office.js from CDN: https://appsforoffice.microsoft.com/lib/1.1/hosted/office.js

Task pane served via ngrok, built with Webpack


Question Why is Office.onReady not triggering in Outlook Desktop even though the environment appears to be correctly set up?
How can I ensure the task pane is properly initialized in the Office context in Outlook Desktop?
Has anyone encountered this issue before or can offer insight into what might be missing?

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For business
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  1. Jack-Bu 2,220 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-06-05T11:53:24.18+00:00

    Dear Poonia, Dev ManisManish,  

    Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum. 

    As forum moderators, we do not have access to the detailed system information required to troubleshoot this matter effectively due to privacy and security constraints. For precise assistance, we strongly recommend contacting Microsoft’s support team directly, as they are best equipped to investigate and resolve such technical issues efficiently.

    For the standard procedure outlined above, Office 365 global administrators may need to contact the Office 365 support team by submitting a service request.    

    Here’s what your Office 365 Global Admin should do next:          

    1. Submit a Service Request: The Global Admin should create a service request with Microsoft support to get advanced technical assistance and diagnostics. For detailed instructions on how to get support, please refer to Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn.       
    2. Find Your Microsoft 365 Admin: If you’re unsure who the Global Admin is within your organization, you can find guidance on locating them here: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support 
    3. Call Microsoft Support: For additional assistance, use this link to find the appropriate contact number: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support  
    4. Contact a Reseller (if applicable): If your Office 365 subscriptions are managed through a federated partner or reseller and the Global Admin cannot open a service request, they should contact the reseller’s support provider. The reseller can assist with initiating the request and coordinating with the Office 365 support team.       

    Note: If you’re an end-user, please coordinate with your Office 365 Global Administrator to handle these steps.    

    In the meantime, we have found a similar response that may be helpful to you. You can review it at the following link:

    Can't upload custom web Add-in in Outlook. The button upload custom - Microsoft Community

    Custom Add-in not working in new Outlook - Microsoft Q&A

    We hope this information is useful and appreciate your understanding. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need further guidance. 


    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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  2. Poonia, Dev Manish 5 Reputation points
    2025-06-17T09:10:42.6+00:00

    [Note: Please disregard this answer — I've re-posted it as a comment under Jack-Bu's latest reply for better context.]

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