MICROSOFT: Allow To Do to open mail and tasks in real Outlook 365 Desktop instead of Outlook Dumb online

Question

I'm getting sick of being forced to do things I do not want or need to do in order to get a product I paid for to work.

In Microsoft To Do, it's possible to directly port email to the Task list by flagging the email. That's an incredible feature. Thank you.

Then when the task is coming up and a user wants to re-read the email, To Do will only allow it to be opened in the Fisher Price version of Outlook online. This almost NEVER works properly or without an incredible waste of time signing on multiple times.

I have my own email domain and an exchange server, and I cannot EVER get to Outlook.com and current email or my three accounts.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE change the 'Open nin Outlook' feature so we can open in Outlook Desktop instead of Outlook Dumb online.

Answer 1

Hi @Eric Jay Toll,

Welcome the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Thank you for taking the time to explain this. I can understand how disruptive this has been, especially when you’re trying to work efficiently in a setup you’ve already invested in.

You’re absolutely right that flagging an email to create a task is a great workflow. At the moment, however, when you open a flagged-email task from Microsoft To Do and select “Open in Outlook,” it typically opens the message in Outlook on the web, not Outlook desktop. Other users have raised the same request, and currently there isn’t a supported setting in the standalone To Do app to force it to always open in the desktop client. You can see: To Do Desktop App is opening Outlook Items in web instead of desktop.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the Flagged email feature is designed for mailboxes hosted by Microsoft (including Microsoft‑hosted custom domains). Since Microsoft To Do stores tasks through Exchange Online services, environments that rely solely on on‑premises Exchange can sometimes behave inconsistently. This may include repeated sign‑in prompts or issues opening items in Outlook on the web. You can find more information here: Using Microsoft To Do with flagged email from Outlook / Flagged email opens in web app.

That said, you may find the following workarounds helpful in reducing the inconvenience:

• If possible, try accessing To Do from within Outlook rather than using the standalone To Do app. Many users find this minimizes browser handoffs and repeated sign‑ins.
• If you do need to use the standalone To Do app, please ensure you’re signed in with the same account that owns the mailbox, as this is required for flagged email integration to work correctly.

Finally, because your request is a product improvement (and a very reasonable one), the best way to get it in front of the product team is to submit feedback directly to the product team. You can do this in To Do by selecting Help > Feedback, or through the Microsoft 365 Feedback Hub > Send Feedback, where you can describe your experience in detail so it can be considered for future improvements.

Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’d be more than happy to upvote it to help raise visibility. And if you run into any issues submitting feedback, just let me know and I’ll gladly submit one on your behalf.

 

As community moderators, we kindly ask for your understanding that our access to internal development details is limited. Our primary role is to guide users toward the appropriate resources and support channels. While we may not have influence product design decisions and have limited access to internal development details, we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.

 

Since other users have expressed similar concerns, I hope this explanation not only clarifies the current behavior but also highlights a constructive path forward. Surfacing this feedback publicly can help others add their voices as well.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience. I truly appreciate your patience, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything else I can help with.

Wishing you all the best.

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Answer 2

Currently, Microsoft To Do does not support opening tasks directly in the classic Outlook desktop application when flagged emails are accessed. The integration primarily allows for tasks to be viewed in the online version of Outlook, which has been noted to have limitations and issues, particularly for users who prefer the classic desktop experience.

As of now, if you want to manage tasks effectively, you may need to continue using the classic Outlook desktop application separately to access your emails and tasks, as the new Outlook does not fully support the delegation of tasks and contacts.

For the best experience, ensure you are using the classic Outlook desktop application for managing tasks and emails, as the new Outlook is still evolving and may not meet all user needs at this time.

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References:

• View other people's To Do/ Task List - Microsoft Q&A
• Fix Outlook connection problems for Microsoft 365 account