Outlook add-in API requirement set 1.6

The Outlook add-in API subset of the Office JavaScript API includes objects, methods, properties, and events that you can use in an Outlook add-in.

Note

This documentation is for a requirement set other than the latest requirement set.

What's new in 1.6?

Requirement set 1.6 includes all of the features of requirement set 1.5. It added the following features.

Added new APIs for contextual add-ins to get the entity or RegEx match that the user selected to activate the add-in.
Important

Entity-based contextual Outlook add-ins will be retired in Q2 of 2024. The work to retire this feature will start in May and continue until the end of June. After June, contextual add-ins will no longer be able to detect entities in mail items to perform tasks on them. The following APIs will also be retired.
To help minimize potential disruptions, the following will still be supported after entity-based contextual add-ins are retired.
- An alternative implementation of the Join Meeting button, which is activated by online meeting add-ins, is being developed. Once support for entity-based contextual add-ins ends, online meeting add-ins will automatically transition to the alternative implementation to activate the Join Meeting button.
- Regular expression rules will continue to be supported after entity-based contextual add-ins are retired. We recommend updating your contextual add-in to use regular expression rules as an alternative solution. For guidance on how to implement these rules, see Use regular expression activation rules to show an Outlook add-in.
For more information, see Retirement of entity-based contextual Outlook add-ins.
Added a new API to open a new message form.
Added the ability for the add-in to determine the account type of the user's mailbox.

Added Office.context.mailbox.item.getSelectedEntities: Adds a new method that gets the entities found in a highlighted match a user has selected. Highlighted matches apply to contextual add-ins.
Added Office.context.mailbox.item.getSelectedRegExMatches: Adds a new method that returns string values in a highlighted match that match the regular expressions defined in the manifest XML file. Highlighted matches apply to contextual add-ins.
Added Office.context.mailbox.displayNewMessageForm: Adds a new method that opens a new message form.
Added Office.context.mailbox.userProfile.accountType: Adds a new member to the user profile that indicates the type of the user's account.