Sideload Outlook add-ins for testing

Sideload your Outlook add-in for testing without having to first put it in an add-in catalog.

Important

If your Outlook add-in supports mobile, sideload the manifest using the instructions in this article for your Outlook client on the web, Windows, or Mac, then follow the guidance in the Testing your add-ins on mobile section of the Add-ins for Outlook Mobile article.

Sideload automatically

If you created your Outlook add-in using the Yeoman generator for Office Add-ins, sideloading is best done through the command line on Windows. This will take advantage of our tooling and sideload across all of your supported devices in one command.

1. On Windows, open a command prompt and navigate to the root directory of your Yeoman generated add-in project. Run the command npm start.

2. Your Outlook add-in will automatically sideload to Outlook on your desktop computer. You'll see a dialog appear, stating there is an attempt to sideload the add-in, listing the name and the location of the manifest file. Select OK, which will register the manifest.

   Important

   If the manifest contains an error or the path to the manifest is invalid, you'll receive an error message.

3. If your manifest contains no errors and the path is valid, your add-in will now be sideloaded and available on both your desktop and in Outlook on the web. It will also be installed across all your supported devices.

Sideload manually

Though we strongly recommend sideloading automatically through the command line as covered in the previous section, you can also manually sideload an Outlook add-in based on the Outlook client.

Outlook on the web

The process for sideloading an add-in in Outlook on the web depends upon whether you are using the new or classic version.

• If your mailbox toolbar looks like the following image, see Sideload an add-in in the new Outlook on the web.

  

• If your mailbox toolbar looks like the following image, see Sideload an add-in in classic Outlook on the web.

  

Note

If your organization has included its logo in the mailbox toolbar, you might see something slightly different than shown in the preceding images.

New Outlook on the web

1. Go to Outlook on the web.

2. Select Get add-ins from the ribbon.

   

   Important

   If you don't see Get add-ins in the ribbon, you may have the simplified ribbon layout enabled. To manage your add-ins, select the ellipsis button (...) from the ribbon. Then, select Get Add-ins.

   

3. In the Add-Ins for Outlook dialog box, select My add-ins.

   

4. Locate the Custom add-ins section at the bottom of the dialog box. Select the Add a custom add-in link, and then select Add from File.

   

5. Locate the manifest file for your custom add-in and install it. Accept all prompts during the installation.

Classic Outlook on the web

1. Go to Outlook on the web.

2. Choose the gear icon in the top-right section of the toolbar and select Manage add-ins.

   

3. On the Manage add-ins page, select Add-Ins, and then select My add-ins.

   

4. Locate the Custom add-ins section at the bottom of the dialog box. Select the Add a custom add-in link, and then select Add from File.

   

5. Locate the manifest file for your custom add-in and install it. Accept all prompts during the installation.

Outlook on the desktop

Outlook 2016 or later on Windows or Mac

1. Open Outlook 2016 or later on Windows or Mac.

2. Depending on your Outlook client and version, select Get Add-ins or All Apps from the ribbon.

   Note

   Starting in Outlook on Windows Version 2302 (Build 16215.10000), the All Apps button is used to manage your add-ins and access AppSource.

   Windows

   

   

   Mac

   

   Important

   If you don't see Get Add-ins or All Apps in your version of Outlook, do one of the following:

   Windows

   • If you configured your ribbon layout to Simplified Ribbon, select the ellipsis button (...) from the ribbon. Then, depending on your Outlook version, select Get Add-ins or All Apps.

     

   • Select Store from the ribbon, if available.

   • Select the File menu, then select Manage Add-ins from the Info tab to open the Add-ins dialog in Outlook on the web. To learn more about the web experience, see Sideload an add-in in Outlook on the web.

   Mac

   • Select the ellipsis button (...) from the ribbon, then select Get Add-ins.

     

   • Select Store from the ribbon, if available.

3. If there are tabs near the top of the dialog, ensure that the Add-ins tab is selected. Then, choose My add-ins.

   

4. Locate the Custom add-ins section at the bottom of the dialog. Select the Add a custom add-in link, and then select Add from File.

   

5. Locate the manifest file for your custom add-in and install it. Accept all prompts during the installation.

Outlook 2013 on Windows

1. Open Outlook 2013 on Windows.

2. Select the File menu, then select Manage Add-ins from the Info tab. Outlook will open the web version in a browser.

3. Follow the steps in the Sideload an add-in in Outlook on the web section according to your version of Outlook on the web.

Remove a sideloaded add-in

On all versions of Outlook, the key to removing a sideloaded add-in is the My Add-ins dialog which lists your installed add-ins. Choose the ellipsis (...) for the add-in then select Remove.

To navigate to the My Add-ins dialog box for your Outlook client, use the last steps listed for manual sideloading in the previous sections of this article.

To remove a sideloaded add-in from Outlook, use the steps previously described in this article to find the add-in in the Custom add-ins section of the dialog box that lists your installed add-ins. Choose the ellipsis (...) for the add-in then choose Remove to remove that specific add-in. Close the dialog.

See also

• Add-ins for Outlook Mobile