Set preferences for Outlook for Mac

Applies to: Outlook for Mac, Outlook LTSC for Mac 2021, Outlook 2019 for Mac

The following preferences can be used to simplify account setup for Microsoft 365 (or Office 365) mailboxes, help protect company data, and support a streamlined user experience.

As an IT admin, you may want to provide Mac users in your organization with a standard set of preferences for Outlook in either of the following ways:

  • Set a default preference, which users can change.
  • Force a particular preference, which users can’t change.

Most preferences can be changed using the Terminal, or via a script. For example:

defaults write com.microsoft.Outlook DefaultWeatherLocation -string 'Paris, France'

When preferences are changed via Terminal users can override the value in the Outlook app. To change the value and enforce it so that users cannot override it, use a Configuration Profile.

All of these keys are CFPreferences-compatible, which means that they can be set by using enterprise management (MDM) software for Mac, such as Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro.

Important

Preferences that are marked as Yes to 'Requires Configuration Profile' in the tables below can only be set via a Configuration Profile. In these case, use of the defaults command is ineffective.

The following list shows the preferences that are covered in this article:

Mailbox settings

Automatically configure Microsoft 365 mailbox on first launch

The email address used for Office activation will be added on first launch.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.office
Key OfficeAutoSignIn
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.17
Comments This key also suppresses first run dialogs for other Office apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

Specify Microsoft 365 mailbox to be added on first launch

Set the domain or full email address of Microsoft 365 mailbox to be added on first launch.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DefaultEmailAddressOrDomain
Data Type String
Possible values Various (example: "contoso.com")
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.18
Comments The full email address or domain specified will be added in Outlook instead of the Office activation email address.

Allow only corporate mailboxes to be added

Specify one or more domains users are allowed to add in Outlook.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key AllowedEmailDomains
Data Type Array of Strings
Possible values Various (example: "contoso.com")
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.18
Comments Doesn't remove or disconnect accounts already added in Outlook.

Block access to mailboxes from unauthorized domains

Specify one or more domains where mailbox access is blocked.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisallowedEmailDomains
Data Type Array of Strings
Possible values Various (example: "yahoo.com")
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.75
Comments Doesn't remove or disconnect accounts already added in Outlook.

Hide text about adding non-corporate mailboxes

Hide the “Did you know? Outlook supports…” text in the Set Up Your Email success dialog box.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key HideCanAddOtherAccountTypesTipText
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.18
Comments Only hides text. Doesn't impact ability to add non-corporate mailboxes.

Import/export settings

Disable import

Prevent users from being able to import archive files (.olm and .pst) and Outlook for Mac 2011 data.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableImport
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile Yes
Availability 16.18

Disable export

Prevent users from being able to export archive files (.olm).

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableExport
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile Yes
Availability 16.18

Meetings settings

Disable "Do not send a response"

Prevent users from selecting “Do not send response” when replying to a meeting request.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableRespondToMeetingWithoutResponse
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.56

Disable Skype for Business online meetings

Prevent users from adding Skype for Business online meeting details to events.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableSkypeMeeting
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile Yes
Availability 16.19

Disable Teams online meetings

Prevent users from adding Teams online meeting details to events.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableTeamsMeeting
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile Yes
Availability 16.20

Security settings

Disable "Encrypt-Only"

Prevent users from applying the Encrypt-Only option to emails when using Microsoft 365 Message Encryption.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableEncryptOnly
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.40
Comments Only applies to the new Outlook.

Disable "Do Not Forward"

Prevent users from applying the Do Not Forward option to emails when using Microsoft 365 Message Encryption.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableDoNotForward
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.40
Comments Only applies to the new Outlook.

Allow S/MIME certificates without a matching email address

Allow users to decrypt and encrypt S/MIME messages when the S/MIME certificate does not match the email address.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key AllowCertsWithoutMatchingEmailAddress
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.45
Comments Only applies to the new Outlook.

Set the order in which S/MIME certificates are considered

Set the order in which certificates will be used to decrypt and encrypt S/MIME messages.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key SMIMECertificatesLookupOrder
Data Type Array of unsigned integer
Possible values 0 (Contacts), 1 (GAL), 2 (Device), 3 (LDAP)
Default is [0, 1, 2, 3]
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.45
Comments Only applies to the new Outlook.

Disable S/MIME

Prevent users from applying S/MIME option to email messages.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableSMIMECompose
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.57
Comments Only applies to the new Outlook.

Trust AutoDiscover redirects

Automatically trust server redirects through AutoDiscover.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key TrustO365AutodiscoverRedirect
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 15.29
Comments When set to 'true' users will not be prompted to Allow or Deny redirects from AutoDiscover. They will be automatically allowed.

Weather location settings

Specify default weather location

Set default location for weather in calendar view.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DefaultWeatherLocation
Data Type String
Possible values Various (example: “Paris, France”)
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.18
Comments Use the format returned by the weather location search within Outlook.

Disable automatic updating of weather location

Prevent users from choosing Update Location Automatically for weather location.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key Weather_update_automatically
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.19

Other settings

Hide local folders

Prevent users from viewing local On My Computer folders in the sidebar.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key HideFoldersOnMyComputerRootInFolderList
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.17
Comments Found under Outlook > Preferences > General > Sidebar.

Specify when pictures are downloaded for email

Set when pictures are automatically downloaded from the internet for email.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key AutomaticallyDownloadExternalContent
Data Type Integer
Possible values 0 = Never
1 = In messages from my contacts
2 = In all messages (default)
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.17
Comments Found under Outlook > Preferences > Email > Reading > Security.

Disable signatures

Prevent users from being able to create, edit, and add client-side signatures.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableSignatures
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile Yes
Availability 16.18

Specify calendar first day of week

Set the first day of week in calendar view.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key CalendarFirstDayOfWeek
Data Type Integer
Possible values 1 = Sunday (default)
2 = Monday
3 = Tuesday
4 = Wednesday
5 = Thursday
6 = Friday
7 = Saturday
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.19

Enable new Outlook

Set the availability and default position of the New Outlook switch.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key EnableNewOutlook
Data Type Integer
Possible values 0 = Switch hidden
1 = Switch displayed, default off
2 = Switch displayed, default on (default)
3 = New Outlook enabled with switch hidden
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.38

Disable Junk settings

Prevent users from applying Junk options to emails.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisableJunkOptionsPrefKey
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.55
Comments Only applies to the new Outlook.

Disable Pride theme

Prevent users from applying Pride themes to Outlook.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key DisablePrideTheming
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile Yes
Availability 16.73
Comments Only applies to the new Outlook.

Disable retention messages

Hide information about message retention settings when viewing message contents.

Category Details
Domain com.microsoft.Outlook
Key HideRetentionPolicyInfobar
Data Type Boolean
Possible values false (default)
true
Requires Configuration Profile No
Availability 16.78
Comments Only applies to the new Outlook.