Get Outlook 2013 RT with Windows RT 8.1

Windows RT 8.1 has been available in the Windows Store for a couple of weeks now. If your users are still running Windows RT 8.1 Preview, be sure to get the word out that they should install the final version of Windows RT 8.1 before January 2014, when the license for the preview expires. They should also review the information at https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/update-from-preview.

The following is a refresh from a previous blog about what business users can and can’t do with the Outlook 2013 RT application, with some new info sprinkled in.

Outlook 2013 RT, in your enterprise

Windows RT 8.1 ships with Office 2013 RT. If your organization also purchased commercial use rights or has a commercial license to Office 2013 suites that include Outlook, your users can use Outlook 2013 RT to get to business on their RT devices too.

Because tablets have special needs for security and mobility, a few features are not available in Outlook 2013 RT. Here’s a breakdown:

Microsoft Exchange and Office 365 mailbox accounts

Outlook 2013 RT can connect to your organization’s Exchange Server 2007, 2010, or 2013 as long as the Autodiscover service is configured. However, Outlook 2013 RT doesn’t support these Microsoft Exchange features:

  • Online Archive or Personal Archive mailboxes
  • Applying Messaging Records Management (MRM) retention policies
  • Site Mailboxes
  • Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy tips

VBA and COM Add-ins

Outlook 2013 RT doesn’t run macros, add-ins, or other custom programs or solutions developed within your organization or by third parties. This applies to all applications that are included with Microsoft Office 2013 RT (which is installed automatically with Windows RT 8.1).

Information Rights Management (IRM)

Outlook 2013 RT doesn’t allow you to set IRM on new email messages.

Microsoft Lync integration

There is no integration between Outlook 2013 RT and Lync. Microsoft Office 2013 RT applications do not integrate with Lync.

SharePoint integration

The Outlook Contact Card doesn’t display an active link to users’ SharePoint My Site pages. However, Outlook 2013 RT can connect to and synchronize with SharePoint lists.

Junk email filtering

You can open Junk email options and set safe and blocked senders when connected to a Microsoft Exchange Server or Office 365 mailbox account. However, Outlook 2013 RT disables the Junk settings when connected to POP3, IMAP, or Outlook.com email accounts. Outlook.com and other ISP users are still protected from junk email though since those services provide junk email filtering on the back end.

Fax providers

You cannot add a fax account to Outlook 2013 RT.

Group Policy

Outlook 2013 RT cannot be configured using Group Policy. This applies to all applications that are included with Microsoft Office 2013 RT.

There’s a great article here that explains in more detail exactly what application features and functionality are available in Office 2013 RT, and how reset and upgrade work.

Abdias Ruiz (Senior Support Escalation Engineer)
LeAnn Ashford (Senior Technical Writer)