Which Outlook add-ins do I really need?
I checked the list of add-ins that I have installed for Outlook and I’m a bit surprised how many I have installed.
I thought I was just using “plain vanilla” Outlook without add-ins but apparently Outlook already comes with some pre-installed and some others were added by installing other applications.
I now try to “weed out” the additional add-ins hoping that it will improve my Outlook startup time as it is fast when launching Outlook in Safe Mode.
Which add-ins do I really need and which are safe to disable?
Outlook indeed already comes with its own set of add-ins. Not all of them are activated and not all the ones which are activated by default are needed in every configuration.
In addition, other Microsoft applications or 3rd party applications could add some add-ins to Outlook as well. Whether those are needed depends on if and how you use that application. In any case, they are not needed for proper operation of Outlook itself.
Then there are of course a whole lot of other add-ins which are primarily focused on adding functionality to Outlook. But as you’ve probably installed these type of add-ins more consciously, we’ll leave them out of this overview.
To see which add-ins you have installed and for instructions on how to disable them see: Enable/Disable add-ins.
Default add-ins from Outlook
The default add-ins that ship with Outlook are designed not to slow down Outlook in any way if you do not need them. Still, you are free to disable them if you don’t use them.
The default add-ins which are added depend on your version of Outlook and which additional applications from the Office Suite you have installed (so some might not be listed for you, which is OK). Below is an overview of these add-ins with an indication of when you really need it to have it enabled.
- Business Connectivity Services AddIn
Mainly used for integrating external SharePoint data in Outlook. If you are not connected to a SharePoint site, you do not need it. This add-in no longer exists in Outlook 2016 and later.
- Microsoft Exchange Add-In
Required for various Exchange account features. It is not needed when you do not have any Exchange accounts configured in Outlook.
- Microsoft Outlook Social Connector / Outlook Social Connector 2013/2016
This is the People Pane feature which shows at the bottom of the Reading Pane. It shows the recent interactivities you had with contacts of the selected message. It also used to allow you to connect to social media services such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Windows Live Messenger Contacts. It is not needed if you do not use this feature and Microsoft intends to remove this add-in with a future Microsoft 365 update.
- Microsoft SharePoint Server Colleague Import Add-In
This add-in scans your Sent Items folder to determine which colleagues are being offered on the Add Colleagues page on a user’s SharePoint My Site. It is not needed when you do not use SharePoint and even then, you are free to disable it if you do not like the feature.
- Microsoft Teams Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Office
When you have Microsoft Teams installed and then select the Calendar in Teams, this add-in is automatically added to Outlook. This add-in offers various integration features such as the “New Teams Meeting” button in the Calendar.
- Skype Meeting add-in for Outlook 2016
When you have Skype for Business installed (part of Microsoft 365 ProPlus), this add-in offers various integration features such as the “New Skype Meeting” button in the Calendar.
Skype for Business is being replaced by Microsoft Teams so you may no longer have this add-in.
- Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging
Required for when you use Outlook 2007 and have an Exchange mailbox which has Unified Messaging features enabled on the Exchange server.
- OneNote Notes about Outlook Items
In case you also use OneNote to save additional notes and have them linked with Outlook or create Task items in OneNote. For instance: Using OneNote to create linked Appointment Tasks.
This add-in is not needed when you use the OneNote for Windows 10 app instead of OneNote as part of Microsoft 365 Apps or Office.
- Microsoft Access Outlook Add-In for Data Collection and Publishing
This add-in allows you to sync data with Access. Not needed if you do not use it and inactive by default.
- Microsoft VBA for Outlook Add-in
In case you want to use macros in Outlook, keep it enabled. It will only load when it is needed (which is why it is inactive by default).
- Windows Search Email Indexer
Leave this add-in disabled in Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2016 (MSI) as Outlook offers native indexing support. It has also been removed in later version of Office and Microsoft 365 Apps.
In Outlook 2007 and previous, you will also have the following Exchange Server client extensions which are only needed when you are using an Exchange account.
- Delegate Access
- Deleted Item Recovery
- Exchange Extensions commands
- Exchange Extensions property pages
Other common Microsoft add-ins you might encounter
There are various other Microsoft add-ins which may have been added to your list of Outlook add-ins. These all relate to other Microsoft applications or Outlook extensions which are installed on your system.
Their name usually reveals which application added them. If you do not use that application, it is safe to disable them.
- COM Addin for Microsoft Outlook Hotmail Connector
(no longer needed and should be uninstalled) - Outlook Backup Addin
(no longer available nor compatible with Outlook 2013 and later) - Calendar Printing Assistant for Outlook 2007 Add-In
- Microsoft Junk E-mail Reporting Add-in
- Business Contact Manager for Outlook
(no longer available nor compatible with Outlook 2016 and later) - Business Contact Manager Loader for Outlook
- Conversation History Add-in for Microsoft Lync 2010
- Conversation History Add-in for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2013
- Online Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Lync 2010
- Lync Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2013
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM
- Microsoft SharePoint Workspace Proxy for Outlook Add-In
(no longer available and no longer supported) - Microsoft Office Groove Proxy for Outlook Add-in
(no longer available and no longer supported)
Common third party add-ins you might encounter
Other applications may also add add-ins to Outlook which you might not have expected at first. For instance, iTunes adds the following 3 add-ins to Outlook:
- iTunes Outlook AddIn
- Outlook Change Notifier
- iCloud Add-in
The first two are not needed if you do not sync your iPhone, iPad or iPod with Outlook via iTunes. The other add-in is not needed if you do not use iCloud in Outlook.
Virus scanner add-ins
There are also various virus scanners which add an add-in to Outlook. Disabling add-ins added by your virus scanner is actually recommended as they are a known source for causing strange send/receive problems and don’t add an additional layer of protection anyway. For further details on this see: Disable virus scanner integration?
