How to Check Your Outlook Version (All Methods Explained)

Knowing which version of Microsoft Outlook you're running matters more than most people realize. Whether you're troubleshooting a bug, checking compatibility with an add-in, or figuring out why a feature someone mentioned doesn't appear in your interface — the version number is often the first thing support teams and online guides ask for.

The process for finding it isn't the same across every setup, though. Outlook comes in several distinct forms, and each one surfaces version information differently.

Why the Outlook Version You're Running Matters

Microsoft Outlook exists in multiple editions that share a name but behave quite differently under the hood:

• Classic Outlook (desktop app) — the traditional installed application, part of Microsoft 365 or standalone Office licenses
• New Outlook (Windows) — a rebuilt version Microsoft is gradually rolling out as a replacement
• Outlook for Mac — the macOS desktop client, which has its own versioning separate from the Windows app
• Outlook on the Web (OWA) — the browser-based version at outlook.com or accessed through a work/school Microsoft 365 account
• Outlook Mobile — iOS and Android apps with their own version numbers

Each of these is updated on a different schedule and may support different features. A setting or capability available in one version may not exist in another — even if both are technically "Outlook."

How to Check the Version in Classic Outlook on Windows 🖥️

This is the most detailed version check, and the most commonly needed one.

1. Open Outlook
2. Click File in the top-left corner
3. Select Office Account (sometimes labeled Account)
4. Look under Product Information — you'll see the edition name (e.g., Microsoft 365, Office 2021, Office 2019)
5. Click About Outlook to see the full build number

The full version string looks something like: Version 2406 (Build 17726.20126 64-bit)

What those numbers mean:

• The first number (e.g., 2406) is the release month in YYMM format — June 2024 in this case
• The build number is a more precise internal identifier
• The 64-bit or 32-bit designation tells you the architecture of your installation

If you're on a managed work device, your IT department controls update channels, which means your build may lag behind the latest consumer release intentionally.

Update Channels Affect Which Version You're On

Classic Outlook receives updates through different channels depending on your subscription or license type:

This means two people both running "Microsoft 365 Outlook" may have meaningfully different builds and feature sets.

How to Check the Version in New Outlook on Windows

The redesigned New Outlook has a different menu structure:

1. Click the Settings gear icon (top-right)
2. Scroll to the bottom of the Settings panel
3. Select About Outlook
4. The version number appears at the top of that screen

New Outlook is a web-based wrapper rather than a traditional desktop application, so its versioning system is more like a browser app — updated silently and frequently, without major version numbers tied to Office releases.

How to Check Outlook Version on Mac 🍎

1. Open Outlook
2. Click Outlook in the menu bar (top-left, next to the Apple logo)
3. Select About Outlook
4. A dialog box will display the version number

Mac versioning uses a different numbering scheme from Windows. For example, you might see something like Version 16.86 (24081116). The 16.x series is the current generation of Outlook for Mac under Microsoft 365.

Outlook for Mac is updated through the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool, independently of macOS system updates.

How to Check Outlook on the Web

Outlook on the Web (OWA) doesn't display a traditional version number because it's a live web application — Microsoft updates it continuously on the server side. There's no client version to check in the conventional sense.

If you need to know which environment you're in:

• outlook.com — consumer-facing, personal Microsoft accounts
• outlook.office.com or outlook.office365.com — Microsoft 365 work or school accounts

The admin center (for IT managers) does show tenant-level deployment information, but individual users don't have a "version" to check the way desktop app users do.

How to Check Outlook Mobile Version

On iOS:

1. Open the App Store
2. Tap your profile picture
3. Scroll to Upcoming Automatic Updates or search for Outlook
4. The current installed version appears beneath the app name

On Android:

1. Open the Google Play Store
2. Search for Microsoft Outlook
3. Tap the app listing — the installed version appears under App Info

Alternatively, check your device's app settings directly: Settings → Apps → Outlook → App Info on most Android devices.

Common Reasons Version Differences Cause Confusion

Several practical situations depend heavily on which specific version you're running:

• Add-in compatibility — COM add-ins built for classic Outlook may not work in New Outlook at all
• Feature availability — Copilot AI features, scheduling tools, and certain calendar integrations roll out progressively
• Bug reproduction — A known bug fixed in build X is still present in builds below X
• UI differences — Screenshots in guides may not match what you see if your version differs significantly

The same feature can appear in a completely different location — or not at all — depending on whether your organization uses the Current Channel or Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel, or whether you've been switched to New Outlook without realizing it.

The version number is just the starting point. What it means in practice depends on your subscription type, your organization's update policy, the platform you're on, and which features have been enabled for your specific account.