Support

Which Outlook does it work on?

Outlook Classic (Windows, Microsoft 365/2019+), New Outlook, and Outlook on the web, on a Microsoft 365 / Exchange or personal Microsoft (outlook.com) mailbox. OutlookDog isn't available on Outlook for iOS or Android — it's a desktop & web add-in.

The pane says “OutlookDog is waking up…” and never loads (desktop Outlook)

First, try the quick fix: tap ↻ Refresh in the pane, or switch to another email and back — a single slow load usually clears on its own. If that doesn't help, fully close and reopen Outlook.

If it still won't load, your desktop Outlook is likely using an older built-in browser that OutlookDog can't run in. Installing Microsoft's free WebView2 engine fixes it (one time, ~2 minutes): download the WebView2 installer, run it, then fully close and reopen Outlook. Outlook on the web is unaffected.

The add-in doesn't appear after I installed it

Centralized deployment can take a while to propagate. Also, add-ins require a Microsoft-hosted mailbox (Microsoft 365 / Exchange, or a personal outlook.com account) and, for the desktop clients, a licensed desktop Office. See Security.

Is my email safe?

OutlookDog only warns about scams — it never deletes, moves, or sends mail. With bring-your-own-key, your message goes straight to your AI provider and never touches our servers. See Privacy.

Why didn't my rule fire?

Open Training from the icon at the top of the pane — every rule shows what it has actually done, and any rule that isn't firing says why. There are four honest reasons:

• The message looked risky. A safety verdict wins over a rule on flagged mail, so a suspicious message keeps its warning instead of being quietly filed. The one exception is the mild ? Questionable note (routine-looking mail from a verified sender with a domain quirk) — your rules still apply there.
• The rule is paused. The message you taught it from later turned out to look risky, so OutlookDog paused the rule rather than acting on a lesson it no longer trusts.
• The category is switched off. A rule that files into a category you disabled has nowhere to put the mail. The Training page offers one tap to turn it back on.
• The rule needs a newer OutlookDog. It was written on a device running a newer version. It is kept exactly as it was and will start working when this device updates.

Rules also apply to mail arriving from now on. Teaching a rule does not re-file old mail unless you tap "Apply to my inbox" when it offers.

How do I cancel, and can I get a refund?

Cancel any time from your account page — sign in and open Manage plan, which takes you to the secure Stripe billing portal to cancel or change your subscription. Cancelling stops the next renewal; you keep Pro through the end of the period you've already paid for. If you subscribed and were charged when you didn't mean to be, email support@outlookdog.com and we'll make it right — see the Terms for how billing and the free trials work.

What happens when my free trial ends?

Your 7-day free trial needs no card. When it ends, a paid plan is required to keep using OutlookDog — the pane shows a subscribe link and the safety and AI features pause until you subscribe. When you do, adding a card starts a second 7-day free trial that then renews automatically at your plan's rate unless you cancel before it ends. Your plan (Personal or Business) follows your Microsoft account type; your exact rate is shown at checkout. See Pricing.

Is there a daily limit on AI actions?

During the free trial there's a generous daily allowance of AI actions (summaries, drafts, deep checks) that resets every day — ordinary reading never comes close. Paid plans have no everyday cap; a very high fair-use limit applies only to stop automated abuse. If you ever hit a limit, your deterministic safety checks keep working and the allowance resets the next day.

How do I keep the pane open as I move between emails?

Click the pushpin at the top of the pane. Outlook doesn't let an add-in pin itself, so it's one click, once — after that the pane follows you from email to email (and it's what lets auto-summarize and inbox scans keep working while you read). On Outlook on the web and New Outlook, pinning needs a Microsoft 365 mailbox; where pinning isn't offered, the pane re-checks as you switch emails and you can tap ↻ Refresh if it lags. To close the pane, tap its icon on the Outlook ribbon again.

Why don't I see the pin icon on my hotmail / outlook.com account?

Outlook only offers taskpane pinning on Microsoft 365 work/school mailboxes — a Microsoft platform limitation for personal accounts (hotmail.com, outlook.com, live.com). OutlookDog still works fully on personal accounts; just reopen it from the message when you want it.

My organization has to approve the add-in — what do I tell IT?

On a work or school account, your Microsoft 365 admin may need to approve OutlookDog before it appears, and any consent it requests is granted once by an admin for the organization. Point your admin to Security for the permissions we request and why, or have them email support@outlookdog.com with any questions. Once approved, the add-in shows up for approved users automatically.

The admin who bought our team seats has left — how do we transfer the plan?

Team plans are tied to the buyer's account, and there's no self-serve transfer yet. Email support@outlookdog.com from a manager or admin at your organization, tell us the old and new owner's email addresses, and we'll move the subscription and seat roster to the new owner — no interruption to your team's Pro access.