Is it an email or an ad? Understanding your Outlook inbox

Ads are all over the Internet. If you’re seeing ads in your Outlook inbox, learn why you’re getting them, how to tell what’s an ad, and how you can view your most important messages.

Why am I getting ads in my Outlook inbox?

Most free email providers contain ads. Free email providers like Outlook are ad-supported, meaning advertisers pay for the software so that you can use it at no cost. Those who have the free version of Outlook will get ads in their inbox, but you won’t get Outlook ads if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription.

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How can you tell what’s an Outlook inbox ad?

Outlook email ads will look like new emails in your inbox. However, Outlook ads will say “Ad” next to them, so you can easily tell what’s an ad and what’s an important email.

Outlook ads are different from marketing emails. If you sign up for a company newsletter, you may receive marketing emails containing company news or promotions in your inbox. Those with a Microsoft 365 subscription can still get marketing emails in their inbox if they sign up for them. People often unknowingly sign up for company newsletters when they purchase a product online, which is why it’s important to review which boxes you’re selecting at checkout. However, you can unsubscribe from marketing emails, meaning you can request to be removed from their mailing list so that you no longer see these promotional messages. You can’t unsubscribe from Outlook ads unless you pay for a Microsoft 365 subscription.

“Even though the free version of Outlook contains ads, it’s still full of awesome features like OneDrive storage, security features, basic Teams and Editor features, and more.”

How to see fewer Outlook email ads

If Outlook ads become too distracting, try using the Focused Inbox view. Focused Inbox turns your inbox into two tabs: “Focused” and “Other.” Your important messages will go in the Focused folder, while the majority of Outlook ads will be filtered into the Other folder. To turn on Focused Inbox:

Click the View tab in Outlook.
Select Show Focused Inbox.

If you ever want to remove Focused Inbox, simply click the Show Focused Inbox button again and your inbox will go back to its default state.

If you use your email a lot and you’re still bothered by Outlook ads, it may be worth it to get a Microsoft 365 subscription. Before you get a subscription, see if your work or school has a Microsoft 365 subscription. If they have a Microsoft 365 subscription that you can be added to, you might be able to get Outlook without ads for free.

If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription and you’re still receiving ads, you’ll need to make sure the email address that you used to pay for the subscription is added to your Outlook account. You can also check the status of your subscription to make sure that it isn’t expired. If it’s expired, you’ll need to renew your Microsoft 365 subscription to remove Outlook ads.

Even though the free version of Outlook contains ads, it’s still full of awesome features like OneDrive storage, security features, basic Teams and Editor features, and more. Explore Outlook plan options to find the plan that’s right for you.