Microsoft Outlook is getting text predictions, 2 years after Gmail

Microsoft’s Outlook is getting a new feature that will suggest words and phrases while the message is being composed, allowing users to easily autocomplete emails. 

The feature, outlined in an Outlook support document (via The Verge), will work on both Outlook.com and Outlook on the web. As you compose an email, Outlook will sometimes suggest some text which you can accept by pressing the Tab key or the right arrow key. To ignore the suggestion, just keep typing. 

Users will also be able to turn off the text predictions by going to Settings – View all Outlook settings – Mail – Compose and reply, and clearing the “Suggest words or phrases as I type” check box under Text predictions. 

If the feature sounds familiar, that’s because Gmail already has it — it’s called Smart Compose and it was launched on May 8, 2018. Better late than never, I guess?

Whether Microsoft’s predictive text tech can match Gmail remains to be seen, but if it’s any good, Outlook users will surely be happy about the new feature. For someone who deals with a large volume of emails, getting accurate text predictions that let you finish emails with a single tap can be a life-saver. 

Microsoft is also working on a “send later” feature, which will allow users to delay sending an email to a specified time in the future. 

The text prediction feature is rolling out later this month, while the send later option should come before the end of June.