Microsoft has announced a new feature for Outlook that will allow users to open Word, Excel, and PowerPoint attachments in their respective desktop apps by double-clicking them, via Microsoft 365 Roadmap.
The new feature is a welcome addition for users who prefer to work with desktop apps over web apps. It will save users time and hassle by eliminating the need to download and open attachments in separate operations.
In order to take advantage of the new feature, users must update their version of Outlook for Windows to the latest one available. Once the update is complete, it will be possible to easily open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint attachments by double-clicking on them, which will automatically launch the respective desktop app.
It has a few advantages:
- Users can open attachments faster without having to download them first or switch to a different app.
- Users can work with attachments in the same environment as they create and edit them.
- Desktop apps are often more performant than web apps, especially when working with large or complex files.
This feature, identified by Feature ID 167891, was added to the Microsoft 365 roadmap on October 11, 2023, and is now in the General Availability release phase. It is available to Outlook users worldwide using the Standard Multi-Tenant cloud instance and the desktop platform.
