Bowdoin access only, and read-only: This add-in works only when you sign in with your Bowdoin Claude account from the Bowdoin Claude Pilot. A personal Claude account will not work here. At Bowdoin, the Outlook add-in is also read-only: Claude can read, summarize, and help you understand your mail, but it cannot send, reply, move, delete, flag, or otherwise change your messages. If you are not sure whether you have Bowdoin access, see Getting access to Claude in the Related Articles section.
Questions
- How do I install the Claude add-in in Outlook?
- Where do I get the official Claude add-in for Outlook?
- Is Claude for Outlook available yet, or is it still in beta?
- Does Claude work in the new Outlook and in classic Outlook?
- How do I sign in to Claude inside Outlook?
- Why don't I see Claude in Outlook after installing it?
- Why can't Claude search or triage across my mailbox?
Environment
This article applies to faculty, staff, and students installing the Claude add-in for Outlook on a Bowdoin-issued computer or in Outlook on the web.
- Who: Bowdoin community members with a Bowdoin Claude account.
- What: Outlook signed in with a Bowdoin Microsoft 365 account, in any of these: the new Outlook or classic Outlook on Windows 11, Outlook on a current version of macOS, or Outlook on the web.
- Not in scope: The Claude add-in for Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, which is a separate install. See Install the Claude add-in for Excel, Word, and PowerPoint in the Related Articles section.
Personal devices are best-effort only and are not directly supported by Information Technology (IT).
Resolution
Beta: Claude for Outlook is currently in beta. It works, but expect rough edges and changes over time. If your work depends on Outlook being stable, you may prefer to wait until it is generally available.
The short version: Install the add-in once from Anthropic's official page at
claude.com/claude-for-microsoft-365 using
Install for Outlook. Then open an email in Outlook, select
Claude in the message ribbon, and sign in with your Bowdoin Claude account. You do not need administrator access to install it. At Bowdoin the add-in is read-only, so Claude can read and summarize your mail but cannot send, move, delete, or otherwise change it.
Before you start
- A Bowdoin Claude account. You sign in to the add-in with your Bowdoin Claude account. If you do not have access yet, see Getting access to Claude in the Related Articles section.
- Outlook signed in with your Bowdoin Microsoft 365 account.
Step 1: Get the add-in from Anthropic's official page
- Go to claude.com/claude-for-microsoft-365.
- Select Install for Outlook. This opens the official Claude for Outlook listing on the Microsoft Marketplace. It is a separate listing from the Excel, Word, and PowerPoint add-in.
- On the Marketplace page, select Get it now and follow the prompts. If you are asked to sign in, use your Bowdoin Microsoft 365 account.
Use the button on the official page. Starting from claude.com/claude-for-microsoft-365 makes sure you get the genuine add-in published by Anthropic, rather than a look-alike add-in from another publisher.
Step 2: Open Claude in Outlook
- Open Outlook and open any email message.
- On the message ribbon, select Claude. The Claude panel opens alongside the message.
Don't see Claude yet? Close Outlook completely and reopen it, then open an email again. In the new Outlook and Outlook on the web, the Claude button appears on the ribbon when a message is open.
Step 3: Sign in with your Bowdoin Claude account
- In the Claude panel, select Sign in.
- Complete the Bowdoin single sign-on (Okta) login in the window that opens. For help, see Sign in to Claude with Bowdoin SSO (Okta) in the Related Articles section.
- Confirm you are in the Bowdoin workspace.
Note: Reading and summarizing the message you have open starts right away. Remember that at Bowdoin the add-in is read-only: Claude can read and summarize your mail but cannot send, move, delete, or otherwise change it. That is expected, not a problem to report.
Troubleshooting
- Claude does not appear after installing: Close Outlook fully and reopen it, then open an email and look on the message ribbon.
- Claude cannot send, move, or delete messages: This is expected. At Bowdoin the Outlook add-in is read-only by policy, so it can read and summarize your mail but cannot change or send it.
- Get it now is unavailable, or you cannot add the add-in: Your Bowdoin-managed account may restrict store add-ins, in which case IT can deploy Claude for Outlook for you. Contact the Service Desk. Installing this add-in does not require administrator rights, so temporary administrator tools are not part of adding it.
- You cannot sign in to Claude: Confirm you have a Bowdoin Claude account. See Getting access to Claude in the Related Articles section.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources
AI-assisted content: This article was drafted with the assistance of an AI writing tool and reviewed by Bowdoin IT staff for accuracy.