How to pin a custom add-in in Outlook in default?

Gary 0 Reputation points
2026-09-14T03:45:50.73+00:00

I am now developing a custom add-in for my Outlook. I would like to set the task pane pinned by default. However, I cannot find a way to set that in Manifest or JavaScript. Is my finding correct? Many thanks!

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-14T03:46:02.5966667+00:00

    No. Outlook does not provide a way to have a task pane pinned by default for all users.

    What is supported is:

    • Enable pinning support in the add-in manifest so users can pin the task pane themselves.
      • Unified manifest for Microsoft 365: set "pinnable": true on the action that opens the task pane.
      • Add-in only manifest: add <SupportsPinning>true</SupportsPinning> to the <Action> for the task pane button.
    • Automatically open a task pane by default is a different feature from pinning.
      • Unified manifest: set the action "view" to "Office.AutoShowTaskpaneWithDocument".
      • Add-in only manifest: set <TaskpaneId>Office.AutoShowTaskpaneWithDocument</TaskpaneId>.

    Important limitations:

    • Pinning is supported in Message Compose and Message Read modes, but it does not carry across modes.
    • If the add-in is published to Microsoft Marketplace and uses a pinnable task pane, the pinned content must change based on the currently selected message or appointment.
    • There is also a Microsoft Q&A answer stating there is no admin capability to pin an app to the Outlook sidebar for all users by default; users must pin it manually.

    So the finding is correct: default pinning is not available. Only pinning support can be declared in the manifest, after which the user pins it manually.

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  2. Hin Vo 445 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-14T04:24:58.1233333+00:00

    Hi @Gary

    You can refer to the AI's response. Based on my further research in Microsoft documentation, this behavior is by design.

    As I understand it, Outlook add-ins can be configured to support pinning (for example, by using SupportsPinning in the add-in manifest). However, there is currently no supported method to have the task pane pinned by default through either the manifest or JavaScript/Office.js. The pinned state is controlled by the end user, who must manually select the Pin option in Outlook.

    User's image

    Reference: Implement a pinnable task pane in an Outlook add-in - Office Add-ins | Microsoft Learn

    As a result, the scenario of automatically pinning the task pane when the add-in loads is not currently supported by the Outlook add-in platform.

    If this functionality is important for your organization, I would recommend submitting feedback through the Feedback Portal. This dedicated platform allows users to highlight how specific product limitations impact their workflows and suggest improvements that would provide meaningful value to their business.

    Your feedback may also help other customers facing similar challenges and can increase visibility of the request within the product team. If you decide to submit feedback, please feel free to share the feedback link here. I'd be happy to review it and upvote it to help increase its visibility.

    I hope this helps address your concerns.

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