Microsoft to roll out text prediction, schedule mail features for Outlook Web

Microsoft has revealed that it is working on a new feature for Outlook called ‘text predictions’. The feature will incorporate smart technology to suggest the best word one could use while composing an email.

According to Microsoft, users will just have to hit the tab button or right arrow key on their keyboards to accept the text prediction.

The suggestions to complete sentences will appear in a lighter colour and can be inserted in the mail by using these keys.

To ignore the suggested text, users can continue to type and the suggestion will disappear.

Microsoft is currently developing the text predictions feature for Outlook on the web. According to a report by Windows Latest, it will be quite similar to Gmail’s smart compose and is expected to be available by May-end.

How to turn on text predictions

According to a support document by Microsoft, to enable text predictions, users will first have to go to settings at the top of the page.

Click on ‘view all Outlook settings’, then go to ‘mail’. Tap on ‘compose and reply’, and under ‘text predictions’ turn on the checkbox next to ‘suggest words or phrases as I type’.

To turn off Text predictions, follow all the above steps and in the end, clear the checkbox ‘suggest words or phrases as I type’.

Microsoft is also planning to add an option to schedule emails on Outlook Web. The feature will be called ‘send later’.

“Outlook is adding the option to schedule when you want to send an email message,” the company said.

This feature too is under development and is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2020.