Introduction
Michigan Medicine offers Outlook as a Virtual App, allowing access to your email and calendar without requiring a Michigan Medicine-provided device.
What is a Virtual App?
A Virtual App is a program that runs in the cloud instead of on your computer. This means it doesn’t take up space on your device and can be used from anywhere with an internet connection. For example, you can use Outlook (for email) through a Virtual App without needing to install it on your computer.
Below is a screenshot of the Outlook Virtual App running on a Mac desktop.
Using the Outlook Virtual App
The Outlook Virtual App uses the new Outlook interface, which shares many features with the web version. Here are key things to know about using the Outlook Virtual App:
- Opening Links and Attachments: Links and PDF attachments will open in a Microsoft Edge Virtual App. Files like Word or PowerPoint will open in Microsoft 365 on the web.
- Handling Unsupported Attachments: If the app cannot open an attachment, you can save it to your OneDrive or mapped network drives.
- Meeting Links: The Outlook Virtual App does not support Teams or Zoom. To join Zoom meetings, follow these Zoom WVD instructions. For Teams meetings, refer to this WVD article.
- Clipboard Sharing: You can copy and paste plain text between the Virtual App and your local device. Note that copied text and images will lose formatting.
Important: Avoid running both WVD and the Outlook Virtual App simultaneously, as this may cause crashes.
Security and Logoff Behavior
Outlook Virtual App sessions follow these security protocols:
- Lock: The session will lock after 10 minutes of inactivity.
- Disconnect: The session will disconnect after 1 hour of inactivity.
- Log off: The session will log off 5 minutes after disconnecting.
Important: Do not close the browser tab while using the app. Instead, log off by closing the Outlook Virtual App and any Edge windows.
Feature Comparison
The table below compares the key features of the Outlook Virtual App, Outlook in Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), and Outlook on Michigan Medicine’s CoreImage and CoreMac systems.
| Features | Outlook Virtual App | Outlook in WVD | Outlook on CoreImage & CoreMac |
| Read/Create/edit email & calendar | |||
| Attach/Save files: OneDrive |
|||
| Attach/Save files: Network Drives |
|||
| Attach/Save files: Dropbox |
Via dropbox.com | ||
| Attach/Save files: Device's local drives |
|||
| Edit M365 files on the web | |||
| Edit M365 files using desktop apps | |||
| Open/Edit PDF Files | Edge | Adobe Acrobat | Edge or Adobe Acrobat |
| Copy/Paste plain text with local device | n/a | ||
| Copy/Paste images with local device | Windows App only | n/a | |
| Printing | |||
| Microsoft 365 Apps (Office) | Web versions only | ||
| Microsoft Edge | Only via links in email | ||
| Teams Meetings | Windows App only | ||
| Outlook version | New | Classic | Classic |
| Remote Access Method | Windows App or web | Windows App or web | n/a |
Instructions
The following instructions will guide you through setting up and using the Outlook Virtual App, attaching and saving files, and managing your sessions efficiently. Follow the steps for both Windows App and web browser access, and refer to the additional details for file management and session handling.
Installing the Windows App
Follow the instructions in the following links to install the Windows App: Windows PC or Mac. These are the same instructions to access WVD. Installing the Windows app is necessary before starting the Outlook Virtual App because the Windows app acts as the client or platform through which the Virtual App runs.
Starting the Outlook Virtual App in the Windows App
- Open the Windows App and go to the Apps tab.
- Select Outlook to start an Outlook Virtual App session.
- (Optional) To mark Outlook as a favorite, select the three dots [...] and choose Favorite.
- If prompted, enter your Michigan Medicine account credentials (uniqname@med.umich.edu and UMICH password).
- After logging in, wait while the session starts and complete the first-time setup for the New Outlook as detailed here: New Outlook Client Features and Differences.
- To end your session, close Outlook and any instances of Edge it launched.
Note: Your session will end 20 seconds after you close Outlook and the instances of Edge it launched. Wait 30 seconds before starting a new session.
Starting the Outlook Virtual App in a Web Browser
- Open the Windows Cloud.
- Log in with your Michigan Medicine credentials. If prompted, complete the Duo two-factor authentication.
- Open the Apps tab and select Outlook.
- Within the In Session Settings that opens automatically, select the clipboard and the Don't show again checkboxes. Then select Connect.
- Complete the first-time instructions for New Outlook as detailed here: New Outlook Features and Differences.
- As you use the Outlook Virtual App, you may find yourself with multiple Virtual App windows in tab as shown below. You can use the website's toolbar icons to flip between the windows.
- To close the session, use each window's X button.
Note: Be sure to close all application windows in the browser tab before closing the tab itself.
- After 20 seconds, the following message will appear. Do not click Reconnect. Instead, close the tab.
Attaching Files to Outlook Emails
- Create a new email.
- From the toolbar, select Attach file.
- Select Attach file and choose from the following options:
- Browse your computer for local or network drives.
- Use OneDrive to select files stored in the cloud.
- Once you select a file or choose to create a link, you will be returned to your new email window.
Saving an Email Attachment
- Open the email containing the attachment.
- Select the attachment to preview it or save it to OneDrive or a network drive. The following screenshot shows the many locations where you can do this.