Outlook 2013 (desktop) vs Outlook 365/Outlook 2016

[copperberry]

I'm looking for discussions comparing Outlook 2013 (desktop) with Outlook 365/Outlook 2016. I can't tell if it's too soon to expect to see information on this, or if I'm missing something: There are a lot of websites that refer to Outlook.com, but I understand that is migrating to Outlook 365/Exchange. There are many websites that compare Outlook 2010 and Office 365, but I haven't found any dealing with Outlook 2013 and Office 365/Outlook 2016.

I currently have Outlook 2013 installed on my computer. I have a subscription to Office 365 (is this also called Office 2016?), but have not yet implemented it. Questions:
- What is the difference between Outlook 2013 and Outlook 365?
- What is the process for upgrading/migrating from Outlook 2013 to Outlook 365/Outlook 2016?
- Tasks
- Does Outlook 365 support Tasks
- Does Outlook 365 support categories?
- Does Outlook 365 support colors for different categories?
- Basically, does Outlook 365 have the same Tasks interface? Is anything lost or gained?
- Is there a way to sync Outlook 365 contacts, calendar and tasks with an Android phone?

Many thanks!

 

[Diane Poremsky]

I currently have Outlook 2013 installed on my computer. I have a subscription to Office 365 (is this also called Office 2016?), but have not yet implemented it. Questions:
- What is the difference between Outlook 2013 and Outlook 365?
- What is the process for upgrading/migrating from Outlook 2013 to Outlook 365/Outlook 2016?
- Tasks
- Does Outlook 365 support Tasks
- Does Outlook 365 support categories?
- Does Outlook 365 support colors for different categories?
- Basically, does Outlook 365 have the same Tasks interface? Is anything lost or gained?
- Is there a way to sync Outlook 365 contacts, calendar and tasks with an Android phone?

Office 365 software is the subscription version of Office 2013/2016 (both are included in the subscription, as is Mac Office) - depending on your subscription, you can install Office software on 1 -5 computers.

To upgrade you just need to install the new version. If you have the retail version of office 2013 and are switching to the subscription, i recommend uninstalling it first.

Office 365 software / Outlook 2013/2016 supports everything on your list, just as it did with older versions of outlook.

If you have office 365 services (like Exchange mailbox), you'll have some tasks and category support in web access but full support in Outlook desktop. If it works with a pst, you'll have it with the exchange mailbox - with the added bonus of everything stored on the server, so it will sync to other computers (categories, rules, views - everything).

Outlook.com is moving to Exchange hosting on office 365. It will be a better experience than the old outlook.com.

Either exchange or outlook.com mailbox will sync to smartphones using ActiveSync or Exchange Web Services, depending on the app you use. The native android mail app uses ActiveSync and syncs calendar, contacts, and mail. Tasks aren't supported in all apps but a client told me today that his new Samsung synced his tasks - my older tablet needs to use a task app.

 

[copperberry]

Hello Diane,

It's almost a year later, and I'm getting ready to upgrade to Office 365. Here is an update.

From your email above, it sounds like I should uninstall Office 2013 and then install Office 365. My latest concern is that I am running Office/Outlook 2013 through my Microsoft Account A. All my other Microsoft data (OneDrive, OneNote, Skype, etc.), including my Outlook.com email address, is associated with my Microsoft Account B. It is Account B that would be upgraded to Office 365. Office 2013 is registered to Account A.

What will happen to my Account A Outlook 2013 email accounts and profiles if I subscribe to Outlook/Office 365 with Account B? Is there an extra step I have to take to preserve and import those profiles over to Account B, or are they already synced to Account B, by virtue of the fact that I'm viewing my Outlook.com account (associated with Account B) in Outlook 2013 (registered to Account A.) Do

I can see disconnecting my various IMAP account from Outlook 2013, including my Outlook.com account, uninstalling Outlook 2013, then subscribing to Office 365 and setting up all my IMAP accounts fresh there. Is that all I have to do? Do I need to worry about profiles?

More Info

• I am currently viewing my Outlook.com email (Account B) in Outlook 2013, which is registered to Account A.
• I have other, non-Microsoft IMAP email accounts that I also view in Outlook 2013.

Basically, I'm not sure whether I have all the correct steps, whether I have them in the right order, and what I may not be thinking about.

 

[copperberry]

I should have mentioned that I don't use Account A's associated Microsoft email--no hotmail or outlook.com or other email. Eventually, I want to close Account A completely.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

From your email above, it sounds like I should uninstall Office 2013 and then install Office 365. My latest concern is that I am running Office/Outlook 2013 through my Microsoft Account A. All my other Microsoft data (OneDrive, OneNote, Skype, etc.), including my Outlook.com email address, is associated with my Microsoft Account B. It is Account B that would be upgraded to Office 365. Office 2013 is registered to Account A.

It is not a requirement to uninstall (but certainly doesn't hurt) - and you can change accounts just by signing out of office and signing in with the other account.

What will happen to my Account A Outlook 2013 email accounts and profiles if I subscribe to Outlook/Office 365 with Account B? Is there an extra step I have to take to preserve and import those profiles over to Account B, or are they already synced to Account B, by virtue of the fact that I'm viewing my Outlook.com account (associated with Account B) in Outlook 2013 (registered to Account A.)

Nothing will happen as long as you don't delete the profile or use the office uninstaller utility that wipes pretty much everything office off my machine (this is a separate utility, not the standard uninstall). When you install the new version, it will pick up the old profile. If you want a new profile, you can delete this profile and create a new one.

The email accounts you add to outlook can be unrelated to your subscription. You can have both acct a and acct b in the profile.

I can see disconnecting my various IMAP account from Outlook 2013, including my Outlook.com account, uninstalling Outlook 2013, then subscribing to Office 365 and setting up all my IMAP accounts fresh there. Is that all I have to do? Do I need to worry about profiles?

If you want the profile to remain the same, do nothing. Uninstall 2013, subscribe and install 2016/365 and carry on.

Basically, I'm not sure whether I have all the correct steps, whether I have them in the right order, and what I may not be thinking about.

I think you are heading in the right direction - overthinking it maybe.

If 2013 is a subscription, uninstalling is an option but not required (setup will uninstall it). If you have a retail version that doesn't upgrade, then uninstall it and reboot.
Sign in to Acct B, subscribe to office 365 software and install office 2016.
Restart Outlook.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

I should have mentioned that I don't use Account A's associated Microsoft email--no hotmail or outlook.com or other email. Eventually, I want to close Account A completely.

Not a problem. Don't add it to the Outlook profile. If you don't access it in 270 days, they will delete any email there and may eventually close it automatically. If you ever used it for purchases or banking, i'd probably keep it open, so Microsoft can't give it to someone else. log in every 6 - 9 months to keep it active.

 

[copperberry]

Not a problem. Don't add it to the Outlook profile. If you don't access it in 270 days, they will delete any email there and may eventually close it automatically. If you ever used it for purchases or banking, i'd probably keep it open, so Microsoft can't give it to someone else. log in every 6 - 9 months to keep it active.

 

[copperberry]

Thank you for your help, Diane. Your clear and thorough responses are so valuable. And yes, I'm sure I was over thinking it. I will be working on this migration in the coming weeks.

Thanks again!

Caroline