{
  "slug": "outlook-com",
  "category": "email-providers",
  "name": "Outlook.com",
  "description": "Microsoft's free email service, also used for Hotmail and Live addresses.",
  "website": "https://outlook.live.com",
  "license": null,
  "platforms": [],
  "jurisdiction": {
    "code": "US",
    "name": "United States",
    "eyes": "Five Eyes",
    "eu": false,
    "gdpr": false,
    "cloud_act": "provider"
  },
  "pick": false,
  "pick_reason": null,
  "disclosure": null,
  "grade": "F",
  "score": 36,
  "coverage": 100,
  "summary": "Outlook.com scores 36 out of 100 (grade F) on the email providers criteria. It meets 6 of 19 criteria: transparency report, tells users about requests, TLS configuration, open protocols, IMAP support and POP3 support. It partly meets security headers, encrypted mailbox storage, custom domains and SMTP submission. It does not meet open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales, independent audit, end-to-end encryption, sign up without personal data, mail transport security, Sender Rewriting Scheme and ARC sealing. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act. Automated tests: SSL Labs grade A+ and Mozilla HTTP Observatory grade B+.",
  "url": "https://privacyratings.com/email-providers/outlook-com/",
  "markdown": "https://privacyratings.com/email-providers/outlook-com/index.md",
  "answers": {
    "open_source": {
      "title": "Open source",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Closed source."
    },
    "no_trackers": {
      "title": "No trackers or telemetry",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement",
      "note": "Microsoft collects usage and diagnostic data and uses data about users for personalized advertising."
    },
    "no_ads": {
      "title": "No ads or data sales",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement",
      "note": "The free service shows ads."
    },
    "independent_audit": {
      "title": "Independent audit",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "No independent audit of Outlook.com is published."
    },
    "transparency_report": {
      "title": "Transparency report",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/reports/government-requests/customer-data",
      "note": "Publishes counts of government requests for consumer data, including Outlook.com, twice a year."
    },
    "user_notice": {
      "title": "Tells users about requests",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/reports/government-requests/customer-data",
      "note": "Microsoft gives prior notice to Outlook.com users whose data is requested, except where prohibited by law or in emergencies."
    },
    "tls": {
      "title": "TLS configuration",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=outlook.live.com&hideResults=on",
      "note": "Grade A+"
    },
    "security_headers": {
      "title": "Security headers",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/observatory/analyze?host=outlook.live.com",
      "note": "Grade B+ (80/100+)"
    },
    "web_standards": {
      "title": "Modern web standards",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "pending",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Not tested yet."
    },
    "e2ee": {
      "title": "End-to-end encryption",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "No end-to-end encryption. The Encrypt option for Microsoft 365 subscribers uses keys Microsoft holds."
    },
    "encrypted_storage": {
      "title": "Encrypted mailbox storage",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/encryption",
      "note": "Data is encrypted at rest with keys Microsoft holds."
    },
    "open_protocols": {
      "title": "Open protocols",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/pop-imap-and-smtp-settings-for-outlook-com",
      "note": "IMAP, POP3 and SMTP work with other apps on free and paid accounts."
    },
    "custom_domains": {
      "title": "Custom domains",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/setup/add-domain?view=o365-worldwide",
      "note": "Custom domains are supported through Microsoft 365 business plans, not free Outlook.com accounts."
    },
    "anonymous_signup": {
      "title": "Sign up without personal data",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement#mainmicrosoftaccountmodule",
      "note": "Creating a Microsoft account asks for personal data such as a birthdate, and a phone number may be requested for verification."
    },
    "mail_standards": {
      "title": "Email security standards",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "pending",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Not tested yet."
    },
    "imap_standards": {
      "title": "IMAP support",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "outlook.office365.com:993 (implicit TLS). IMAP4rev1 advertised with IDLE."
    },
    "pop3_standards": {
      "title": "POP3 support",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "outlook.office365.com:995 (implicit TLS). CAPA: TOP, UIDL, SASL."
    },
    "smtp_standards": {
      "title": "SMTP submission",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "partial",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "smtp-mail.outlook.com:587 (STARTTLS). SMTPUTF8, 8BITMIME, PIPELINING and AUTH advertised."
    },
    "transport_security": {
      "title": "Mail transport security",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Passes: SPF, MTA-STS enforce, TLS-RPT, DNSSEC. Missing: DMARC none, DANE none."
    },
    "srs": {
      "title": "Sender Rewriting Scheme",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/reference/sender-rewriting-scheme",
      "note": "Microsoft documents SRS for Microsoft 365 business mail, not for Outlook.com."
    },
    "arc": {
      "title": "ARC sealing",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "no",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "No published documentation on ARC for Outlook.com. Microsoft's ARC documentation covers Microsoft 365 business mail."
    }
  },
  "tests": {
    "ssllabs": "A+",
    "observatory": "B+",
    "internetnl_web": null,
    "internetnl_mail": null,
    "trackers": [],
    "tested_at": "2026-10-01T11:00:17.652Z"
  },
  "last_modified": "2026-10-01T11:14:42Z"
}