# Outlook.com privacy rating

Microsoft's free email service, also used for Hotmail and Live addresses.

## 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+.

- Website: https://outlook.live.com
- Jurisdiction: United States. Five Eyes member. Subject to the US CLOUD Act.
- Home page trackers: none found
- Category: [Email providers](https://privacyratings.com/email-providers/)
- Also rated: [Microsoft Outlook](https://privacyratings.com/email-clients/microsoft-outlook/) (Email clients), [Microsoft Defender for Office 365](https://privacyratings.com/spam-filters/microsoft-defender-for-office-365/) (Spam and virus filtering), [Microsoft Exchange Server](https://privacyratings.com/mail-server-software/microsoft-exchange-server/) (Mail server software), [Microsoft Edge](https://privacyratings.com/browsers/microsoft-edge/) (Browsers), [Bing](https://privacyratings.com/search-engines/bing/) (Search engines), [Microsoft Authenticator](https://privacyratings.com/two-factor-authentication/microsoft-authenticator/) (Two-factor authentication), [BitLocker](https://privacyratings.com/file-encryption/bitlocker/) (File encryption), [SDelete](https://privacyratings.com/data-erasers/sdelete/) (Data erasers), [Microsoft Defender Antivirus](https://privacyratings.com/anti-malware/microsoft-defender-antivirus/) (Anti-malware), [Microsoft Teams](https://privacyratings.com/team-chat/microsoft-teams/) (Team chat), [Microsoft Azure](https://privacyratings.com/server-hosting/microsoft-azure/) (Server hosting), [Microsoft SwiftKey](https://privacyratings.com/keyboards/microsoft-swiftkey/) (Mobile keyboards), [Windows 11](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/windows-11/) (Desktop operating systems), [Media Creation Tool](https://privacyratings.com/os-installers/media-creation-tool/) (OS downloaders and bootable USB tools), [PowerToys Command Palette](https://privacyratings.com/launchers/powertoys-command-palette/) (App launchers), [Windows Clipboard History](https://privacyratings.com/clipboard-managers/windows-clipboard-history/) (Clipboard managers), [SigCheck](https://privacyratings.com/windows-hardening/sigcheck/) (Windows hardening), [Hyper-V](https://privacyratings.com/virtual-machines/hyper-v/) (Virtual machines), [Microsoft OneNote](https://privacyratings.com/notes/microsoft-onenote/) (Notes), [Microsoft Visio](https://privacyratings.com/diagrams/microsoft-visio/) (Diagrams and whiteboards), [Outlook Calendar](https://privacyratings.com/calendars/outlook-calendar/) (Calendars), [Microsoft Bookings](https://privacyratings.com/scheduling/microsoft-bookings/) (Scheduling), [Microsoft To Do](https://privacyratings.com/task-management/microsoft-to-do/) (Task management), [Microsoft 365](https://privacyratings.com/office-suites/microsoft-365/) (Office suites), [Snipping Tool](https://privacyratings.com/screen-recording/snipping-tool/) (Screenshots and screen recording), [Xbox Game Bar](https://privacyratings.com/screen-recording/xbox-game-bar/) (Screenshots and screen recording), [Microsoft Forms](https://privacyratings.com/forms/microsoft-forms/) (Forms and surveys), [Microsoft Translator](https://privacyratings.com/translation/microsoft-translator/) (Translation), [Windows Voice Typing](https://privacyratings.com/speech-to-text/windows-voice-typing/) (Dictation and transcription), [Microsoft Copilot](https://privacyratings.com/ai-assistants/microsoft-copilot/) (AI assistants), [Microsoft OneDrive](https://privacyratings.com/cloud-storage/microsoft-onedrive/) (Encrypted cloud storage), [Visual Studio Code](https://privacyratings.com/code-editors/visual-studio-code/) (Code editors), [Windows Terminal](https://privacyratings.com/terminals/windows-terminal/) (Terminals), [.NET MAUI](https://privacyratings.com/app-frameworks/net-maui/) (Cross-platform app frameworks), [ASP.NET Core](https://privacyratings.com/dotnet-frameworks/asp-net-core/) (.NET web frameworks), [Blazor](https://privacyratings.com/dotnet-frameworks/blazor/) (.NET web frameworks), [Microsoft Clarity](https://privacyratings.com/web-analytics/microsoft-clarity/) (Website analytics)
- Grade: F (36/100)

## Criteria

| Criterion | Answer | Note | Evidence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Open source | No | Closed source. |  |
| No trackers or telemetry | No | Microsoft collects usage and diagnostic data and uses data about users for personalized advertising. | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement |
| No ads or data sales | No | The free service shows ads. | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement |
| Independent audit | No | No independent audit of Outlook.com is published. |  |
| Transparency report | Yes | Publishes counts of government requests for consumer data, including Outlook.com, twice a year. | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/reports/government-requests/customer-data |
| Tells users about requests | Yes | Microsoft gives prior notice to Outlook.com users whose data is requested, except where prohibited by law or in emergencies. | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/reports/government-requests/customer-data |
| TLS configuration | Yes | Grade A+ | https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=outlook.live.com&hideResults=on |
| Security headers | Partial | Grade B+ (80/100+) | https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/observatory/analyze?host=outlook.live.com |
| Modern web standards | Not tested yet | Not tested yet. |  |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No end-to-end encryption. The Encrypt option for Microsoft 365 subscribers uses keys Microsoft holds. |  |
| Encrypted mailbox storage | Partial | Data is encrypted at rest with keys Microsoft holds. | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/encryption |
| Open protocols | Yes | IMAP, POP3 and SMTP work with other apps on free and paid accounts. | https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/pop-imap-and-smtp-settings-for-outlook-com |
| Custom domains | Partial | Custom domains are supported through Microsoft 365 business plans, not free Outlook.com accounts. | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/setup/add-domain?view=o365-worldwide |
| Sign up without personal data | No | Creating a Microsoft account asks for personal data such as a birthdate, and a phone number may be requested for verification. | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/privacystatement#mainmicrosoftaccountmodule |
| Email security standards | Not tested yet | Not tested yet. |  |
| IMAP support | Yes | outlook.office365.com:993 (implicit TLS). IMAP4rev1 advertised with IDLE. |  |
| POP3 support | Yes | outlook.office365.com:995 (implicit TLS). CAPA: TOP, UIDL, SASL. |  |
| SMTP submission | Partial | smtp-mail.outlook.com:587 (STARTTLS). SMTPUTF8, 8BITMIME, PIPELINING and AUTH advertised. |  |
| Mail transport security | No | Passes: SPF, MTA-STS enforce, TLS-RPT, DNSSEC. Missing: DMARC none, DANE none. |  |
| Sender Rewriting Scheme | No | Microsoft documents SRS for Microsoft 365 business mail, not for Outlook.com. | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/reference/sender-rewriting-scheme |
| ARC sealing | No | No published documentation on ARC for Outlook.com. Microsoft's ARC documentation covers Microsoft 365 business mail. |  |

Source: https://privacyratings.com/email-providers/outlook-com/
Edit: https://github.com/privacyratings/privacyratings.com/edit/main/ratings/email-providers/outlook-com.md