# Opening MailConnect

> Where to find MailConnect in Outlook, how to keep its pane open, what it does when you read or write mail, and which versions of Outlook support what.

Source: https://getmailconnect.com/docs/using-mailconnect/opening/

## Where to find it

MailConnect is on Outlook's ribbon, in a group called **Pinksky**: select
**MailConnect**. It's there when you read an email, when you write one, and when
you organise a meeting. In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, the button may be
under **Apps** on the ribbon.

MailConnect opens in a pane next to your email.


If it isn't there, your organisation may not have rolled it out to you yet. It can
take Microsoft up to 72 hours to deliver a new add-in.

## Keeping the pane open

When you read mail, you can pin MailConnect: select the pin in the top-right
corner of its pane, and it stays open as you move from email to email. The first
time, MailConnect shows a tip about this: **Keep this pane open**.

Unless it's pinned, Outlook may close or reload MailConnect when you select
another email.

## Reading and writing mail

| When you | MailConnect lets you |
|----------|----------------------|
| Read an email | [Archive](https://getmailconnect.com/docs/using-mailconnect/archiving.md) it and its attachments, [browse](https://getmailconnect.com/docs/using-mailconnect/browsing.md) SharePoint, preview files, and manage folders and files. |
| Write an email, or organise a meeting | Find SharePoint files and [attach](https://getmailconnect.com/docs/using-mailconnect/attaching.md) them. |

The tabs can differ between the two: your organisation decides which tabs show
when. When you start a new email, Outlook may show
**Attach files from SharePoint with MailConnect** above it: **Launch MailConnect**
opens it.

## Outlook versions

| Outlook | What works |
|---------|------------|
| New Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web | Everything: archiving, attaching, archiving several emails at once, and [drag and drop](https://getmailconnect.com/docs/using-mailconnect/drag-and-drop.md). |
| Classic Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac | Archiving, attaching and archiving several emails at once. No drag and drop: use the **Archive** button. |
| Outlook for iOS and Android | When you read mail: archiving and browsing. You can't attach files from the app, archive several emails at once, or drag and drop. |

Older versions of Outlook can miss some features, such as archiving several
emails at once.

## Shared mailboxes

In Outlook for Windows, Mac and the web, MailConnect also works in shared
mailboxes and shared folders you have access to, the same way as in your own
mailbox.

## Signing in

MailConnect signs you in with the account you use in Outlook. Now and then,
Microsoft may ask you to sign in again in a small window: use your work account.
See [Troubleshooting](https://getmailconnect.com/docs/using-mailconnect/troubleshooting.md#mailconnect-asks-me-to-sign-in)
if that doesn't work.

MailConnect can only reach what you can already reach in SharePoint and Outlook
yourself.