New notifications pane in Outlook looks to keep you focused.

Keeping tabs on the updates that matter to you in Microsoft Outlook could soon be easier than ever thanks to a new upgrade to the platform. The email service is getting a new central location for all your pings, mentions and other updates that will allow users to make sure they never miss a key event. The new “notifications pane” will allow Windows users to keep tabs on all their most important Outlook updates as soon as they come in.

In the official update on the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company notes how using the new notifications pane means,”you can stay connected with updates focused on you, like @mentions, that you might have missed in the context of your regular mail”. The new tool is still listed as in development for the time being, with Microsoft projecting a general release date of June 2022. When available, the company says it will be made open to all Outlook desktop users.

The update is the latest to come from Microsoft as it continues to make Outlook a more user-friendly tool for the new age of hybrid working.

The company recently revealed it would be adding the ability for users to specify their working hours and location settings to Outlook soon, allowing your co-workers and others to know exactly when they can reach you, and hopefully helping keep your off hours quiet.

In a similar vein to this latest Notifications Pane update, the company also recently introduced Outlook with new settings that make it easier to manage email notifications on mobile. Available on both iOS and Android, the change should help users stay on top of their work, helping maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Elsewhere, a new feature for Outlook will soon allow users to assess the suitability of their messages before sending. With the company’s MailTips help service, notifying users if their emails do not live up to accessibility standards.

Original Post: https://www.techradar.com/news/microsoft-outlook-wants-to-make-sure-you-never-miss-a-notification-again