1B Mail or the new Outlook?
An alternative to the new Outlook
If the new Outlook for Windows isn't for you — or you want the same kind of email program on Linux — 1B Mail works the way Outlook users expect and talks straight to your own mail servers.
Why people try 1B Mail
Familiar from the first minute
Folders on the left, a reading pane, Focused and Other, and one unified inbox for every account.
Your mail stays with your provider
1B Mail connects straight to Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo or your own server. No copy of your mailbox is kept in anyone's cloud.
Windows and Linux
The same program on Windows 10 and 11 and on Linux, plus 1B Mail for Android.
Light
A Windows installer of about 8 MB that installs for your user, without administrator rights.
Side by side
Checked in October 2026 against Microsoft's own support pages. Where Outlook does more, we say so.
| 1B Mail | New Outlook for Windows | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | In the browser only |
| macOS, iPhone and iPad | —No | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Keeps a copy of your Gmail and Yahoo mail in Microsoft's data centres | —No | Yes |
| Calendar and contacts | —No | Yes |
| POP3 accounts | —No | Yes |
| Focused and Other inbox | Yes | Yes |
| Imports your accounts from classic Outlook | Yes | Yes |
Source for the cloud copy: Microsoft's support article “Sync your account in Outlook to the Microsoft Cloud” (in the new Outlook for Windows, Gmail and Yahoo accounts are synced this way). Things change: if something here is out of date, tell us at 1bytesystems@gmail.com.
When Outlook is the better choice
- You need calendar and contacts in the same program.
- Your company runs on Exchange features such as shared calendars.
- You use a Mac or an iPhone.
- You need POP3.
Moving is quick
- Step 1
Install 1B Mail
From this website: no administrator rights needed on Windows.
- Step 2
Bring your accounts
1B Mail imports your accounts from classic Outlook, reads the addresses from the new Outlook and finds the server settings for Gmail, Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Yahoo and others.
- Step 3
Sign in
Microsoft accounts sign in through your browser. For Gmail, 1B Mail walks you through creating an app password.
Questions
Is 1B Mail made by Microsoft?
No. 1B Mail is made by 1Byte Systems and isn't affiliated with Microsoft.
Does it work with Microsoft 365 at work?
Yes, for email: 1B Mail signs in with your Microsoft account and uses IMAP and SMTP. In some organisations the administrator has to approve 1B Mail first. Calendars and contacts aren't supported yet.
Does my mail go through a cloud?
No. 1B Mail connects straight to your provider. If you turn on sync, our server only receives your account settings and labels, encrypted on your device — never your messages.
Outlook and Microsoft 365 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. 1B Mail is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.
Try it yourself
Download 1B Mail for Windows or Linux, or get it on Google Play for Android.