Outlook for Windows is testing a new notification panel

Microsoft has begun testing a new notification panel in Outlook for Windows that allows you to customize the types of notifications that appear. For example, you can set Outlook to report mentions (via the @ symbol) but not emails.

The new feature is available to Office Insider Beta members using Outlook version 2208 (build 15408.10000) or later. Note that a similar notification panel is being tested among corporate clients in the web version of Outlook.

“The Notifications panel keeps you up-to-date by offering notifications that are relevant to you in the context of your regular email. The panel allows you to customize the types of notifications you want to receive, including emails and documents, updates on travel, delivery, and other events,” Microsoft explained.

Clicking on a notification with a mention will open the corresponding item, be it an email or a Word document. However, it’s worth noting that documents currently open in the web version of Word, and not in the desktop app. This issue will be fixed in the future.