Microsoft bringing Google Calendar and Contact syncing, enhanced Gmail features to Outlook for Mac

Microsoft announced today that it plans to bring Google Calendar and Contacts support to Outlook 2016 for Mac later this year. Outlook for Mac already works with Gmail accounts for managing email, but this update will mark the first time Gmail users can manage contact databases and calendar entries using Microsoft’s software.

Outlook for Mac has long supported connecting to and managing your Gmail. With these updates, Outlook will now also sync your Google calendars and contacts. The experience will be very similar to what you are familiar with in Outlook today, with support for all the core actions—such as add, delete, edit time and location.

Office Insider Fast members will be the first to test Google Calendar and Contacts syncing on Outlook 2016 for Mac with a rollout starting today. Following a round of testing and feedback, Microsoft says Google Calendar and Contacts support will come to Office 365 customers using Outlook 2016 for Mac.

Once the update rolls out to all users, Google Calendar and Contacts support will bring the Mac software up to parity with iOS and Android versions of Outlook for Google service users.

Microsoft is planning new email features for Gmail users as well:

Up to now, many of Outlook’s best and most advanced email features have only been available to those with an Outlook.com, Office 365 or Exchange email address. With these updates, you will also be able to take advantage of several of Outlook’s advanced features with your Gmail account, including Focused Inbox and richer experiences for travel reservations and package deliveries. Additional advanced features will become available as we roll these updates out more broadly.

You can read more about how to access the upcoming changes sooner here. Today’s Outlook news follows the introduction of Touch Bar support across Office apps on new MacBook Pros two weeks ago.