Salesforce for Outlook, the desktop plugin many teams have used for years to sync Outlook with Salesforce, retires on 30 January 2027. Its replacement is two products used together: the Outlook integration, which puts Salesforce in a side panel inside Outlook for viewing and logging emails, and Einstein Activity Capture, which syncs contacts and events automatically.
This guide was first published in 2021 as an implementation guide for the Outlook integration. It has been rewritten for 2026: what the retirement means, how the two replacement products divide the work, and how to move without losing sync.
When does Salesforce for Outlook retire, and why?
Salesforce Help's Salesforce for Outlook retirement article (updated 1 October 2026) says the product is rescheduled to retire on 30 January 2027. The reason is security: Salesforce enforces mandatory authentication controls on all connected applications, and the plugin's older login architecture can't support them.
Earlier retirement dates were announced and then moved, so check the article before you set a project deadline. What happens on the day is clear from the same article:
- Desktop client authentication stops working, so the plugin can't connect to Salesforce or sync contacts, events and tasks.
- Users lose the side panel, the system tray controls and the Add Emails button.
- Admins lose access to the Outlook configuration in Setup.
- Data that was already synced between Salesforce and Outlook remains unaffected.
What replaces Salesforce for Outlook?
The Outlook integration replaces the side panel and email logging, and Einstein Activity Capture replaces automatic contact and event sync. Salesforce splits the old plugin's job between two products:
| What the old plugin did | What does it now |
|---|---|
| Salesforce side panel inside Outlook: see related contacts, opportunities and cases, log emails | Outlook integration |
| Automatic sync of contacts and events between Outlook and Salesforce | Einstein Activity Capture |
The two are configured separately, and most teams need both. For a feature-by-feature list, see Salesforce's comparison of Salesforce for Outlook and the next-generation products.
How do the Outlook integration and Einstein Activity Capture differ?
The Outlook integration is the panel users work in; Einstein Activity Capture is background sync.
- The Outlook integration is what users see: Salesforce records next to the email or meeting they have open, and the ability to log that email or event to the right record. It is the everyday working surface for sales and service reps.
- Einstein Activity Capture works in the background: it keeps contacts and events in step between Outlook and Salesforce without users logging each one by hand.
The practical consequence: decide early which activities your reps should log deliberately and which should be captured automatically. That choice drives your reporting, because captured activity and logged activity are not always used in the same places, so check Salesforce's comparison page for how each appears in your reports and dashboards before you roll out.
Reporting is the detail most teams miss. Salesforce Help's Sync Email as Salesforce Activity considerations explain that, with that setting on, captured emails are stored as Task and EmailMessage records and appear in existing activity reports. In setups made before Summer '25, or with the setting off, captured emails show on the activity timeline but are not available in standard reports. Check which applies to your org before you promise managers an activity dashboard; our reports guide covers building one.
What do you need before you start?
You need a supported mail server and Outlook version, and a way to deploy the Salesforce add-in. As of November 2026 Salesforce's Outlook integration system requirements list:
| Requirement | Supported |
|---|---|
| Mail server | Exchange Online, on-premises Exchange 2013, 2016 and 2019, and hybrid Exchange |
| Outlook clients | Outlook on the web; Office on Windows (Microsoft 365) 2409 or later; Office on Mac 16.89 or later; recent perpetual Outlook builds |
| Browsers for Outlook on the web | Latest stable Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari; not mobile browsers |
| Add-in | The Salesforce add-in from Microsoft AppSource, or deployed centrally by your Microsoft 365 admin |
The retirement article adds that the next-generation products don't support Outlook 2010 or Exchange 2010, so upgrade those first.
How to move from Salesforce for Outlook
Save your old configuration, set up both new products for a pilot group, compare results, then roll out team by team. Salesforce's move guide covers the steps in detail. A plan that works for most organisations:
- Record your current setup. Salesforce recommends saving your Outlook configuration details, because some settings, such as custom field mappings and sync filters, don't transfer automatically.
- Decide sync direction and scope. Which users sync contacts and events, in which direction, and which records should never sync.
- Set up the Outlook integration: turn it on in Setup, deploy the Salesforce add-in centrally through Microsoft 365 (simpler than asking each user to install it), and test logging with a small group on the Outlook versions your users actually run.
- Set up Einstein Activity Capture for the same group, and compare its results with what the old plugin produced for a week or two, recurring meetings included.
- Recreate custom mappings and filters in the new setup.
- Roll out by team, uninstalling or disabling the old plugin on each user's machine as the team moves, well before 30 January 2027.
- Update reports and training, so managers know where activity now appears and reps know what to log by hand.
Can I use a third-party Outlook connector instead?
Yes, a third-party connector is an option, but it adds a vendor with access to your mailboxes. Salesforce's retirement article notes that customers who can't upgrade can move to the Outlook integration only, or to a third-party app from AgentExchange (formerly AppExchange). Third-party connectors can make sense when you need sync behaviour the Salesforce products don't offer; weigh that against an extra vendor, extra licences and another app with access to your mailboxes. Our integration patterns guide and guide to vetting browser extensions cover the questions to ask any add-on.
Getting help
Techila is a Salesforce Summit Partner. Our Outlook integration and Microsoft 365 integration pages describe how we connect Salesforce with Microsoft tools. If you are still on Salesforce for Outlook, talk to us about a move plan before the January 2027 deadline.
Frequently asked questions
When does Salesforce for Outlook retire?
On 30 January 2027, according to Salesforce Help (updated 1 October 2026). Earlier announcements gave other dates, so plan against the current one: after it, the desktop plugin can no longer sign in to Salesforce.
What replaces Salesforce for Outlook?
Two products together. The Outlook integration replaces the Salesforce side panel inside Outlook, and Einstein Activity Capture replaces the automatic sync of contacts and events.
Will I lose data that Salesforce for Outlook already synced?
No. Salesforce says data that was already synced between Salesforce and Outlook remains unaffected. What stops is new syncing and the plugin's features, such as the side panel and the Add Emails button.
Do my Salesforce for Outlook settings carry over?
Not all of them. Salesforce says some configurations, such as custom field mappings and sync filters, don't transfer automatically and must be recreated. Record your current settings before you switch.
Why is Salesforce for Outlook being retired?
Salesforce enforces mandatory authentication controls on all connected applications to protect customer data, and the plugin's older login architecture can't support them.