Outlook on the web (aka OWA)


What is Outlook Web App?

Outlook for the Web, or 'Outlook Web App' (OWA), is your easiest, fastest way to access your UW Exchange emails. OWA requires nothing to install and can be used on any device with a web browser: laptop / PC, phone, tablet, etc. 

How to Access Outlook Web App

Getting to OWA is as simple as signing into your UW Office 365 account. Open any web browser and go to: https://outlook.office365.com/uw.edu, then sign in using your UW NetID + password and Duo Authenticator. We also recommend bookmarking that link to make it easier to access in the future.

Signing Out When You're Done

It's smart practice to signout of OWA when you're done checking emails, especially on any shared devices. To sign out of OWA, click your profile photo (avatar) in the top right corner of the page (1), and then click Sign out (2). When you do this, sometimes the logout fails and your mailbox continues to be displayed; if this happens, simply close your browser.

A screenshot showing the Sign Out dialog and where to click to sign out.

 

How to Use OWA

Example screenshot of the OWA page.

  1. Favorites List - Pin email folders to your Favorites List for quick access. Right click on your folder(s) of choice and select "Add to Favorites".
  2. Folders - View and manage all your email folders here. Right click on the 'Folders' heading to create new folders, and drag/drop existing folders around to organize them to your liking.
  3. Viewing Pane - See a list of all emails in the currently selected folder. Left click any email to read it in a large viewing window to the right of the list. 
  4. Drafting Pane - Write and send emails using the Drafting pane. This pane will display after you click the 'New Mail' button (not shown), usually in the top left of the page (above the 'Favorites List'). Click the trash can in the top right of the Drafting pane to discard your message (drafts are saved automatically in OWA).
  5. Action Ribbon - Various drop-down menus for doing additional things in OWA, such as formatting your email's text/contents or inserting attachments. There's too many options to cover here, but feel free to explore and see what's useful to you!