en-US office user

Running Outlook for Simple MAPI Mail Sending

Verified with Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000 — updated on September 4, 2026

Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000

Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7

Path in the GPO console

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Outlook 2016\Miscellaneous

Description

This policy setting determines whether users can send mail through Simple MAPI when Outlook is not active. If you enable this policy setting, users are required to have Outlook running to send mail through Simple MAPI. This will force users to open Outlook to send mail, ensuring that Outlook Add-ins run properly before the mail is sent. If you disable this policy setting, users are allowed to send mail through Simple MAPI regardless of Outlook running. When this policy setting is not configured, it functions as if it has been disabled, allowing users to send mail through Simple MAPI without having Outlook running.

Registry

HKCU software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\options\mail

Value name: disablesimplemapisendwithoutoutlook

Enabled: disablesimplemapisendwithoutoutlook = 1

Disabled: disablesimplemapisendwithoutoutlook = 0

Export Builder

BETA

Configure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.

These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO.

.reg file

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Running Outlook for Simple MAPI Mail Sending
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\options\mail]
"disablesimplemapisendwithoutoutlook"=dword:00000001
More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)

PowerShell

# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Running Outlook for Simple MAPI Mail Sending
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.

$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\options\mail'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'disablesimplemapisendwithoutoutlook' -Value 1 -Type DWord

Building a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.

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