Which licence do I need?
Start here if Outlook will not accept your work email address.
A Microsoft 365 subscription is really two things bundled together: your mailbox, and a licence to install the apps on your devices. Some plans include both. The cheapest plan only includes the mailbox, which is what catches most people out.
| Which plans include the installed Outlook, Word and Excel? | |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | No. Web and mobile versions only. Outlook for Windows and Mac will refuse this account on its own. |
| Microsoft 365 Apps for business | Yes. Desktop apps only, no mailbox. Often added alongside Business Basic. |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | Yes. Desktop apps plus a mailbox. The usual choice for a small business. |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | Yes. Everything in Standard plus device management and extra security. |
| Office 365 E3 / E5, Microsoft 365 E3 / E5 | Yes. |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | Yes. One person. Licensed by Microsoft for personal use. |
| Microsoft 365 Family | Yes. Up to six people. Licensed by Microsoft for personal use. |
| Microsoft 365 F1 / F3 (frontline) | No. Web and mobile only, and it cannot be added to Outlook at all. |
- Find out what you have. Go to microsoft365.com and sign in with your work email address.
- Click your profile picture at the top right, then View account, then Subscriptions. Your plan name is listed there.
- Compare it against the table above.
- If your plan says Yes — you are already licensed. Nothing more to buy. Go to the Install the Microsoft 365 apps guide on this page.
- If you are on Business Basic — your mailbox is fine, but you have no licence for the installed apps. You have three ways forward, listed below.
- Best fix: add Microsoft 365 Apps for business to your existing Basic licence, or upgrade Basic to Business Standard. Either one is a proper business licence and everything then works normally. Contact us and we will sort it out.
- Minimum that works: a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription. Read the note below first, then follow the Using a Personal or Family subscription guide on this page.
- Free option: stay on Basic and use your mail in a web browser at outlook.office.com, plus the Outlook app on your phone. Both are included in Basic and both work well.
The Outlook that comes preinstalled with Windows is not enough on its own. It is the free version, meant for personal Outlook.com and Gmail addresses. Add a Microsoft 365 Business Basic work mailbox to it and it refuses, with a message like "This account is not supported in Outlook for Windows due to the license provided by your work or school." That message means a licence problem, not a setup mistake.
Microsoft 365 Personal and Family are licensed for personal use, not business use. They will get Outlook working, which is why we list them as the minimum, but the correct licence for a business is Microsoft 365 Apps for business added to your Basic plan, or an upgrade to Business Standard. Ask us and we will price both for you.
The Outlook app on iPhone and Android is free and works with every plan including Business Basic. The licence question only affects Windows and Mac.
We have deliberately left prices off this page because Microsoft changes them and they differ by region and billing term. Ask us for current Australian pricing and we will quote you.
Stuck on any step? Open a support ticket with
support@diskman.net
and we will walk you through it.