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TriggerMicrosoft OutlookReal-timeUpdated May 2026

When does Outlook fire on new emails?

Short answer: Drop the "Microsoft OutlookOutlook Email Received" trigger on your workflow canvas, add filters if you want them, and publish. It fires within seconds of the event in Microsoft Outlook, not on a polling schedule.

Anatomy

What this trigger looks like in a workflow.

Drop it on the canvas. Configure a couple of fields. Publish.

In the builder
Trigger
Outlook Email Received
When the matching event happens
on email receivedincoming emailnew email receivedwatch for email receivedwhen a new email is received in outlookwhen email received
What this trigger returns
for the curious

You don’t need to read this. Tiny Command auto-maps every field into the visual picker so downstream nodes can pull values by clicking. We show it here for power users who want to know what’s on the wire.

{
"id": "msg_123",
"from": "jane@example.com",
"preview": "Hi, let's meet at 2pm...",
"subject": "Meeting Tomorrow"
}
Output shape

Fields available to downstream nodes.

Every field below can be referenced by name in any action or filter that comes after this trigger.

FieldTypeExample
idstring"msg_123"
fromstring"jane@example.com"
previewstring"Hi, let's meet at 2pm..."
subjectstring"Meeting Tomorrow"
FAQ

Questions about Outlook Email Received.

How does the Outlook Email Received trigger work in Microsoft Outlook?
Fires when an email lands in the connected mailbox. For "VIP email arrived → priority Slack ping" or "support form email → auto-create ticket" workflows.
Is the Outlook Email Received trigger real-time?
Yes. Outlook Email Received uses webhooks or push subscriptions, not polling. Your workflow fires within seconds of the event happening in Microsoft Outlook.
What data does Outlook Email Received return?
The full event payload from Microsoft Outlook. The output shape table on this page lists every field, its type, and an example value so you can map fields into downstream nodes.
Can I filter Outlook Email Received so only some events start a workflow?
Yes. Add a Filter node right after the trigger and match on any field, whether that's subject, sender, status, or anything else in the payload. Workflows only continue when the filter passes.
Do I need Microsoft Outlook admin permissions to use Outlook Email Received?
For most Microsoft Outlook accounts a standard user can authorize the trigger. Some Microsoft Outlook plans require an admin to enable third-party webhooks. Check Microsoft Outlook's docs if the trigger fails to register.

Build a workflow on this trigger.

One trigger. 8+ downstream actions. Zero glue.