Use Loop components with a keyboard in Outlook
Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 Outlook 2024 Outlook 2021 Outlook on the web Microsoft Teams New Outlook for Windows

Use new Outlook with your keyboard to create and send a Loop component. You'll learn how to co-edit the component with other team members, share it in another email or Microsoft Teams chat, and review and edit the file at Office.com.

Loop components are paragraphs, tables, checklists, or other components that everyone who receives your email can edit inline and review the changes instantly. You can collaborate with your team members right inside your message, minimizing the need for long email threads. For example, send a paragraph to co-edit a proposal, a bulleted list to brainstorm ideas, or a task list to assign responsibilities.

Notes: 

  • New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

  • Currently it is not possible to use Loop components to collaborate with people outside your organization.

In this topic

Create and send a Loop component in an email

  1. In the message body, press F6 once to go to the ribbon tabs.

  2. Press the Right or Left arrow key to go to the Insert tab.

  3. Press the Tab key once to move to the options on the Insert ribbon tab.

  4. Press the Right arrow key until you reach the Loop component button, and then press Enter. The Loop component menu opens.

  5. Press the Down arrow key until you find the Loop component item you want to add, and then press Enter.

  6. The Loop component opens and the focus is inside the component. Use the arrow keys to move between the elements in the component and enter content into the component.

    Tip: @Mention people inside the component to show where you’d like them to contribute. A list of suggestions is shown as you type. Use the Down and Up arrow keys to browse the suggestions, and then press Enter to select.

  7. To access formatting options for the text, for example, to add heading styles, press Shift+F10 or the Windows Menu key.

  8. When your Loop component content is ready, press Esc twice to move the focus out of the Loop component and then to the message body.

  9. Finish the rest of your email, and then press Ctrl+Enter to send the email.

    The component is sent and every recipient is now able to edit the content inline.

Note: If the recipient does not have the Loop component feature in Outlook yet, they can access and edit the Loop component using the link in the sent email.

Co-edit a Loop component with other team members

Everyone who received your email can now jump in and start working together. All recipients can edit the Loop component inline and review the changes instantly.

  1. Open the message containing the Loop component, and then press the Tab key until you get to the Loop component content area, below the Loop component link. Press Enter.

  2. Use the arrow keys to go to the location where you want to add or edit content and then start editing.

    Tip: To choose items from a list of suggestions, type the forward slash character (/) and then use the Down and Up arrow keys to select, for example, the date picker, image, or even a new component inside this component.

  3. If you want to add a comment instead of making direct edits to the text, type two forward slash characters and a space (// ). Then type your comment. This will attribute the comment to you.

Share a component in another email or Microsoft Teams chat

Loop components can be easily shared and always reflect the latest changes. You can share a component from one email to another email or to a Microsoft Teams chat and invite more people to collaborate. No matter where edits are made, the component will always show the latest changes.

  1. Go to the message containing the Loop component you wish to share, and then press the Tab key until you reach the Loop component link.

  2. Press the Right arrow key until you reach the Copy component button, and then press Enter.

  3. Go to the message body of the email or the compose box of the Microsoft Teams chat where you want to share the Loop component. In Microsoft Teams, make sure that the compose box is empty. Press Ctrl+V to add the link to the Loop component into your message.

  4. Press Ctrl+Enter to share the Loop component with the recipients of the new chat or email. All recipients can now edit the Loop component.

Review and edit the file at Office.com

Loop components are automatically saved to your OneDrive when you create them. You can navigate from the email to the Loop component file at Office.com, and review and edit the file there.

  1. Go to the message containing the Loop component you want to open at Office.com.

  2. Press the Tab key until you reach the Loop component link, and then press Enter.

    The Loop component file opens at Office.com, where you can review and edit the content.

Tip: You can also open the file directly from your OneDrive Attachments folder.

See also

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

First things to know about Loop components

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use Outlook with your keyboard to create and send a Loop component. You'll learn how to co-edit the component with other team members, share it in another email or Microsoft Teams chat, and review and edit the file at Office.com.

Loop components are paragraphs, tables, checklists, or other components that everyone who receives your email can edit inline and review the changes instantly. You can collaborate with your team members right inside your message, minimizing the need for long email threads. For example, send a paragraph to co-edit a proposal, a bulleted list to brainstorm ideas, or a task list to assign responsibilities.

Notes: 

  • New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

  • This topic assumes that the Reading Pane is off.

  • Currently it is not possible to use Loop components to collaborate with people outside your organization.

In this topic

Create and send a Loop component in an email

  1. In the message body, press F6 once to go to the ribbon tabs.

  2. Press N to open the Insert tab.

  3. Press L and then C to open the Loop component menu.

  4. Press the Down arrow key until you find the Loop component item you want to add, and then press Enter.

  5. The Loop component opens and the focus is inside the component. Use the arrow keys to move between the elements in the component and enter content into the component.

    Note: If the focus moves outside the Loop component, place the cursor in front of the Loop component, to the lower-left corner. To select the Loop component, press Shift+Right arrow key, and then press Enter and continue editing.

    Tip: @Mention people inside the component to show where you’d like them to contribute. A list of suggestions is shown as you type. Use the Down and Up arrow keys to browse the suggestions, and then press Enter to select.

  6. To access formatting options for the text, for example, to add heading styles, press Shift+F10 or the Windows Menu key, use the arrow keys to browse the options, and then press Enter to select.

  7. When your Loop component content is ready, press Esc twice to move the focus out of the Loop component and then to the message body.

  8. Finish the rest of your email, and then press Ctrl+Enter to send the email.

    The component is sent and every recipient is now able to edit the content inline.

Note: If the recipient does not have the Loop component feature in Outlook yet, they can access and edit the Loop component using the link in the sent email.

Co-edit a Loop component with other team members

Everyone who received your email can now jump in and start working together. All recipients can edit the Loop component inline and review the changes instantly.

  1. Open the message containing the Loop component, and then press the Tab key until the focus is on the Loop component. Press Enter.

  2. Press the Tab key until the focus moves to the Loop component content area, below the Loop component link, and then press Enter.

  3. Use the arrow keys to go to the location where you want to add or edit content and then start editing.

    Tip: To choose items from a list of suggestions, type the forward slash character (/) and then use the Down and Up arrow keys to select, for example, the date picker, image, or even a new component inside this component.

  4. If you want to add a comment instead of making direct edits to the text, type two forward slash characters and a space (// ). Then type your comment. This will attribute the comment to you.

Share a component in another email or Microsoft Teams chat

Loop components can be easily shared and always reflect the latest changes. You can share a component from one email to another email or to a Microsoft Teams chat and invite more people to collaborate. No matter where edits are made, the component will always show the latest changes.

  1. Open the message containing the Loop component you wish to share.

  2. Press the Tab key until the focus is on the Loop component. Press Enter.

  3. Press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until the focus is on the Copy link button, and then press Enter.

  4. Go to the message body of the email or the compose box of the Microsoft Teams chat where you want to share the Loop component. In Microsoft Teams, make sure that the compose box is empty. Press Ctrl+V to add the link to the Loop component into your message.

  5. Press Ctrl+Enter to share the Loop component with the recipients of the new chat or email. All recipients can now edit the Loop component.

Review and edit the file at Office.com

Loop components are automatically saved to your OneDrive when you create them. You can navigate from the email to the Loop component file at Office.com, and review and edit the file there.

  1. Open the message containing the Loop component.

  2. Press the Tab key until the focus is on the Loop component, and then press Enter.

  3. Press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until the focus is on the Loop component link, and then press Enter.

    The Loop component file opens at Office.com, where you can review and edit the content.

Tip: You can also open the file directly from the Attachments folder of your OneDrive.

See also

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

First things to know about Loop components

Use Outlook on the web with your keyboard to create and send a Loop component. You'll learn how to co-edit the component with other team members, share it in another email or Microsoft Teams chat, and review and edit the file at Office.com.

Loop components are paragraphs, tables, checklists, or other components that everyone who receives your email can edit inline and review the changes instantly. You can collaborate with your team members right inside your message, minimizing the need for long email threads. For example, send a paragraph to co-edit a proposal, a bulleted list to brainstorm ideas, or a task list to assign responsibilities.

Notes: 

  • New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

  • Currently it is not possible to use Loop components to collaborate with people outside your organization.

In this topic

Create and send a Loop component in an email

  1. In the message body, press Ctrl+F6 once to go to the ribbon tabs.

  2. Press N to open the Insert tab.

  3. Press L and then P to open the Loop component menu.

  4. Press the Down arrow key until you find the Loop component item you want to add, and then press Enter.

  5. The Loop component opens and the focus is inside the component. Use the arrow keys to move between the elements in the component and enter content into the component.

    Tip: @Mention people inside the component to show where you’d like them to contribute. A list of suggestions is shown as you type. Use the Down and Up arrow keys to browse the suggestions, and then press Enter to select.

  6. To access formatting options for the text, for example, to add heading styles, press Shift+F10 or the Windows Menu key, use the arrow keys to browse the options, and then press Enter to select.

  7. When your Loop component content is ready, press Esc twice to move the focus out of the Loop component and then to the message body.

  8. Finish the rest of your email, and then press Ctrl+Enter to send the email.

    The component is sent and every recipient is now able to edit the content inline.

Note: If the recipient does not have the Loop component feature in Outlook yet, they can access and edit the Loop component using the link in the sent email.

Co-edit a Loop component with other team members

Everyone who received your email can now jump in and start working together. All recipients can edit the Loop component inline and review the changes instantly.

  1. Open the message containing the Loop component, and then press the Tab key until you get to the Loop component content area, below the Loop component link. Press Enter.

  2. Use the arrow keys to go to the location where you want to add or edit content and then start editing.

    Tip: To choose items from a list of suggestions, type the forward slash character (/) and then use the Down and Up arrow keys to select, for example, the date picker, image, or even a new component inside this component.

  3. If you want to add a comment instead of making direct edits to the text, type two forward slash characters and a space (// ). Then type your comment. This will attribute the comment to you.

Share a component in another email or Microsoft Teams chat

Loop components can be easily shared and always reflect the latest changes. You can share a component from one email to another email or to a Microsoft Teams chat and invite more people to collaborate. No matter where edits are made, the component will always show the latest changes.

  1. Go to the message containing the Loop component you wish to share, and then press the Tab key until you reach the Loop component link.

  2. Press the Right arrow key until you reach the Copy component button, and then press Enter.

  3. Go to the message body of the email or the compose box of the Microsoft Teams chat where you want to share the Loop component. In Microsoft Teams, make sure that the compose box is empty. Press Ctrl+V to add the link to the Loop component into your message.

  4. Press Ctrl+Enter to share the Loop component with the recipients of the new chat or email. All recipients can now edit the Loop component.

Review and edit the file at Office.com

Loop components are automatically saved to your OneDrive when you create them. You can navigate from the email to the Loop component file at Office.com, and review and edit the file there.

  1. Go to the message containing the Loop component you want to open at Office.com.

  2. Press the Tab key until you reach the Loop component link, and then press Enter.

    The Loop component file opens at Office.com, where you can review and edit the content.

Tip: You can also open the file directly from your OneDrive Attachments folder.

See also

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

First things to know about Loop components

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

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