Unlock the Future of Email: Elevating Outlook Efficiency with Kutools AI
In the fast-paced world of digital communication, efficiency is key, and managing your emails effectively can save you significant time and effort. Enter Kutools AI for Outlook, a powerful tool designed to enhance your email experience by introducing intelligent skills that streamline your workflow. Whether you’re drafting emails, translating content, or quickly replying to messages, Kutools AI offers a range of capabilities that can transform how you interact with your inbox. In this tutorial, you will learn about Kutools AI for Outlook, why it's a must-have tool, how to set it up, and how to integrate it into your daily email routine for maximum productivity.
What is Kutools AI for Outlook?
Kutools AI for Outlook is an advanced feature developed by ExtendOffice, seamlessly integrating AI technology from leading models like OpenAI and GoogleAI into your daily email routine. As part of a comprehensive suite of over 100 tools in Kutools for Outlook, it transforms the way you manage and interact with emails. With its intuitive interface, Kutools AI offers seven powerful skills in the Reading Panel (3 skills) and Writing Panels (4 skills), enhancing your productivity in both reading and writing tasks:
Reading Panel
- Email Summary: Get concise summaries to quickly understand the main points of lengthy emails.
- Quick Reply: Utilize AI-generated suggestions for quick and efficient responses to emails.
- Translate Email: Instantly translate incoming emails into your preferred language, ensuring seamless communication.
Writing Panel
- Draft Email: Use AI assistance to accelerate the email drafting process with customized suggestions.
- Polish Email: Automatically enhance your email drafts for grammar, tone, and style, ensuring a professional finish.
- Continue Writing Email: Let AI provide context-based suggestions and completions to help you continue writing drafts.
- Translate Email: Easily translate your email drafts into other languages, readying them for a global audience.
By integrating these skills into your daily email routine, Kutools AI not only streamlines your workflow but also enriches your communication, ensuring that every email you send or receive meets the highest standards of efficiency and effectiveness.
Why Choose Kutools AI for Your Outlook?
In today’s fast-paced digital world, effective communication is key. Kutools AI leverages cutting-edge AI technology to ensure that your emails are not just read but felt, understood, and appreciated. It's about elevating your email game, and making every interaction more meaningful and impactful. Whether you're managing a flood of daily emails or focusing on that one critical message, Kutools AI is your strategic partner, ensuring you stay ahead in the communication game. Here are some of the key benefits that Kutools AI offers:
🌓 Dual Mode Functionality: Most skills of Kutools AI offer two modes - Manual Mode and Auto Mode. In Auto Mode, tasks like email summarization and quick replies are generated automatically when interacting with emails. Switching between Manual and Auto Mode is seamless and can be done with a simple click of a button, allowing you to customize the tool to fit your workflow preferences.
📧 Personalized Email Responses: Leveraging AI models like GPT-4o, GPT-4o mini and Gemini, it crafts replies that mirror your unique style and tone, ensuring every email feels personally written by you.
🔄 Adaptive Learning: Continuously learns from your email behavior and preferences to better align with your needs, improving its assistance over time for even more personalized support while using the Quick Reply skill in the Reading Panel of Kutools AI. This system adapts to enhance the precision of your replies based on your interaction patterns, ensuring responses become more accurate and tailored to your communication style, ultimately leading to a more efficient and effective email management experience.
⏰ Time-Saving Automation: Automates routine email tasks, such as email summary and quick reply, freeing up your time for more important tasks and increasing your overall productivity.
🌍 Language Translation Capabilities: Breaks down language barriers with sophisticated models for accurate translations, making global communication effortless.
⚙️ Seamless Integration with Outlook: Designed exclusively for Outlook, it enhances your email experience within the familiar environment, ensuring an intuitive and efficient workflow.
✏️ Enhanced Clarity and Professionalism: Utilizes advanced linguistic models to optimize your emails, guaranteeing clarity and professionalism in every message you send.
🖥️ User-Friendly Interface: Features an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, making it simple for users of all tech levels to enhance their email management and communication.
🔐 Enhanced Privacy and Security: Uses the latest encryption and security protocols to ensure that your email data is protected, giving you peace of mind in the safety of your communications.
How to Setup Kutools AI for Enhanced Email Efficiency?
Transforming your email experience with Kutools AI is just a few steps away. Here we show you the step-by-step guide on how to set up Kutools AI in your Outlook.
Step 1: Install Kutools AI
Navigate to the download page to download and install Kutools for Outlook to get Kutools AI.
Step 2: Activate Kutools AI
1. After installing Kutools for Outlook, go to the Kutools tab, and click AI.
2. The Kutools AI Guide dialog pops up. It introduces the six skills that Kutools AI offers. Click the Next button to continue.
button in the Kutools AI pane.
3. The Terms of Use will appear. Click Next.
- To learn how to obtain an API key, click the Learn how to operate link in the above dialog to go to the tutorial page.
- To get an API key quickly, you can click the Get API key now link for OpenAI, GoogleAI, DashScopeAI, BaiduAI, ZhipuAI, and SenseNovaAI in the above dialog to directly create your API key.
4. Now, you can activate Kutools AI by selecting an AI provider and entering the corresponding API key. Once done, click OK.
Step 3: Configure the Skill Library Management settings for personalized use
Once activated, the Kutools AI pane appears on the right side of the Outlook window. At the bottom of the Kutools AI AI pane, please click the Skill Library Management button to open the Skill Library Management dialog box.
In the Skill Library Management dialog box, you can configure the settings for seven skills across two tabs: Reading Panel and Writing Panel.
Under the Reading Panel tab, you can customize three aspects of the Email Summary, Quick Reply and Translate Email skills.
Similarly, in the Writing Panel tab, you can customize three aspects of the Draft Email, Polish Email, Continue Writing Email, and Translate Email skills.
- Language: Specify the language to be used from Language drop-down list.
- Role Prompt: A Role Prompt instructs the AI to adopt a specific behavior and style, such as acting like a customer service agent, ensuring responses are tailored to fit that role.
- Command Prompt: A Command Prompt directs the AI to perform a specific task, like writing a friendly email reply, ensuring the output meets the given instructions.
- By default, all skills of the two panels are checked to be displayed in the Reading Panel of Kutools AI. To hide specific skills, simply uncheck the box next to the ones you don’t want to display in the Skill List. To hide all skills, uhcheck the Skill List checkbox. Clicking the Reset button can restore the orginal settings if needed.
- You can switch the default mode between Manual and Auto Mode by clicking the
Switch button. - Feel free to modify the default settings for Role Prompt and Command Prompt to better suit your needs.
- To add more skills, you can click the Add Skill button. Then in the Add Skill dialog box, specify the name of the new skill in the Name textbox, and choose a template from the Template drop-down list.
- Click the three dots next to the Add Skill button. From the drop-down menu, you can choose to Import, Export, or Reset the Skill Library.
- At the bottom of the Skill Library Management dialog box, there's a tip that informs you that you can adjust the order of skills by dragging them. If you don't want this tip to appear again, click "Do not display".
Example of the Skill Library Management configuration
For example, to translate emails into a desired language while reading them, you can do as follows:
- Navigate to the Reading Panel tab in the Skill Library Management dialog box.
- From the Language dropdown, select your desired language.
- Edit the content in Role Prompt and Command Promp boxes if needed.
- Click the Save button.
Result
After configuration, the Kutools AI is ready for use. It features two panels: the Reading Panel and the Writing Panel. By default, the Reading Panel is displayed. You can switch between the two panels by clicking the corresponding panel button.
Reading Panel
The Reading Panel includes three skills: Email Summary, Quick Reply, and Translate Email, each offering two modes — Manual and Auto Mode.
By default, the Email Summary and Quick Reply skills are set to Auto Mode, automatically generating results when you click an email. The Translate Email skill, however, is initially in Manual Mode, requiring you to click the Generate button to get results. To switch between Manual and Auto Mode, simply click the 
Switch button.
Writing Panel
The Writing Panel includes four skills: Draft Email, Polish Email, Continue Writing Email, and Translate Email.
The Draft Email and Polish Email skills operate only in Manual Mode, requiring you to click the Generate button to get results. The Continue Writing Email and Translate Email skills offer both Manual and Auto Mode, with the default set to Manual Mode. To Switch between Manual and Auto Mode, simply click the Switch button.
- To quickly select the AI provider and model, click the drop-down arrow in the Kutools AI pane and choose from the drop-down list.
AI Settings configuration of Kutools AI
In the Kutools AI pane, you can click the gear icon to open the AI Settings dialog box. Then you can set up your AI, following the steps below:
1. Select the AI provider (OpenAI, GoogleAI, DashScopeAI, BaiduAI, ZhipuAI, or SenseNovaAI) from the AI provider drop-down list.
2. Copy and paste your API key into the API key textbox.
- By default, the API key becomes hidden once pasted. Click and hold the
icon to reveal it. - If you don’t know how to create an API key, click the Learn how to operate link in the dialog box.
icon to reveal it.3. Select the model (gpt-4o-mini, gpt-4o, or gpt-4-turbo) from the Model drop-down list.
4. Finally, click the Save button.
Use Kutools AI in Your Workflow with Examples
After the configuration of Kutools AI, you can now use the seven key skills in the two panels.
Reading Panel
By default, the Reading Panel is displayed in the Kutools AI pane. It helps you manage incoming emails efficiently by offering quick summaries, instant replies, and easy translations. Clicking the Reading Panel button can switch to the Writing Panel. Vice versa.
Email Summary: Extracting key points from lengthy messages
You’ve just opened your inbox to find a long email from a client outlining various project updates and requests. Instead of wading through the dense text, you can rely on Kutools AI's Email Summary skill. As you open the email, the AI swiftly generates a concise summary, highlighting the most crucial information. This allows you to quickly grasp the main points and prioritize your next steps, saving valuable time and ensuring you don’t miss any important details.
In the Reading Panel of Kutools AI, click on the email you want to summarize. The Email Summary skill automatically generates a concise summary of the email's main points.
Notes:
- The Email Summary skill is set to Auto Mode by default, meaning it will automatically generate a summary whenever you open an email. To switch it to Manual Mode, click on the Switch Button.
- After you switch to Manual Mode, click the Generate button to get results. If you select text in an email, it will summarize the selected content. Otherwise, it will summarize the entire email.
- The language AI uses will match your Outlook settings by default. You can change it by selecting the Language dropdown in the top-right of the Email Summary box.
- During the generation process, if you don’t want the content generated, you can click the Stop button.
- If needed, click on the Expand content button to view the full content of the result.
- The content generated by AI may be incorrect, please consider verifying important information before sending the reply.
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Copy button: To copy the whole content.
Regenerate button: To regenerate.Quick Reply: Generating instant, context-aware replies
Suppose you're handling multiple emails and suddenly receive a request for a document from a colleague. Rather than spending time composing a response from scratch, Kutools AI's Quick Reply skill comes to your rescue. The AI analyzes the context of the email and suggests several response basis for a detailed reply.
1. In the Reading Panel of Kutools AI, click on the email you want to have a quick reply to. The Quick Reply skill automatically generates several response bases.
2. Click one of the above response basis to generate a detailed reply.
3. Click the Reply button. The generated reply will be inserted into the email body as a draft immediately.
Email Learning
To improve the accuracy and contextual relevance of AI's replies, click the Email Learning button to add historical emails. This creates a local database, storing past email data. By analyzing and learning from these communications, the AI can provide more precise and context-aware responses.
You can manually add historical emails to Email Learning. Or enable the automatic addition feature so that emails are immediately added to Email Learning after sending, helping the Al system to learn and adapt better.
Manual Add
1. Click the Manual Add button.
2. In the popping-up Manual Add dialog, select the emails you want to learn and click OK.
- To select all emails of an account, check the checkbox before the account.
- To select emails one by one, check the checkbox before an email.
- To select emails of the recent one month, click the Emails from the Last Month link.
- To select emails of the recent one year, click the Emails from the Last Year link.
3. A dialog pops up to remind you of the number of emails that need to be learned. Click Yes.
4. Another dialog pops up to remind you of the number of emails that have been learned successfully. Click OK.
Auto Add
- Check the Auto Add checkbox.
- Select the email accounts by marking the checkbox next to each address, so that emails sent from them will be automatically added to Email Learning.
- Click the Save button.
- After the emails are added to email learning, you can see the number of conversations that were learned in total in the top-right corner of the Email Learning dialog.
- No matter whether you choose to manually add or automatically add emails to Email Learning, only emails from the Sent Items folder will be learned. Additionally, Kutools AI only learns from emails that are part of a conversation with back-and-forth dialogue. Emails sent out without being part of a reply chain will not be included in the learning process.
Notes:
- The Quick Reply skill is set to Auto Mode by default, meaning it will automatically generate a summary whenever you open an email. To switch it to Manual Mode, click on the Switch Button.
- After you switch to Manual Mode, click the Generate button to get results. If you select text in an email, it will reply to the selected content. Otherwise, it will reply to the entire email.
- The language AI uses will match your Outlook settings by default. You can change it by selecting the Language dropdown in the top-right of the Quick Reply box.
- During the generation process, if you don’t want the content generated, you can click the Stop button.
- If needed, click on the Expand content button to view the full content of the result.
- The content generated by AI may be incorrect, please consider verifying important information before sending the reply.
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Copy button: To copy the whole content. -
Regenerate button: To regenerate. -
Embed learning conversation button: To view the Quote Conversation List. 
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- You can copy the selected text or select all content from the generated content.
Embed learning conversation button: To view the Quote Conversation List. 
Translate Email: Bridging language gaps effortlessly
You’re working with an international partner, and an email arrives in a language you don’t understand. Instead of copying the text into a separate translation tool, Kutools AI's Translate Email skill instantly translates the content directly within Outlook. Now, you can fully comprehend the message and respond appropriately without the hassle of switching between applications, making your cross-border communication smoother and more efficient.
1. In the Reading Panel of Kutools AI, go to the Translate Email section. Select the language you want to translate to from the Language dropdown list. For example, here I select Italian as the target language.
2.After selecting the email or the text in the email you want to translate, click the Generate button.
Result
Notes:
- The Translate Email skill is set to Manual Mode by default. To switch it to Auto Mode, click on the Switch Button.
- If needed, click on the Expand content button to view the full content of the result.
- The content generated by AI may be incorrect, please consider verifying important information before sending the reply.
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Writing Panel
The Writing Panel of Kutools AI aids in composing and refining emails with AI-driven suggestions, grammar enhancements, and translation skills. Clicking the Writing Panel button can switch to the Reading Panel. Vice versa.
Draft Email: Crafting initial messages with AI guidance
You need to follow up with a client after a meeting, but you’re unsure how to start. Kutools AI's Draft Email skill steps in, offering context-based suggestions to help you craft your message. As you type, the AI proposes phrases and structures tailored to your needs, enabling you to draft a professional and clear email quickly. This not only saves time but also ensures your communication is precise and effective, reflecting your professional tone.
1. In the new message window, go to the Draft Email section in the Writing Panel of Kutools AI. Input the key points into the textbox.
2. Click the Generate button to generate the draft.
3. After the draft is generated, click the Insert button to insert the draft into the email body.
- During the generation process, if you don’t want the content generated, you can click the Stop button.
- To adjust the key points, click "Modify the key points of the email content". After entering your new key points, click the Generate button to create a new draft.
Notes:
- The language AI uses is set to Default in Outlook settings. You can change it by selecting the Language dropdown in the top-right of the Draft Email box.
- If needed, click on the Expand content button to view the full content of the result.
- The content generated by AI may be incorrect, please consider verifying important information before sending the reply.
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Polish Email: Perfecting grammar, tone, and style
After drafting an important email to your supervisor, you want to make sure it’s flawless before hitting send. Kutools AI's Polish Email skill enhances your draft by checking grammar, improving the tone, and refining the style. With just a click, your email is transformed into a polished, professional piece of communication. This tool is especially valuable when communicating with higher-ups or clients, ensuring your message is not only correct but also leaves a positive impression.
1. In the Writing Panel of Kutools AI, go to the Polish Email section. After selecting the draft email or the text in the draft email you want to rephrase, click the Generate button.
2. After the polished draft is generated, click the Insert button to insert it in the email body.
Notes:
- The language AI uses is set to Default in Outlook settings. You can change it by selecting the Language dropdown in the top-right of the Polish Email box.
- If needed, click on the Expand content button to view the full content of the result.
- The content generated by AI may be incorrect, please consider verifying important information before sending the reply.
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Continue Writing Email
You started drafting a detailed email, but midway through, you were interrupted and had to leave it unfinished. When you return, Kutools AI's Continue Writing Email skill is ready to help you pick up where you left off. The AI reviews the context of your incomplete draft and provides suggestions for continuing and completing your message. This ensures that your email remains cohesive and on-point, even if there was a break in your writing process.
Auto Mode
When you initiate a reply to an email in your Inbox, the Reading Panel automatically switches to the Writing Panel. As you start drafting your response, the Continue Writing Email skill automatically continues the draft for you. Once the content is generated, press Ctrl + ~ to quickly insert it into your draft.
- You can also click the Insert button to insert the generated content into the draft.
- During the generation process, if you don’t want the content generated, you can click the Stop button.
Manual Mode
1. In the Writing Panel of Kutools AI, go to the Continue Writing Email section. Place your cursor where you want Kutools AI to continue writing in the draft, then click the Generate button.
2. After the content is generated, click the Insert button to insert it in the email body.
Notes:
- The Continue Writing Email skill has two modes - Manual Mode and Auto Mode. To switch between the two modes, click on the Switch Button.
- The language AI uses is set to Default in Outlook settings. You can change it by selecting the Language dropdown in the top-right of the Continue Writing Email box.
- If needed, click on the Expand content button to view the full content of the result.
- The content generated by AI may be incorrect, please consider verifying important information before sending the reply.
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Translate Email: Preparing emails for a global audience
You’re composing an email to a client overseas, and you need to ensure your message is accurately translated into their native language. Instead of relying on external tools, Kutools AI's Translate Email skill allows you to translate your draft within Outlook. You draft your email as usual, then with a simple click, it’s translated into the desired language. This skill ensures that your communication is both accurate and culturally appropriate, making it easier to engage with international clients effectively.
1. In the draft email, select the text you want to translate.
2. In the Writing Panel of Kutools AI, go to the Translate Email section. Then choose the language you want to translate to from the Language dropdown list. For example, here I select French as the target language.
3. Click the Generate button.
4. Once the draft is translated, click the Insert button to insert it in the email body.
Notes:
- The Translate Email skill is set to Manual Mode by default. To switch it to Auto Mode, click on the Switch Button.
- If needed, click on the Expand content button to view the full content of the result.
- The content generated by AI may be incorrect, please consider verifying important information before sending the reply.
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Tips for Maximizing the Efficiency of Kutools AI
- Familiarize Yourself with All SkillsSpend some time exploring each skill of Kutools AI to fully understand its capabilities and how it can best serve your needs.
- Customize Settings for Personal UseTailor the Role Prompt and Command Prompt settings in each action tab to align with your communication style and preferences. This customization allows the AI to deliver more personalized and effective assistance.
- Regularly Update the Knowledge DatabaseWhether manually or automatically, keep your Knowledge database current to enhance the AI's understanding of your communication style and improve the relevance of its responses.
- Review AI-generated ContentAlways review and possibly tweak AI-generated replies, summaries, or translations before sending them out. This ensures accuracy and maintains the quality of your communications.
- Stay Informed About UpdatesKeep an eye out for updates and new skills added to Kutools AI to continuously improve your email management efficiency.
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Table of contents
- What is Kutools AI for Outlook?
- Why Choose Kutools AI for Your Outlook?
- How to Setup Kutools AI for Enhanced Email Efficiency?
- Use Kutools AI in Your Workflow
- Reading Panel
- Email Summary
- Quick Reply
- Translate Email
- Writing Panel
- Draft Email
- Polish Email
- Continue Writing Email
- Translate Email
- Tips for Maximizing the Efficiency of Kutools AI
- Best Office Productivity Tools
- Comments