> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.draftable.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Installing Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in
> Step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in organization-wide, enabling automatic metadata cleaning of email attachments.
Screenshots labelled **26.10 and later** show Draftable Clean 26.10.0. Use the earlier-version tab if your settings look different. Your desktop version appears at the bottom right of the main application window.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in organization-wide.
For the current feature set, use Draftable Clean desktop **26.10.0** with Outlook add-in **1.12.110.0**.
## Overview
The Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in is a panel that runs directly inside Microsoft Outlook, automatically cleaning metadata from email attachments as users compose emails. Once deployed, the add-in appears in the Outlook ribbon and provides a seamless workflow for removing hidden metadata before sending.
**Key Features:**
* **Automatic cleaning**: attachments are cleaned according to your rules. Classic Outlook needs the pane open for cleaning; pin it to open automatically when composing
* **Domain-based profile selection** — Cleaning profiles are applied automatically based on recipient email domains, with configurable rules for internal and external recipients
* **Per-file profile override** — Users can override the cleaning profile for individual attachments (if enabled by the administrator)
* **Skip Cleaning** — Administrators can choose not to clean attachments when every recipient resolves to a skip rule
* **Rename** — Users can rename attachments directly in the add-in panel
* **Attachment summary** — Users can use **Insert Attachment Summary** to add a formatted list or table to the email body
* **Send protection** — Configurable controls to block, prompt, or allow sending when attachments are still cleaning, tracked changes are detected, or unsupported file types are attached
* **Multi-language support** — Available in English, Deutsch, Español, Français, 日本語, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Svenska, and Tagalog
The add-in runs automatically in the background once deployed — it monitors attachments as they are added to emails and can block or prompt on send based on your Send Protection settings. This means the add-in is active even if the user has not clicked **Manage Attachments** in the ribbon. Administrators should be aware of this when planning deployment and communicating changes to users.
The Draftable Clean desktop application must be installed on the user's machine for the add-in to function. The add-in communicates with the desktop application via `localhost`. If the desktop application is not already running, the add-in will attempt to launch it silently in the background. See [Deployment options](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Deployment-options) for desktop application installation.
## Prerequisites
* You must have admin privileges for Microsoft 365 (**you will need a Microsoft 365 Business account**)
* Ensure your environment supports Office Add-ins via the Microsoft 365 admin center
* The Draftable Clean desktop application must be installed on end-user machines
* Corporate security tools must allow `localhost` network calls — the add-in communicates with the desktop application via `localhost`. See [Network Requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Network-Requirements) for details.
### Supported Outlook versions
Use an Outlook version that supports **Mailbox API 1.14**, as specified in the [system requirements](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/System-Requirements):
| Outlook version | Supported |
| - | - |
| Outlook on the web | Yes |
| New Outlook for Windows | Beta; cleaning can be turned off in Settings or by policy |
| Classic Outlook on Windows | Yes (some limitations on older builds) |
## Step-by-Step Setup
### 1. Go to the Integrated Apps Portal
Visit the [Integrated Apps section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center](https://admin.microsoft.com/#/Settings/IntegratedApps).
Click **Upload custom apps**.
### 2. Choose a manifest and upload the add-in
Get the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in manifest from the [Draftable Office Deployment Guide](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/office-deployment-guide.html#addin-metadata). The page lists manifest URLs with a copy button for each release channel.
For a new deployment, use the [latest v1 manifest](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/metadata/latest/v1/manifest.xml) (recommended). If you need to hold the deployment to the current verified release, use the [pinned 1.12.110.0 manifest](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/metadata/1.12.110.0/manifest.xml). The latest URL is a channel URL, not a pinned product version.
**Choose a release channel before you deploy.**
* **Pinned release** — Use the [1.12.110.0 manifest](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/metadata/1.12.110.0/manifest.xml) to stay on a fixed add-in release. Users remain on that version until you upload an updated manifest in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
* **Latest channel (recommended)** — Use the [latest v1 manifest](https://dl.draftable.com/addins/metadata/latest/v1/manifest.xml) to automatically receive the newest updates within the v1 release line. You do not need to re-upload the manifest for each patch release.
Under **App type**, select **Office Add-in** from the dropdown menu.
Copy the manifest URL for your chosen release channel. For the **latest** channel, supply the URL as a link in the admin center. For a pinned deployment, you can supply its versioned URL or download that version's manifest.
Paste the manifest URL, or upload the pinned manifest file, and click **Validate**. Use the **latest** URL as a link to retain the automatic-update deployment described in this guide.
### 3. Configure Delivery to Users
You will be asked how the add-in should be deployed across your organization:
* Assign to **Entire organization**, **Specific users**, or **Groups** depending on your use case.
All add-ins deployed via the Microsoft 365 admin center are automatically installed for the assigned users — users do not need to install the add-in manually.
### 4. Accept Permissions
You will be prompted to accept and approve the required permissions on behalf of your users.
#### Required Permissions Overview
The XML manifest linked above requests **ReadWriteItem** permission. This allows the add-in to read and update the message being composed, including replacing an attachment with a cleaned copy.
The manifest also registers background event handlers for message sending and attachment changes, so cleaning and Send Protection can run even when the task pane is not open.
### 5. Finish Setup
Once permissions are approved and the app is assigned to your selected users, the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in will be available within Outlook.
It can **take up to 72 hours** for the app to appear. Users may need to relaunch Microsoft 365 to view the add-in icon on the app ribbon. For more information, see the Microsoft documentation: [Deploy add-ins in the admin center](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/manage/manage-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide).
### 6. Verify Deployment
1. Open Outlook and compose a new email
2. Select **Manage Attachments** in the ribbon
3. Confirm that the Draftable Clean panel appears on the right-hand side of the compose window
4. In the panel, use **Insert Attachment Summary** to add an attachment list or table to the message body
The earlier ribbon capture above labels the action **Draftable Clean**. In the current release, look for **Manage Attachments**.
The current pane shows each attachment's cleaning status and provides the **Insert Attachment Summary** action:
## Updating the add-in
How updates reach users depends on the release channel you chose at deployment:
* **Pinned release** — Upload an updated manifest in the Microsoft 365 admin center when you want to move to a new version. See [Troubleshooting: Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in) for step-by-step instructions.
* **Latest channel** — Users automatically receive the newest updates within that major version. You do not need to re-upload the manifest for each release in that channel.
Users may need to restart Outlook after an update. If an old version persists, see the troubleshooting guide for steps to [clear the add-in cache](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in).
## Configuring the Add-in
Once deployed, the add-in's behavior is controlled through the **Settings > Add-In** section of the Draftable Clean desktop application. Administrators can also manage these settings centrally using Group Policy or Microsoft Intune.
Key settings include:
* **Profile Selection** — Default cleaning profile and domain-based profile rules
* **Domain Rules** — Map recipient domains to cleaning profiles (e.g. internal domains use Clean Draft, external domains use Standard Clean)
* **Send Protection** — Control what happens when attachments are still cleaning, tracked changes are detected, or unsupported file types are attached
* **Attachment Summary** — Default format (List or Table) when inserting an attachment list
As of **v26.6.0**, each of these add-in settings is exposed as an **individual Group Policy field**, so administrators can configure — and optionally **lock** — the default profile and each send-protection behaviour so users cannot override organisation standards. A new ADMX template surfaces the **DomainRules** and **AddInSettings** policies explicitly.
**Breaking change for scripted deployments.** Outlook add-in settings previously deployed as a single combined JSON value must be migrated to the new individual Group Policy fields in v26.6.0. See [Configuring preferences with Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) for the migration details, or [Configuring preferences with Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean) if you deploy via Intune.
See [Configuring preferences for your organization](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-for-your-organisation-Draftable-Clean) for an overview, or the [Group Policy](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Group-Policy-Draftable-Clean) or [Microsoft Intune](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Configuring-preferences-with-Microsoft-Intune-Draftable-Clean) guides for step-by-step configuration.
### Skip Cleaning and recipient rules
You can assign **Skip Cleaning (do not clean)** as the no-recipient choice or to a domain rule. Skip Cleaning applies only when **every recipient** resolves to a skip rule. If any recipient resolves to a cleaning profile or does not match a skip rule, the applicable cleaning profile takes precedence. Skip Cleaning is an Outlook add-in outcome, not a desktop cleaning profile.
### New Outlook for Windows
The **Clean attachments in New Outlook** setting applies only to **New Outlook for Windows**. When you turn it off, Draftable Clean does not clean attachments and does not run pre-send checks in New Outlook for Windows. This setting does not turn off Draftable Clean in Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, or other Outlook hosts.
## Troubleshooting
If you experience issues with deployment, add-in visibility, cleaning behavior, or updating the manifest, see [Troubleshooting: Outlook Add-in](/hc/en-us/Draftable-Clean-articles/Troubleshooting-Outlook-Add-in).
## Next steps
Learn how to use the Draftable Clean Outlook Add-in to clean your first email attachments.
Centrally manage add-in settings and lock organisation defaults using Group Policy.
Install the Draftable Clean desktop application required for the add-in to function.
Resolve deployment, manifest, cleaning, update, and cache issues with the Outlook add-in.
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