📅 Follow a Meeting in Outlook

Microsoft Outlook introduced the Follow response option for meeting invitations. This feature allows you to stay informed about a meeting without attending it.

The official documentation can be found here: Follow a meeting in Outlook – Microsoft Support .

When you choose Follow, you signal that you cannot attend but still want updates such as meeting recordings, notes, or follow-up actions.

📌 What Does “Follow” Mean in Outlook?

The Follow response is similar to RSVP options like Accept, Tentative, or Decline, but it indicates that you want to remain informed even if you cannot join the meeting.

• 👀 You stay informed about the meeting outcomes
• 🎥 You can access recordings and transcripts
• 🗓️ Your calendar time remains free
• 📩 The organizer is notified that you are following the meeting

This feature is particularly useful when you want to keep track of discussions without blocking your schedule.

👤 What Happens When an Attendee Selects “Follow”

When a participant responds with Follow:

• The meeting organizer receives a response indicating the attendee is following the meeting.
• The attendee can later access meeting recordings and transcripts if they are created.
• The attendee’s calendar shows the time slot as free rather than busy.

Even though the calendar remains free, the attendee can still view the meeting details and chat after the meeting ends.

🧑‍💼 What the Meeting Organizer Sees

When someone selects Follow on a meeting invitation:

• 📩 The organizer receives an email response showing the attendee is following the meeting.
• 🎥 The organizer may receive a reminder to record the meeting (if enabled by the Teams policy).
• 👥 Other attendees can see the Follow responses when responses are visible.

Recording the meeting helps ensure that followers can review what happened later.

💻 Where the Feature Is Available

Currently, the Follow meeting response is available only in specific Outlook versions.

• ✅ New Outlook for Windows
• ✅ Outlook on the web
• ❌ Classic Outlook desktop
• ❌ Outlook for Mac or mobile apps

If the organizer uses older Outlook versions, your Follow response may appear as Tentative instead.

⚙️ When the Follow Option Appears

The Follow option appears only under certain conditions:

• The meeting must have two or more participants
• The organizer must request responses
• You must be using New Outlook or Outlook on the web

If these conditions are not met, you may only see traditional responses such as Accept, Tentative, or Decline.

📊 Benefits of Following a Meeting

🎥 Example Explanation

This short video demonstrates how the Follow option works in the new Outlook interface and explains how meeting followers can stay updated through recordings and recaps.

📚 Related Outlook Features

• Meeting recap with recordings and transcripts
• Calendar availability status (Busy / Free)
• Automatic meeting responses using Copilot
• Reply with Meeting to schedule discussions from email

✔️ Summary:
The Follow option in Outlook lets users stay informed about meetings they cannot attend. It keeps the calendar free while giving access to recordings, transcripts, and meeting outcomes. This feature currently works in the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web.