# Does SecureMailMerge work with personal Outlook accounts?

> SecureMailMerge requires a Microsoft 365 Business subscription and is not compatible with free personal Outlook, Outlook.com, or Hotmail accounts.

No, SecureMailMerge requires a **Microsoft 365 Business** (or Education) subscription. It does not work with personal email accounts such as Outlook.com or Hotmail.

## Why a business subscription is required

SecureMailMerge is built using Microsoft's modern add-in architecture, which is only available for Microsoft 365 Business and Education accounts. This is a limitation set by Microsoft, not by us.

The modern add-in platform provides important security features and integration capabilities that aren't available on consumer accounts.

## How to check your account type

If you're unsure whether you have a business account:

1. Try to sign in at [portal.office.com](https://portal.office.com)
2. If you can access the Microsoft 365 admin center or see business apps, you have a business account
3. If you're prompted for a "work or school account" when installing the add-in, your current account may be a personal one

## Unsupported account types

The following account types are **not supported**:

- **Outlook.com** and **Hotmail** (free email accounts)
- **Microsoft 365 Personal**
- **Microsoft 365 Family**
- **Microsoft 365 Home**

These are all consumer products that don't support business add-ins. Even though you may pay for Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Home, these subscriptions use the consumer platform which doesn't include the add-in capabilities required by SecureMailMerge.

The most affordable business option is **Microsoft 365 Business Basic**, which includes hosted email and full support for add-ins like SecureMailMerge.

## I'm being asked for a "work or school account"

If you see this message when trying to use SecureMailMerge, it means you're signed in with a personal Microsoft account. You'll need to use a Microsoft 365 Business account to use the add-in.