Outlook is one of the most widely used email apps in the world, but its name causes real confusion. People use it for free Outlook.com mail, for the desktop app at work, and some even mean the Indian news magazine. This guide answers who owns each one, starting with the biggest.
Who Owns Outlook in 2026?
Microsoft owns Outlook. It is not a separate company or subsidiary but a product brand inside Microsoft Corporation, a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: MSFT) based in Redmond, Washington, as WhoBrands explains.
That covers the free Outlook.com webmail, the Outlook desktop and mobile apps, and the old Hotmail addresses. All of them run on Microsoft’s platform, and Microsoft is run by Satya Nadella as chairman and CEO.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake / Status | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Corporation | Owner of Outlook | 100% | Outlook is a product brand, not a separate subsidiary |
| Outlook.com (formerly Hotmail) | Free webmail service | Owned by Microsoft since December 1997 | Launched as Hotmail in July 1996; became Outlook.com in 2012 |
| Outlook apps | Desktop and mobile email client | Part of Microsoft 365 | First released with Office 97 |
| Satya Nadella | Chairman and CEO of Microsoft | Executive, no controlling stake | Leading Microsoft since 2014 |
| Vanguard | Largest shareholder of Microsoft | ~9–10% | Index-fund manager |
| BlackRock | Second-largest shareholder | ~7–8% | Index-fund manager |
| State Street | Third-largest shareholder | ~4% | Index-fund manager |
| Steve Ballmer | Largest individual shareholder | ~4% (estimate) | Former Microsoft CEO |
| Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith | Hotmail founders | Sold to Microsoft in 1997 | Original creators of the service |
Outlook, Outlook.com, and Hotmail: What Is What?
Outlook.com is the free personal webmail service. It is the modern version of Hotmail, and any @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, or @live.com address now works through the same Microsoft account system.
Outlook is also the name of Microsoft’s email apps for Windows, Mac, and phones. These apps can connect to Outlook.com, Hotmail, and many other email accounts. All of it belongs to Microsoft.
How Hotmail Became Outlook
The story starts with Hotmail, launched on July 4, 1996, by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith. The venture firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson backed it, and it became one of the first free webmail services, according to Wikipedia’s Outlook.com page.
Microsoft bought Hotmail in December 1997. Reports put the price between $400 million and $500 million, and Wikipedia’s list of Microsoft acquisitions shows the higher figure. The Outlook software itself was first released in 1997 as part of Office 97.
After a few rebrands, Microsoft launched Outlook.com on July 31, 2012, and finished replacing Hotmail by May 2013. By then, Google had been competing for years with Gmail, which launched on April 1, 2004.
Who Owns Microsoft?
Since Outlook belongs to Microsoft, the real question is who owns Microsoft. The answer is nobody in particular. Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded the company in April 1975, but it is now owned by millions of shareholders worldwide.
Unlike Meta, where Mark Zuckerberg holds control through dual-class shares, or Amazon, where Jeff Bezos still holds about 9%, no founder or family controls Microsoft. Bill Gates has sold or given away most of his shares, and estimates now put his stake at roughly 1% or less.
Who Are Microsoft’s Biggest Shareholders?
The largest holders are index-fund firms. Microsoft’s October 2025 proxy listed only two owners above 5%, Vanguard at 8.95% and BlackRock at 7.30%, according to AI Funding Tracker. Recent SEC filings summarized by Siliconfloor show Vanguard near 9.8%, BlackRock near 8.2%, and State Street near 4.3%.
These same asset managers also top the shareholder list at Apple, which shows how large asset managers end up owning a slice of almost every big company. Steve Ballmer is estimated at about 4%, though his last disclosed number dates back to 2014, so treat the percentages as close estimates.
Microsoft also owns LinkedIn, GitHub, and Xbox, so Outlook is one of many brands under the same roof.
Outlook in 2026: New Outlook vs. Classic Outlook
The ownership is settled, but the product keeps changing. Microsoft introduced a first preview of New Outlook in May 2022 and made it generally available on August 1, 2024, according to Microsoft Learn and related reports.
In February 2026, Microsoft postponed the business opt-out phase from April 2026 to March 2027, BleepingComputer reported. Windows Latest says the roadmap still points to March 2027 for moving Classic users.
Microsoft is also easing the switch. A Classic-style theme for New Outlook began rolling out in August 2026, and Classic Outlook is getting a visual refresh from November 2026. Classic Outlook is expected to stay supported until at least 2029.
What About Outlook India Magazine?
If you meant the Indian news magazine, the owner is different. Outlook magazine is widely reported to be owned by the Rajan Raheja Group, and its publisher is Outlook Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd., according to Wikipedia’s Outlook page.
The magazine’s first issue came out in October 1995 with Vinod Mehta as editor-in-chief, and Chinki Sinha has edited it since 2021. The publisher was incorporated on April 23, 1992, as Tracxn’s company profile shows. It has no connection to Microsoft’s email service.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Outlook in 2026?
Microsoft Corporation owns Outlook, including Outlook.com and the Outlook apps.
Q2. Is Outlook a separate company?
No, Outlook is a product brand inside Microsoft, not a subsidiary.
Q3. Who owns Hotmail?
Microsoft has owned Hotmail since December 1997, and it now runs as Outlook.com.
Q4. Who founded Hotmail?
Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith launched Hotmail in July 1996.
Q5. Who are Microsoft’s biggest shareholders?
Vanguard (about 9–10%) and BlackRock (about 7–8%) lead the list.
Q6. Who is the CEO of Microsoft?
Satya Nadella is chairman and CEO of Microsoft and has led it since 2014.
Q7. Is New Outlook replacing Classic Outlook?
Yes, but Microsoft pushed the business opt-out phase to March 2027 and plans to support Classic Outlook until at least 2029.
Q8. Who owns Outlook India magazine?
The Rajan Raheja Group is widely reported as the owner, through Outlook Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Official website: outlook.live.com
Outlook is owned by Microsoft, which bought Hotmail in 1997, shipped Outlook with Office 97, and replaced Hotmail with Outlook.com in 2012–2013. Microsoft itself has no controlling owner, with Vanguard and BlackRock as its largest shareholders.
In 2026, the story is about the shift from Classic to New Outlook, not about ownership. The Indian magazine named Outlook is a separate business owned by the Rajan Raheja Group.