Experiencing issues with the Spekit Add-In for Outlook? This guide provides troubleshooting steps for common problems, plus how to get further help if you're still stuck. Some solutions may require Account Admin access.
1. Before You Start
Confirm you meet the minimum supported versions before troubleshooting further:
- Windows: Microsoft 365, version later than 16.0.11629, on Windows 10/11
- Mac: Mac version 16.38.506 or later running on macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later
- Outlook on the web: Any modern version of Chrome, Edge, or Safari
If you're on an older build, update Microsoft 365 first — most loading and blank-screen issues trace back to an outdated Outlook client.
2. Installation Issues
The add-in isn't showing up, or the Spekit button isn't in the ribbon
- Make sure you're in compose mode (New Email or Reply) — the add-in icon only appears, not while reading a message.
- Confirm the add-in was installed via one of the supported methods: Microsoft AppSource, Outlook Desktop Add-Ins (Windows or Mac), or mass deployment by your IT team.
- Confirm the add-in is enabled: go to File → Manage Add-ins (or Get Add-ins on web) and check that Spekit is listed and turned on.
- If it's missing entirely, reinstall it from your organization's add-in store, or ask your Spekit admin to confirm it's still deployed to your account.
- Fully quit and reopen Outlook (not just close the window) — new installs and updates often need a full restart to appear.
The Spekit panel is blank or stuck loading
- Check your internet connection — the add-in loads content from Spekit's servers and needs a live connection.
- Close the task pane and reopen it by clicking the Spekit button again.
- Fully quit and restart Outlook.
- If it's still blank, sign out and back in (see Login and Account Issues below) — a stale session can cause the pane to hang on load.
- Still stuck? Note the exact time it happened and send it to Spekit Support — a stuck load is usually a backend or network issue if basic troubleshooting doesn't resolve it.
Installation prompts or errors
- Clear your browser cache or restart Outlook.
- Ensure you have the proper permissions to install add-ins.
- Contact Spekit Support if the issue persists.
The add-in worked before but stopped after an Outlook or macOS/Windows update
- Fully quit and reopen Outlook — updates sometimes require a full restart to reload add-ins correctly.
- Check Manage Add-ins to confirm Spekit is still listed and enabled — updates can occasionally reset add-in state.
- If it's gone from the list, reinstall it from your organization's add-in store.
3. Login and Account Issues
Unable to log in, or sign-in loops back to the login screen
- Open or compose a new email before clicking the Spekit icon.
- Supported login methods: Single Sign-On (SSO), Salesforce, or Spekit Username & Password.
- If your company uses Salesforce SSO and sign-in keeps looping back to the login screen: click View all login options on the sign-in screen and log in with your username and password directly, rather than through the SSO button. Signing in through SSO can sometimes fail to complete inside the add-in's sign-in window.
- Verify that your account is active and correctly associated with your organization.
- Close the sign-in dialog and click the Spekit button again to reopen it.
- Fully quit and reopen Outlook, then try signing in again.
- If sign-in still fails, contact your Spekit admin to confirm your account hasn't been deactivated or locked.
Wrong account or organization displayed
- Check Profile and Spekit Org in the Add-In.
- Log out and log back in if needed.
- Contact your Spekit Admin if your account is not linked properly.
4. Content Display and Access Issues
Speks, files, or search results aren't showing
- Confirm you're signed in — content won't load for a signed-out session.
- Verify permissions for the content (team or organization level).
- Confirm that files are synced and accessible (e.g., Google Drive or SharePoint permissions).
- Try a broader search term — content may exist but not match your exact query.
- Recommendations are based on the email you're composing and can take a moment to refresh after you change the subject or recipients.
- If specific content is missing that you expect to see, confirm with your Spekit admin that it's published and shared with your team.
- Refresh the Add-In or restart Outlook.
Content formatting doesn't copy correctly into emails
Outlook may not support some formatting when using Insert into Email, such as tables with colored highlights, images, or complex layouts.
Known behavior: If a Spek contains content incompatible with Outlook, only the plain text will be copied into the email body — other elements like tables or highlighted text may not appear as intended. For example, a table with neon green highlighted text won't copy over (only the text itself will be inserted), while the same table highlighted in a more generic color like blue will copy over successfully.
This is related to how Outlook handles certain content types, not the Spekit Add-In itself. For best results, simplify formatting before inserting into an email.
Downloading files isn't working
- Downloading is only supported on Windows — this is not available for Mac users on either Outlook Desktop or Outlook Web.
- Click the Download icon next to the file in the Add-In.
5. Platform-Specific Limitations
Mac
- The header may not be visible.
- Text on recommendation cards may appear overlapped.
- Images inside content may not load.
- Clicking a link or Open in browser opens Outlook's own in-app browser window rather than your system's default browser — this is expected Mac behavior, not a bug. Give the window a moment to open, as it may appear behind the main Outlook window. If nothing opens at all, quit and reopen Outlook, then try again.
- The Spekit add-in may not show when Chrome Dev Tools is open, though this mainly affects certain Mac versions and rarely impacts end users.
Windows
- Legacy Outlook versions have limited image rendering.
6. Mass Deployment Issues (For IT Teams)
- Deployment may take up to 24 hours.
- Users must restart Outlook after deployment.
- Ensure the deployment method and permissions are correctly set.
- Confirm the Outlook version is compatible with the Add-In (see Section 1).
7. Best Practices and Tips
- Pin the Add-In to the Outlook ribbon for easy access.
- Open Spekit after starting a new email or opening an existing one.
- Regularly update Outlook to avoid compatibility issues.
- Use the Chrome Extension for full Spekit features when possible.
8. Support and Feedback
If you're experiencing an issue that isn't listed here, you have a few ways to get help:
Contact Spekit Support
- Email: support@spekit.co
- Standard Support Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM PT
- Emergency/Outage Support: 24/7/365
Submit Feedback or Report Bugs via Canny
- Log in with your Spekit account to access the Canny feedback board.
- Explore existing posts and vote on ones that matter to you.
- Submit new ideas or bug reports by filling out the feedback form, selecting a category, and submitting your post.
- You'll be notified via email about status updates (Open → Planned → In Progress → Complete).
Track Progress and Updates
If you have any questions or need further assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to Spekit Support.