Microsoft Loop cheat sheet

Announced in 2021, Microsoft Loop was officially rolled out to business customers in November 2023 and to individual users in June 2024. The new tool includes both text snippets that can be embedded in certain Microsoft 365 apps and a standalone app where employees can collaborate in shared workspaces.

It’s a little hard to wrap your head around how Loop works, but it’s well worth the effort for businesses that use Microsoft 365.

Here’s how you can use Loop to collaborate with your team.

In this article:

• What is Microsoft Loop?
• What are the main elements in Loop, and how do they work together?
• What are the key benefits of Microsoft Loop?
• Who can use Microsoft Loop?
• How to use Microsoft Loop
• Creating a Loop workspace
• Creating Loop pages
• Using Copilot in Loop
• Sharing a Loop workspace or page
• Managing your Loop workspaces and pages
• Using the Loop mobile app

What is Microsoft Loop?

Microsoft Loop is a productivity app that lets Microsoft 365 users work together in shared spaces where they can collect documents and other materials, do simple project planning and task management, brainstorm ideas with co-workers, and more.

Certain elements of Loop, called Loop components, can also be embedded in Microsoft 365 apps that include OneNote, Outlook, Teams, Whiteboard, and Word (web version).

You use Microsoft Loop through your web browser; it’s also available as an app for Android or iOS, with more limited functionality.

What are the elements in Loop, and how do they work together?

Microsoft Loop consists of three main elements: Loop components, Loop pages, and Loop workspaces.

Loop components are shared cards that can contain lists, paragraphs, tables, or other text formats.  In addition to collaborating on components in the Loop app, you can embed them in Microsoft 365 apps such as Outlook or Teams. Any changes made to a Loop component in one location immediately appear in all other locations. That way everyone always has the most current version of the component no matter which app they’re working in.

Loop pages are shared digital canvases that let you add Loop components and other elements such as text, images, and related information. Your colleagues can collaborate with you on pages that you’ve shared with them, and all changes are synced in real time.

Loop workspaces are virtual spaces where you can group together related pages. You can share a workspace with co-workers and guests so that they can collaborate with you on the pages it contains.

These three elements work in tandem for highly effective collaboration. For instance, you could create a workspace for a project your team is working on. This project workspace could include multiple pages related to the project — meeting notes, issue tracker, project brief, project planning page, and so on.

Each page could include one or more Loop components that in turn could be embedded into Outlook emails, Teams conversations, and other Microsoft 365 apps. When a component is updated in any of these places (including the Loop app), it is updated in real time everywhere else it appears.

What are the key benefits of Microsoft Loop?

• Easier and more efficient team collaboration
• Centralized management for documents and other materials
• Information stays in sync across multiple Microsoft 365 apps
• Reduces lost time and focus caused by frequent app-switching

Who can use Microsoft Loop?

Loop is included with all Microsoft 365/Office 365 business and education subscriptions. This includes the Loop app as well as Loop components embedded in other Microsoft 365 apps. Most Loop features are available to all users with work or school accounts, but those with only Office 365 plans will need to purchase an additional plan to be able to create new Loop workspaces or to add or remove members from them.

Until recently, Loop for business users was limited to internal collaboration, but you can now share Loop components, pages, and workspaces with people outside your organization, with some limitations. See Microsoft’s blog post for details.

Note that if you have a work or school Microsoft account, your administrator will need to enable the Loop app for your organization before you can use it.

For now, the Loop app is available for free to individuals with Microsoft 365 subscriptions or free Microsoft accounts, but you can’t embed Loop components in other M365 apps. Also note that for individuals, Loop workspaces and pages count toward your Microsoft storage quota.

How to use Microsoft Loop

We have a separate story that goes into detail about Loop components and how to use them in Microsoft 365 apps. In this story we’ll focus on setting up pages and workspaces in the Loop app. Here are the basic steps for using the app: 

1. Create a workspace.
2. Add one or more pages to your workspace.
3. Add text and other elements, including Loop components, to a page.
4. Share a page or workspace with colleagues so they can collaborate with you on it.

Keep reading for detailed instructions for each step.

Creating a Loop workspace

From the home page of the Loop web app, click the + button at the upper right. On the “Create a new workspace” panel that opens, type in a name for your new workspace.

Howard Wen / IDG

To change the cover image for the workspace, click it and select another from the gallery of images and gradient colors that opens. You also can select an icon for your workspace by clicking the smiley face button to the left of the workspace title entry box.

If you have an individual Microsoft account or Microsoft 365 plan, click Create and your workspace will be created. (You can skip to the next section of the story, “Creating Loop pages.”)

If you have a Microsoft 365 business account, the “Create a new workspace” panel also includes a “Share your space” area where you can invite members to this workspace by typing in email addresses or names of people in your contacts. Or you can skip this step for now and invite people later.

Howard Wen / IDG

Next, click Continue. The “Add files to your workspace” screen appears. Type one or more words about your workspace into the area on the left, and Loop will list shared company files and Loop pages that might be relevant on the right.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Select the files and pages you want to include and click the Create workspace button. Your workspace will be created with the selected files and pages attached.

Creating Loop pages

After you create your workspace, you’re taken to its first page. Type in a name for this page. If you like, you can assign the page an icon and cover image: click Add icon and Add cover and select from the options that appear.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Add text and other elements: In the “Just start typing…” area, type text or / to see a list of elements you can add to your new page, such as checklists, headings, images, progress trackers, tables, and more. (See “How to use Microsoft Loop in Outlook and Teams” to learn about the Loop elements you can add to a page.) To tag a colleague: type @ and start typing their name, then select their name when it appears.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Use a template: Along the bottom of a new page are thumbnails for templates such as Project Brief, Team Decision, Meeting Notes, and so on. You can select a template to apply a pre-designed layout to your new page, then customize the page as you like. Click Explore other templates to open a gallery of layouts.

Turn an element into a Loop component: You can select any element on your page to turn it into a Loop component that can then be embedded in other Microsoft 365 apps.

Click the element to select it, then click the six-dot icon that appears to the left or upper left of the element. On the menu that opens, select Create Loop component.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

The element will now have a border around it with the Loop logo at its upper left. To share this element as a Loop component in another app, select the Copy component icon (two overlapping squares) at the upper right of the element border.

You can then paste the Loop component link into another Microsoft 365 app, such as a OneNote note, Outlook email, Teams channel or chat, Microsoft Whiteboard canvas, or Word (web version) document.

Note: If you have a Copilot for Microsoft 365 subscription, you have several more options for creating and collaborating on content in your Loop pages.

Adding more pages and subpages

Add another page: In the left sidebar, click the circular + button. On the menu that opens, select New page.

Add a subpage: You can add a page that is branched below another page. In the left sidebar, move the pointer over the page and click the three-dot icon. On the menu that opens, select New subpage. Note that you can also add a subpage below a subpage.

Howard Wen / IDG

Creating pages in the Ideas section

Toward the top of the left sidebar, there’s a section titled “Ideas” where you can create and work on pages before you add them to a workspace. For instance: You may want to spend extra time perfecting a page before you add it to a workspace that you’ve already shared with co-workers or clients.

Create a page in Ideas: Move the pointer over Ideas in the sidebar and click the + that appears to its right.

Howard Wen / IDG

Add a page in the Ideas section to a workspace: Click Ideas in the left sidebar. A list of pages in the Ideas section opens in the main window. Move the pointer over a page and click the three-dot icon. On the menu that opens, select Add to workspace.

On the panel that opens, click the name of the workspace. The page will be appended as the last page in that workspace. Alternatively, you can select New and create a new workspace where the page will be placed.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Restoring an older version of a page

The Loop web app archives previous versions of a page as you and your collaborators make changes to it. You can view these and restore one to your workspace.

With the page open, click the three-dot icon at the upper right. On the menu that opens, select Version History. In the right sidebar, click the date/time of a previous version. That version will appear in the main window. Click the Restore button to replace the page with this previous version.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Sharing a workspace or page

In the Loop app, you can invite others to collaborate with you on a workspace or an individual page. When you share a workspace, each person you invite can view and make changes to any page in that workspace. When you share a page, they’ll be able to view and edit only that one page.

Sharing a workspace

From any page that’s open in the main window: Click the Share button at the upper right. On the menu that opens, select Workspace.

From the Loop home page: Move the pointer over the workspace that you want to share. Click the three-dot icon that appears. On the menu that opens, click Members.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Either way, a panel opens where you can type in the email addresses or names of people in your Microsoft account contacts. Do this and click the Invite button. They’ll be emailed a link inviting them to access your workspace.

Sharing a page

You can share a page that’s in a workspace or in your Ideas section in one of two ways:

• As a web link: When you or someone you invite clicks this link, the page opens in a web browser.
• As a Loop component: When you or someone you invite pastes this link inside a Microsoft 365 app that supports Loop components, the page is embedded in it.

You can share a page from Loop’s main window or from the sidebar along the left.

With the page open in the main window: To share the page as a web link, click the Share button at the upper right. On the menu that opens, select Page link. You can then paste this link into a chat, document, email, or other text-based app.

To share the page as a Loop component, either click the Share button and then Loop component or just click the dual-square icon to the left of the Share button. You can then paste this link into a Microsoft 365 app that lets you embed Loop components.

Howard Wen / IDG

From the left sidebar: You can share a page without opening it in the main window. In the left sidebar, move the pointer over the page and click the three-dot icon that appears to its right. On the menu that opens, select Share page link or Share Loop component.

Howard Wen / IDG

Change a page’s sharing permissions: By default, whoever has access to your page’s link or Loop component will be able to make changes to this page. You can change who has access and whether they can edit or only view the page.

On the panel that appears when you select Share > Page link or Share > Loop component, click Settings. This opens the “Link settings” panel.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Depending on the type of Microsoft 365 plan you have (and the user permissions set by your admin if you have a work subscription), you may see any of these options on this panel:

• Anyone
• People you choose
• People in [your organization]
• People with existing access

For example: if you select People you choose, you can enter email addresses or names of contacts you want to invite to collaborate on your page. “People with existing access” are those you’ve tagged in the page with the @ command.

To change permissions so that anyone with access to this page can only view it (and not edit it): Under “More settings,” click Can edit and change it to Can view.

Next, you can set an expiration date — the link will no longer work after a date that you select. And you can set a password. When someone clicks the web link to your page or pastes its Loop component link into a Microsoft 365 app, they’ll have to enter this password first.

After you make your selections, click the Apply button. A link to your page with these new settings will be generated and copied to your PC clipboard.

Managing your workspaces and pages

As you’re viewing a page in the main window, you can perform the following actions.

Create a new workspace: On the left sidebar, click the name of the workspace that you’re currently in. On the menu that opens, select New workspace.

Howard Wen / IDG

Switch to another workspace: On the left sidebar, click the name of the workspace that you’re currently in. On the menu that opens, click the name of another workspace. Or select Browse all workspaces to go to the Loop home page, and select another workspace from there.

Rename or delete a workspace: On the upper left corner, click the Loop logo, which takes you to the Loop home page. Move the pointer over a workspace. Click the three-dot icon that appears. On the menu that opens, click Rename and style or Delete.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Change the order of pages in a workspace: On the left sidebar, move the pointer over a page. Click-and-hold the page, drag it up or down, and let it go where you want it to be set in your list of pages.

Rename or delete a page: In the left sidebar, move the pointer over a page and click the three-dot icon that appears. On the menu that opens, click Rename and style or Delete.

Howard Wen / IDG

Copy a page to another workspace: On the left sidebar, move the pointer over a page and click the three-dot icon that appears. On the menu that opens, click Add to workspace, then select the name of another workspace that you’ve already created. A copy of this page will be added to that workspace.

Using the Loop mobile app

The Microsoft Loop mobile app (for Android and iOS devices) has most of the features of the web app. These include creating and editing pages and workspaces, adding elements to pages, and sharing and setting permissions for pages and workspaces.

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

Howard Wen / IDG

There are currently a few limitations to both the Android and iOS mobile apps, such as the inability to rearrange pages in a workspace. See Microsoft’s Loop mobile FAQ for details.

This article was originally published in July 2023 and updated in August 2024.