Quick LinksSeamless Integration with Microsoft 365 Suite You Can Collaborate in Real-Time Using Loop Components Easily Pick Up Where You Left Off on Any Device Loop Can Be Your Hub for Everything It's Simple Enough for Everyone Key Takeaways Microsoft Loop, often dismissed as a Notion clone, is actually a powerful collaboration tool deeply integrated with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Loop serves as a user-friendly hub for real-time team collaboration across diverse devices, offering ease of use for all team members. While it may lack some advanced features of more established platforms, Loop's accessibility and tight integration with Microsoft tools make it an underrated asset.
You may have tried Microsoft Loops and dismissed it as just another Notion copycat. Despite its looks, I believe Loop might just be the secret sauce your workflow's been missing, and there are good reasons for this.
1 Seamless Integration with Microsoft 365 Suite
One of Loop's biggest strengths is how effortlessly it syncs with the wider Microsoft 365 suite. As long as you have an appropriate Microsoft 365 business plan, you can easily pop Loop components into apps like Outlook and Teams without missing a beat.
Most Microsoft Loops features are exclusive to the business plan. If you're using a personal Microsoft account, you're out of luck on the app integration front.
Just as well, on the right plan, you can open tasks assigned to you in Loop in To Do and follow up with projects in Planner, and vice versa. It's like your work is following you, but in a good way.
Simply click the Loop button within the compatible apps -- OneNote, Whiteboard, Teams chats or calendar, the new Outlook emails or calendar, and Word for the Web -- to drop a component directly into the app.
Then, hit the Copy link icon in the top right corner of the Loop Component you've just created.
Now, you're ready to paste it anywhere, from Teams to Outlook.
Best of all, all the Loop Components you create in diverse Microsoft 365 apps show up in the Loop app. Your teammates can then view and edit the Loop content live in any app without switching between different windows.
Loop also works well with OneDrive, automatically saving all your components to the cloud.
2 You Can Collaborate in Real-Time Using Loop Components
With Loop components, your team can work together in real-time, no matter where they are or what app they're using. Imagine that you're drafting a meeting agenda in Teams, and your colleague is adding to it via Outlook. Meanwhile, another team member is assigning tasks in Planner -- all with Loop components that are reflected in the same workspace.
Microsoft Loop literally keeps everyone on the same page, so there's no need for any back-and-forth messages. Any changes that your teammates make automatically sync up in real time across devices and apps.
If you have a Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 License, which is a bit pricey, you have the added advantage of an AI teammate; both you and your teammates can call upon Copilot to contribute simultaneously with you.
Just as you can call on Copilot, you can easily @mention anyone to bring them into a Page or Component. They'll quickly receive an email with a link to jump right into the Loop.
3 Easily Pick Up Where You Left Off on Any Device Close
Since more people now work from home, we tend to switch between multiple screens/devices several times a day. Thankfully, with Loop, you can use any device you want and continue on the go, constantly synced with similar experiences across devices.
Lounging on your couch or taking the train to another city? Fire up the Android or iOS app on your smartphone. Stuck with your cousin's ancient laptop? No sweat -- just use the web version in any browser. Want Loop to feel more like a real app? Download it as a PWA, and you're good to go.
You can also customize your notifications such that you only receive pings about things that are relevant to you.
Since Loop is relatively new, it's still undergoing extensive tweaking. A number of cross-device functionalities, like creating, copying, or pasting Loop Components in Whiteboard/OneNote on your mobile device, are missing. But you can expect better mobile integration going forward.
4 Loop Can Be Your Hub for Everything
Microsoft Loop has the potential to become a one-stop hub for all your team's collaboration needs. Instead of juggling several apps to get work done, you and your team can use Loop as a central place to create real-time content.
In your Loop Workspace, you can brainstorm ideas on a shared canvas, assign tasks and responsibilities, draft and review content together, track project progress, etc. It's like having your entire office in your pocket, minus the uncomfortable chairs.
For instance, you can capture ideas from a meeting via Add an agenda in Microsoft Teams.
Based on the Loop Component that'll be generated, you can draft a plan for your next project on a Loop page. Then, you can assign action tasks for your teammates directly on the page and have them integrated into Planner or share the tasks as a Loop Component via Teams Chats, Outlook, etc. Everything stays neatly organized in Loop.
Every Component you create is saved in OneDrive and is present in Loop. This means that you don't even have to be on Loop to start up a collaboration. You can start up in an Outlook email, then take it to Word for the Web when you need more visual real estate. Everything will still be recorded and organized in your Loop Workspace.
5 It's Simple Enough for Everyone
When it comes to collaboration tools, the last thing anyone wants is a complex interface. Thankfully, Loop is simple and intuitive enough for everyone to get right into work.
It is clean, and its design would instantly feel familiar if you're a Microsoft 365 user. Just sign in with your work (or personal) account at loop.cloud.microsoft or on the mobile app, and you're ready to roll. Page templates, smart suggestions, and an insert menu are available, so you can start using Loop right from day one.
For admins, most Loop settings are enabled by default, making it a low-maintenance application. Even if you want to tweak things (because who doesn't love a good tweak?), the admin console has instructions to help you optimize Loop for your organization.
While Loop may not offer the extensive feature set of more advanced platforms like Notion, its deep integration with Microsoft 365 provides considerable advantages for organizations that are already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. If you're accustomed to more advanced applications, you might have to temper your expectations with Loop.
However, its simple, accessible design opens it up to every member of your team, no matter how many you are. Also, as a relatively new product, Loop has room to expand over time. So, while Loop may not immediately replace all your workflow needs, it's worth trying out.
