Microsoft Outlook received a total redesign on Windows in 2023, based on the Outlook web app.Almost three years later, it’s still playing catch-up to the legacy Outlook client, and now Microsoft is delaying the full rollout for enterprise customers.The new Outlook for Windows arrived in September 2023, intended to replace both the decades-old Outlook client and the Windows 10-era Mail and Calendar applications.
It quickly accumulated many complaints, such as no offline support, external IMAP and POP accounts having to go through Microsoft servers, and no unified inboxes.Many of those issues have now been addressed, but there are still a few missing features and performance problems, and it takes some adjustment coming from the old Outlook client.It’s already built into Windows 11 as the default email application, and Microsoft planned to enable it by default for companies and other organizations using Microsoft 365, starting in April 2026.
Microsoft has now confirmed that Outlook won’t be fully rolled out in enterprise environments until March 2027.Until then, it will remain an opt-in setting, and organizations can continue using the old Outlook as usual.The classic Outlook is also still available to download for home PCs.
The notice explained, “We’re seeing strong and accelerating adoption of new Outlook as organizations progress on timelines that match their readiness.At the same time, we continue to invest heavily in expanding capabilities and addressing feedback from customers who want to go further with new Outlook.To ensure organizations have the time they need to prepare—and to fully realize the value of ongoing innovation—we’re extending the opt-out timeline and providing 12 months of lead time as we continue delivering key features and improvements.” Even if you’re not using Outlook at work or school, this is still a clear indication that the new Outlook is not ready for all workflows, and not enough organizations are prepared for the switch.
Instead of rolling it out for more organizations next month, Microsoft is giving itself another year to fix more bugs, add more features, and get more IT departments on board.Subscribe to the newsletter for Outlook rollout insights A newsletter subscription gives focused coverage and expert context on Outlook’s redesign, enterprise rollout delays, missing features and practical implications for admins and users — a reliable source for understanding product changes.Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe anytime.The new Outlook app’s reputation is improving among home users, at least.It’s now at an average rating of 4.8/5 stars on the Microsoft Store, but there are still assorted complaints about slow performance, emails not sending, and synchronization issues.
Outlook for Mac now has a similar design, while the mobile apps remain on a separate codebase.Source: Microsoft 365 Archive via The Register
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