Microsoft finally making Windows New Outlook and Classic switching attractive for haters

"Hot garbage". That is how IT admins and systems seem to feel about the New Outlook for Windows, and most Neowin readers tend to agree with that take. If you are wondering why users tend to feel that way, well, there are a multitude of reasons that include the lack of several key features like support for PST files and offline operations, among others.

And with the forced way of doing things at Microsoft, including in the case of New Outlook (and not just on Windows 11), users have been further irked as switching in and out of the New Outlook and Classic has been difficult.

However, Microsoft seems to finally get this. In a new entry on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center portal, the company has explained that this behaviour is changing, for the better. Following this change, users will be able to simultaneously use Classic Outlook without switching back from New Outlook. The company explains:

Before this rollout, if users switch from classic Outlook to new Outlook, they must switch back to use classic Outlook again.

 

After this rollout, users will be able to use classic Outlook without switching out of new Outlook. When users select the toggle in new Outlook, they will have the option to open classic Outlook or switch back to classic Outlook.

 

If users choose to open classic Outlook, it will launch right away without requiring the user to switch back.

 

If users choose to switch back to classic Outlook, new Outlook will be minimized in the taskbar and classic Outlook will launch, allowing users to seamlessly use both apps. New Outlook notifications and reminders will be suppressed for that session and classic Outlook notifications will be shown.

The company has also shared a rollout timeline for the change and it starts this May and completes by July:

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): We will begin rolling out the default behavior to keep new Outlook minimized after a user switches out of new Outlook in mid-May 2025 and expect to complete by late May 2025.

 

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): We will begin rolling out an option to open classic Outlook without switching out of new Outlook in early June 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025.

Those who have access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center portal can find this new addition under ID MC1066342.

Source

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