Microsoft is sharing more information about how the old Outlook for Windows will eventually give way to the new version. The transition will take several years.

Microsoft has been rolling out its updated Outlook app for some time now. The new version was rolled out for Mac in 2022 and Windows followed a year later. With a new look, Microsoft wants to bring the web and desktop versions of Outlook closer together. The rollout of the new version will take place in several phases and will take several years. Microsoft provides further details on the further planning process in a blog.

From opt-in to opt-out

We are currently in the opt-in phase, where you as a user can choose which version you want to use. Using the switch at the top right Try the new version of Outlook Switch to the new version, but you can return at any time. Microsoft will then ask you to provide feedback on why you want to switch back from new to old. This opt-in phase will certainly last until the new version of Outlook is generally available.

Once the new version is ready to be rolled out to more users, the next phase begins: the opt-out phase. From this moment on, you will automatically be switched to the new version of Outlook, but you can still choose to continue using the old desktop app. Users will see notifications in Outlook twelve months before this phase begins. This is an interim phase until the legacy version finally disappears irrevocably.

Support until 2029

Microsoft does not yet provide exact dates for the start and end of the various phases, but loyal users of the old version can rest assured that the entire process will take several years. The software company promises to support the legacy version until at least 2029.

Microsoft continues to encourage people to test the new version and provide feedback. This is to ensure that the Outlook desktop app meets our needs when the new version becomes the standard.