The new Outlook for Windows (still in development) is being forced onto some Microsoft 365 customers from early next year unless users take action to stop the forced migration.
From early January 2025, Microsoft 365 for Business Standard and Premium licenses users will be forced over to Outlook (new) unless they or their IT admins take action to stop it.
Outlook (new) for Windows is Microsoft’s replacement for the current Outlook for Windows that’s been around for decades, now called Outlook (classic).
It’s widely accepted that Outlook (new) is still a “work in progress”, not a full replacement for the current ‘classic’ software. But that hasn’t stopped Microsoft removing the ‘beta’ label and pushing it on paying, often unsuspecting customers.
Of course, Microsoft doesn’t say that. They say users will be “will be toggled from classic Outlook for Windows to new Outlook for Windows.”
According to Redmond they only have customers best interests in mind to “give users an opportunity to try new Outlook”. Why not let customers choose when they switch to the replacement Outlook? Let the people who pay Microsoft make their own mind?
Microsoft wants more guinea pigs unpaid testers for Outlook (new). Forcing people to switch means they can boast about how many people are using the revised Outlook, never mind that many didn’t have a choice.
Microsoft admits Outlook (new) is still being developed with this admission “Users are also welcome to give us feedback on new Outlook using Feedback in the Help ribbon, so we can tailor the best email and calendar experience.”
Is Outlook (new) ready?
We continue to watch the development of Outlook (new) for Windows closely. Over 2024 its improved a lot but much of the change has been peripheral things not addressing fundamental problems.
- Offline support. There’s been gradual addition of some offline caching and features but it’s more of a ‘tick the box’ approach rather than making the app properly function when there’s no or slow Internet connection.
- Privacy breach. Microsoft is stubbornly refusing the address the major privacy breach for any connection to a non-Microsoft mailbox. To make that happen in Outlook (new) you have to disclose your login and password to Microsoft who relay all messages to/from mailboxes like Gmail, Yahoo etc.
If you’re using Outlook for Windows (‘classic’) there’s no good reason to change, not yet.
Certainly resist Microsoft’s efforts to ram Outlook (new) onto your computer.
Who is being forced to Outlook (new)
The forced migration to Outlook (new) for Windows only applies in these situations … for now.
- Microsoft 365 for Business Standard and Business Premium licenses only
- Not Microsoft 365 consumer Family/Personal
- Microsoft 365 for Windows desktop apps installed
- Not perpetual licence Office 2024, 2021, 2019 etc.
How to stop the forced Outlook (new)
Users or IT admins can stop the forced migration to Outlook (new) via a Registry key or Group Policy
Registry
Microsoft’s documentation isn’t clear, this is what they’ve said …
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0\outlook\preferences
“NewOutlookMigrationUserSetting”
dword:00000001/ 00000000
They give two Dword settings 00000001 or 00000000 but don’t say what each setting does.
Each value could mean to allow the forced change or not. The registry entry label isn’t clear, allowing either interpretation. That could
Based only on the Group Policy values (see below) we suspect this is how it’ll work:
00000001 – Migration allowed
00000000 – Migration disabled
Microsoft’s omission could be an oversight or another little passive-aggressive move to make it harder to stop a move to Outlook (new).
Policy
The Group Policy will override any registry entry on a computer.
(note the euphemism “Admin-Controlled’ migration when it’s really being forced by Microsoft, not customer IT admins)
Name: Admin-Controlled Migration to New Outlook
Values (Boolean):
* Not set: If you don’t configure this policy (default), the user setting for automatic migration is not controlled by the policy, allowing the user to manage it themselves. This user setting for automatic migration is enabled by default.
*1: If you enable this policy, the user setting controlling automatic migration is enabled. Automatic migration to the new Outlook app is allowed, and the user cannot change this setting.
* 0: If you disable this policy, the user setting controlling automatic migration is disabled. Automatic migration to the new Outlook app is not allowed, and the user cannot change this setting.
