New minimum Outlook for Windows version requirements for Microsoft 365

Another option for folks visiting this thread that hasn't been articulated really...

If you plan to upgrade Outlook in order to accommodate Microsoft's blackmailing users (essentially it's what it is, upgrade Outlook or lose Exchange access to your email), you DO NOT NEED TO UPGRADE OFFICE. Let me repeat that.

Multiple versions of Office can be installed on the same computer. There are some caveats and complications to this to be aware of, but essentially as long as you install the same-bit MSI/VLSC version of Outlook 2016 (last version compatible with Windows 7), you should be good to go.

What I did on a computer with a Microsoft account that needed calendar access, was keep Office 2010 Professional Plus installed as is, and simply install Outlook 2016 on top of that. In the install options, be sure to select "DO NOT remove prior installed version of Office", and then on the installed programs, unselect everything except Outlook, since you already have the Office 2010 programs and don't need to clutter the system with Office 2016 programs.

Obviously Outlook 2010 is better than 2016, but in a pinch, this is probably the best solution that works.

I'm not sure how long it works without activation, but since this was blackmail forced upgrade, I'm most certainly not paying anything for using Outlook 2016 and I don't plan to activate it. Read this and weep Microsoft, come sue me for all I care. If you want my money, start making good software again like you did up until 10 years ago.