Blog Post

Outlook Blog
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OWA mobile apps to be retired in May

euburrag's avatar
euburrag
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Mar 07, 2018

Today we are announcing the retirement of OWA for iPhone, iPad and Android.  For the last several years Microsoft has focused on delivering an effortless user experience and bolstering security in the native Outlook app for iOS and Android devices.  We’ve used your feedback to make Outlook an award-winning app and the best way to experience Office 365 features on a mobile device.  Now we’re helping all users to migrate to Outlook while retiring the OWA mobile apps:  

 

  • In April 2018, the OWA for iPhone, iPad and Android apps will no longer be available for download from Apple’s iTunes store and the Google Play store.
  • Also in April, OWA mobile app users will see a recurring in-app message notifying them of the date when the app will be retired, with a link to download Outlook for iOS or Android.
  • On May 15, 2018, the OWA mobile apps will stop working. Office 365 users who attempt to open them will be greeted with a message directing them to download Outlook for iOS or Android.

It is easy for users to move over to the Outlook app for iOS or Android.  To learn how, see the step by step instructions here. If you are an Office 365 administrator and received a notice today in the Office 365 Message Center, it means one or more people in your organization are still using the OWA mobile app.  If you don’t receive a notice in Message Center, then you don’t need to take any administrative action.  Should you need additional details and support regarding the retirement plans of the OWA mobile apps, please refer to this article.

 

Outlook for iOS and Android has an architecture fully powered by the Microsoft Cloud and has 4.5+ star ratings in the app stores.  And as we streamline our mobile portfolio, we’ll be able to further focus our efforts to deliver on our promise of the best-in-class, enterprise-grade mail, calendar and search experience and the best way to experience Office 365 features on a mobile device with Outlook.

Updated Mar 07, 2018
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  • Jarno Korterink's avatar
    Jarno Korterink
    Iron Contributor
    Mar 07, 2018

    Because its not possible to add shared mailboxes in the native Outlook app we advice users to use this OWA app.

     

    Please first add support for shared mailboxes in the native Outlook app before retiring this OWA app.

  • Sven Mihály-Bison, BA's avatar
    Sven Mihály-Bison, BA
    Brass Contributor
    Mar 07, 2018

    Will Outlook Mobile App be enabled to Access On Premises Shared Mailboxes? The OWA App is the only tool with the ability to do that. It´s not possible to access Exchange 2016 Shared Mailboxes with the Outlook App as Exchange 2016 works only with WAP 2016 and WAP 2016 does not support IMAP.  

  • Robert Woods's avatar
    Robert Woods
    Steel Contributor
    Mar 07, 2018

    euburrag ; Ross Smith IV

     
     

     

    I need to know how my users should access shared mailboxes on mobile devices without OWA.

     

    I need to know how my Admins should approve emails on mobile devices.

     

    I also need to know how my users whom are not enrolled in Intune should access their mailbox now? This was our only alternative to forcing BYOD devices into MDM enrollment, and you are taking that feature away without providing a replacement it seems.

     

    PLEASE STOP DEPRICATING FUNCTIONALITY WITHOUT PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE! WE PAY FOR THESE FEATURES.

     

  • Sven Mihály-Bison, BA's avatar
    Sven Mihály-Bison, BA
    Brass Contributor
    Mar 08, 2018

    Ross Smith IV

     

    Using a mobile web browser is no feasible option for usage in an enterprise environment. Smartphone users don't check their mailboxes actively, they rely on notifications and read mails after they got notified. The option to access delegated onprem mailboxes via app is a must have and I think that I'm not alone with this statement. 

  • Philipp Bieber's avatar
    Philipp Bieber
    Copper Contributor
    Mar 07, 2018

    Is there a timeline, for when the Microsoft cloud does not save passwords for my users anymore? This is the main reason keeping us away from Outlook for iOS ....

  • Scott Preston's avatar
    Scott Preston
    Iron Contributor
    Mar 07, 2018

    Is there any way we can tell who is using the OWA app in our tenant either via reports or Powershell?

  • Tony Mels's avatar
    Tony Mels
    Copper Contributor
    Mar 07, 2018

    This is such an unnecessary one-sided action by Microsoft. 

    I use OWA, and many others,  because I don't want any email notifications or Unread Message icons (I read emails when I want and not some app)  

    Second reason is that I don't want my device to be subject to every orgs security policy I need to read emails from (sometimes 3 or 4). 

     

  • Robert Woods's avatar
    Robert Woods
    Steel Contributor
    Mar 07, 2018

    Ross Smith IV 

     

    So I need to tell my end users they will no longer have an app with badges that alert them to new items, they will have to constantly refresh their browser on the phone to see if there is a new mail...

     

    I bet this will go over real well.

     

    Also, it seems from your answer above you are telling me they will need to use a mixture of Outlook on the Phone and OWA on the web to get the same functions they already have, that again, we pay for.

     

    Such terrible customer experience.