Things to look forward to in the new Outlook for Windows

[caithart]

Editor's note 5/17/24: Updated items to reflect the latest timing and links to our roadmap - For an even more complete list and up to date information, please go to our public roadmap - https://aka.ms/newoutlookforwindows 

Editor's note 2/27/24: We have updated the "things we have in the works" list to reflect latest timing and links to our roadmap.

After our recent announcement about the release of the new Outlook on Windows 11, we have received many questions about features that are coming to the new app. The new Outlook for Windows is the future for both the Mail and Calendar apps in Windows and the classic Outlook for Windows. There is a lot of excitement and expectation - so naturally, we have a list of top features from those experiences that we plan to bring over. 

The place to follow all upcoming features and when they are releasing is the Microsoft 365 roadmap, and as we get closer to precise feature roll out dates will be published on that roadmap. The following is a list of some of the things that we are working on in the next year, some of which are already on the horizon and may be on that roadmap list.

Some of the many things we have in the works 

• (Updated 5/17) Auto capitalization and auto-correct - (Rolling out)
• (Updated 5/17) Collapsible headers in the message list - (Rolling out) Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• (Updated 5/17) Conditional formatting - (Rolling out) - Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• Copilot - Shipped
• (Updated 5/17) Drag and drop emails and attachments to the desktop - (Rolling out) Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• Dictation - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365 
• Preserve declined meetings - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365 
• (Updated 5/17) EML file support - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• File tab in Outlook search - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• (Updated 5/17) Folder reordering - (August) Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• Inking (Draw tab) while composing an email - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• (Updated 5/17) MSG file support - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• Offline support - (Rolling out) Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• Outbox folder - (Rolling out)
• Picture formatting - Shipped
• (Updated 5/17) POP3 account support Shipped
• PST file support 
• Message Recall - Shipped  Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• Read Receipts - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• S/MIME 
• Save as for attachments (choose folder to save to) - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365
• Share local files from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 
• Shared calendar notifications for work accounts - Shipped
• (Updated 5/17) Teams Chat in Outlook - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap
• Teams tab in search - Shipped Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365

We continue to make feature improvements across the board and are always monitoring feedback, so please continue to try the new experience and let us know what you hope to see next. Feedback is under the Help tab in the ribbon, or you can submit your thoughts if you toggle back to the classic Outlook. 

In addition to features and capabilities, we also hear and highly value feedback about performance and the overall experience. We are deeply invested across our teams in dedicated and ongoing performance improvements, ranging from focused optimizations to larger platform investments. We are also investing in several visual and user-experience improvements. 

Recent improvements and things to try in the new Outlook 

• Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and IMAP account support 
• ICS file support 
• Message list selection improvements 
• Quick steps 
• Sort by sender or subject line 
• Scheduling across different time zones 
• Table styling improvements 
• Folder list experience improvements 
• Search folders (unread mail, flagged, or sent directly to me) 
• Reminders window 
• Find related messages (from this sender, in this conversation) 

Are there features that you’re expecting that you don’t see above? We’d love to know more. Please leave them in the comments below! 

Thank you!  

[Michael_Bowes]

I am enjoying the new version of Outlook but there are two things that I can't do without:

1. A combined mailbox for my two email accounts (as in the 'Home' symbol on the old version)

2. The option of Save and well as Download for putting attachment directly into folders.

Best wishes,

Michael

[Silenus1358]

There seems to be no way to set pictures before/behind text or align the pictures now. This is dissatisfying.  Will this be corrected? Am I missing something or is it because I am not using an exchange email account?

Thanks.

Ready to go back to old Outlook but this is not a long-term solution.

[mande1191]

@Gordan Redzic 

you can drop e-mails to calender.

See the video from @Teresa Cyrus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGq-LHo_Ihs

[Gordan Redzic]

@mande1191 i was actually looking for a way to copy paste calendar events.  This used to work in classic but I don't see how to do this in the new outlook 

[mande1191]

@Gordan Redzic 

Copy and paste does not (yet) work. Alternatively, you can duplicate an event.

[BriangBrian_Gilshenan]

Yeah hi, I'm just wondering when the new mail will accept a POP account as I am having trouble trying to add my iprimus account. Also it tells me that my username is incorrect and also that my account doesn't exist. I have had a Microsoft account for years, if I didn't have one I wouldn't be here writing this. It is very frustrating. It has only let me add my g-mail account but not my Iprimus one and that is my main email that I use.

[BriangBrian_Gilshenan]

Will the new email app and desktop be faster to recieve e-mails from people as the current one is very slow.

[mapuzanov]

when to expect unified inbox, it was promised back in April?

[RheemHM]

I'm curious if the new Outlook for Windows app set to be released in 2024 will also have a toggle button to revert to the classic Outlook interface. Currently, users of the Mail app and the classic Outlook app can press a toggle button, but will this option be visible for accounts created after September 2024 in the new Outlook app as well?

[ArchitectChuck]

Public Folders in New Outlook

This is a huge Microsoft Mistake in the New Outlook.

The New Outlook is designed to not allow access to all Public Folders!

I received the following response from Technical Support after several weeks of telling them about the problem and after they researched the issue, they responded: "We did the test and investigation on our test machine and found that 'All Public folders' can't be accessed at once like in Classic Outlook. In New Outlook each Public folder has to be added manually for Windows and it is by internal design."

I'm not sure who is leading the design team, but this is a huge mistake. Microsoft setup Public folders to allow a company to share project related email with staff. In our public folders, we have a large number projects and folders in Public Folders. This has been available since at least before 2011. I am sure we are not alone. It currently works perfectly. Why would Microsoft arbitrarily decide to not support a system that works well as it is???? If they are worried about the size of the database, allow users to create an online archive as you do with personal email?

Other forum members, please let Microsoft know this is not acceptable.

[Silenus1358]

The features that I am most looking forward to are picture formatting, PST support (only so that I can access my old archives directly- archiving was a major advantage of Outlook over other mail clients. I hope that better POP3 support will allow email rules in G -mail administered accounts. Yale gives me a G-mail account that uses the domain aya.yale.edu. This account may be used in the New Outlook, but I cannot create rules.  In one recent email the lack of better tables was a problem.  I am not totally anti Microsoft. A recent change in Win 10 photos allows me to use Nikon NEF files that an older version of Photoshop will not open. I am opposed to paying yet another monthly fee to Adobe to use a program that is not that often used by a nonprofessional.  The grammar checker is helpful. I am a afraid a PhD in Victorian Lit. from an Ivy League university agrees that some corrections are wrong. How do I report these for Microsoft's benefit?

[Michael_Bowes]

I am still enjoying the new version of Outlook but there are a couple of other annoying things I have noticed:

1. I am in the UK and the spelling checker is coming up with US English words. Is it possible to change the setting to English?

2. When typing I get autocomplete suggesting things to complete the sentence, but when I try to save them they disappear.  Is this just AI suggesting things for me to write or am I meant to be able to save this text?

[ArchitectChuck]

Thank you, Caitlin.

We absolutely need to have access to all Public Folders in the New Outlook.  We have project emails that have been shared by our staff in public folders since 2011.  That has always been Outlook's method of allowing different team members to share important project emails with other team members.  Limiting access to select Public Folders through favorites does not work.  We probably have over a thousand of shared folders.  The current system has worked great for years!

Why not add the ability to create an online archive of older folders as you do with personal email if you are concerned about the size of the database?

Limited access to Public Folders in my opinion is not an option.

[Bruce Roberts]

@Michael_Bowes 

1. Open a new message or reply, then Options on the ribbon, then Proofing, Editor, Editor settings, Manage spellcheck languages, then Add, Delete or move up or down.

2. Try Tab key.

[Ugamoorthi]

Worst part of new outlook is poor attachment handling, and not at all comfortable with current architecture for handling attachment. We must need offline attachments as default feature.

Also, the current outlook mirroring web - this makes app too slow, also dictionary and spelling prediction taks huge time - deadly slow.

[Michael_Bowes]

Many thanks Bruce. The Options menu enabled me to set everything for UK use - language, time, etc.

Still waiting for Microsoft to set up a shared inbox to combine MS and Google emails as they have in the current Outlook then I will be happy.

[Silvio57]

Hi. My email has the extension @outlook.it ( I live in Italy) . I tried several time to load the new Outlook but it says that my address is not recognised. Do you plan something about it ? Thanks a lot . Silvio

[Silenus1358]

Another Issue?

In the old Outlook when forwarding an email from an exchange account one could press on the "From Address" and change it to a non-exchange account. It is still possible to see a list of one's non exchange accounts (that are in new Outlook), but it appears that after changing the "From:" address one has a blank message with no reference to the message that one wants to forward. I imagine a (needless) solution would be to forward the message directly to one's own non exchange account and re-forward it again from there. The problem is that many people don't know me by my exchange account email. 

[Ed244]

Although the new Outlook supports support ouploading a calendar from an ICS file, it will only show the calendar of your outlook account for import. It is not possible to upload it to a different  one (e.g. Icloud). Why is that?

[xoxidein]

When are you going to fix Shared Mailboxes so they aren't shoved under "Shared with me"?

When are you going to make notifications appear when a message comes into a Shared Mailbox?

When are you going to make Shared Mailbox message counter work without having to click on the inbox?

[Ugamoorthi]

Core issue of new outlook - attachments handling and preloading content - its most depends on the live internet and feels like browser not like application.

Hence change the architecture of application make sure its downloading the data for usage - dictionary, spell correction all needs to be local stored.

Mainly attachments should be opened directly from application to application instead of preview and following a complex path which is irritating!!

[Nathan Roberts]

Hey there, 

When is the ToDo app going to be built into the new Outlook app, like it is in the old version?

Nathan

[Steskalj]

@caithart and @Gabo  The current new Outlook is just a webview2 wrapper of OWA. Which is not what people want. We want a modern "Native" Outlook that supports pst files, works off-line, supports on-prem exchange, has com interoperability, allows plug-ins to be built in C#, etc.. . Look at the original post. There have been only 10 likes. Any future apps need to be native and not just a web wrapper.  It would be great to understand why the decision was made to make a flawed webapp, the "New" Outlook.

[thx1200]

Microsoft really just created an app that goes to the Outlook website and they are tooting their own horn like it's so kind of innovative application.  lmao

[Silenus1358]

@SteskaljAgree that while PST support is promised this is really necssary for those of us who have been using Outlook for years. A major problem at the moment is the inabilty to get information from old Archive files w/o going back to the "old" Outlook.  It appears as if the New Outlook strongly favors users who are using exchange email servers. I'm not one of them and my primary email is not on the outlook.com domain.

[Stephen Buchsbaum]

Hi,

Are there any ways to edit an existing email account? My ISP just changed the IMAP settings, and I can't seem to find a way to just change the "Hostname".

Thanks

Stephen 

[zimmie67]

Someone else may have suggested this; but adding back in RSS feeds would be good. I use them for updates on MS365, Azure,  and other news/updates.
thanks

[Roffor10]

I still don't understand why they don't implement compatibility with POP3 accounts, is it that complicated? I love the interface and the new functions but without this feature it is unusable for me.

Sigo sin entender por que no implementan la compatibilidad con cuentas POP3, es tan complicado? Me encanta la interfaz y las nuevas funciones pero sin esta caracteristica es para mi inutilizable.

[WNG15]

When will the reminder feature for outgoing emails become available? This is a very important tool I used in classic Outlook. Before sending an email, you were able to set a due date & reminder for a specific date & time in the future. You would receive a pop-up reminder on the due date with the email thread in the task. This is a critical tool to help manage client communication and make sure tasks & projects stay on schedule. In the new Outlook, the flag option for emails in my inbox only offers "today, tomorrow, next week, or no date". I am unable to select a specific date & time. There is also no current option to set these reminders on outgoing emails. 

I understand you can create tasks from emails in your inbox or set a reminder after the email has been sent. However, this creates additional steps and is less efficient. Please bring this feature back to new Outlook as soon as possible. 

[EndUser1952]

The new Outlook is great and better than the paid Apps I have been using (Mailbird ).

Two suggestions:

1.  A combined inbox of different email accounts

2.  Access to the Windows 11 Taskbar at the bottom

[RichF_in_Chicago3452]

For BillKirst, I would uninstall and Re-install after reboot, also clear the Certis in credential manger

[bobby_le_marconiste]

Hi

When scarlet.be IMAP email addresses work in the new Outlook?

The username for scarlet.be is different from the email address, that's just the way it is.
In the old mail and calendar app it worked perfectly

Regards

[LBlasdell]

Hello - can you tell me how I can retrieve access to my global address listing in a calendar meeting invite? (using the 'New' Microsoft Outlook platform) Formerly, there was a "To" button that I could use to search for attendees. 

[afhdoh]

A few issues with this new version I'm trying out:

• Flagging emails no longer provides you the option of customizing reminders
• Unable to specify location to download/save attachments to
• Shared mailboxes have disappeared?
• No clear way to submit feedback to Microsoft through the app
• No clear way to revert back to Outlook classic

[ChrisSmith_FWPBIDev]

Update: I responded hastily earlier on an Outlook frustration I was dealing with. I didn't do enough diligence. I was wrong. I would remove my post altogether but since there have been a couple of replies (thank you), I'll leave it for posterity. 

@Jörg Maletzky You're not missing anything. Once again, they've rolled out this new app when it's not ready for primetime while removing tons of functionality from the old Outlook version. They've dumbed down their best-in-class email application because they're so hell bent on making sure we're using Copilot. 

No undo action any longer? Why? Who's the genius that thought removing this would be a good idea. He/she should be fired on the spot.

[Bruce Roberts]

@ChrisSmith_FWPBIDev 

Undo is an icon at the right end of the ribbon home tab; or, as shown by the hover tooltip there, use Ctrl+Z or Alt+Backspace.

[thx1200]

@ChrisSmith_FWPBIDevAt $30/user/month, Copilot is going to flop once management at early adopters realize it's not going to actually replace headcount (that is currently what they are banking on).  Very few tech innovations create that kind of efficiency.  Especially one that still requires so much manual massaging and can't be trusted to not "hallucinate."  I don't know if the New Outlook is a copilot decision as much as it is that the old timers that built Outlook are all retiring and the new generation of developers can't handle C++ and native development as readily as web technologies, so MS is super anxious to make the web version the only version to try to gain development efficiency.  I get the thinking, but I think it's a bad idea.  One of the differentiating factors for Office is that the desktop apps are super fast, memory efficient (relatively), and powerful native apps.  If I'm going to get a limited, slow web app as a replacement, why would I just not use Google Workspace?  It's cheaper.  Office 365's competitive advantage doesn't exist without the native apps.  It's truly a strange decision.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing against the cloud, Exchange Online is absolutely fantastic compared to the on-prem days, but the web apps just are not nearly as good.  It's just a fact.  And I posit that they can never be as good, because despite over ten years of development, there is no web GUI framework that feels nearly as good as native.  You only need to look at Teams to see this.  Teams just feels off.  Sometimes it's hard to articulate, but it's because it's a wrapped web app.  A lot of desktop conventions just don't translate.  There is the loading spinner EVERYWHERE.  It's kind of sluggish.  It uses more memory than it has any right to.  It's just not as good as a native app (think back to previous generation chat apps that were all extremely snappy, used little resources, and got out of your way so you could work).

[Andy_P186]

It is crazy what is happening in the forums.  No responses, updates but more uncontrolled software releases creating a self defeating issue for Microsoft and competitive advantage to competitors. I have tried dozens of ways to get responses particularly to the outlook beta disaster.  
Have others notices on the web wrap outlook if you hit settings cog, email, sync email a message says no access.  But if you do same on the beta you see your email accounts and can add etc.  It is a joke.

[ChrisSmith_FWPBIDev]

@Bruce Roberts Thank you. One of those found it after I posted moments. Not my best moment. Thank you for the help.

[ChrisSmith_FWPBIDev]

@thx1200 Interesting perspective about C++. I hadn't considered it quite like that but makes sense. Certainly, something to consider. 

Another advantage of the new Outlook is the simplicity of adding other accounts. Super fast and no more .PSTs or .OSTs (though I guess the latter isn't necessarily new).

With you 100% on Teams. 

[mande1191]

@bobby_le_marconiste 

I think the user name in Outlook new is usually the e-mail address, in contrast to Outlook classic or possibly also the web application.
(Copilot / CPT-4 confirms this  )

Good luck!

[Teresa_Cyrus]

Hi All,

New Outlook Update: As of January 18, 2024

In this thread, I will respond to many New Outlook feature questions.  I will include timestamped videos when appropriate.

@Sebastian_Moinhinwech Categories Sort Capabilities: It is now available. 
Video: https://youtu.be/5jSYp5Vy_dg?si=xbQDlCEIPfgwDPsm&t=356

@Marine_Adz Pin Shared Mailbox to Favorites -  Based on the Feedback Hub, MS is considering this feature. Please vote. Additional Shared Mailbox Improvements are on MS backlog list. 

CALENDAR

@zimmie67 Set Priority Status on an Event: Not yet available. Not sure if it is on the backlog list. 

Copy & Paste Calendar Event: Replaced with Duplicate Event Feature. You can right-click on any calendar event. Choose Duplicate Event. See Image below. 

@BearsPunch Documents open in desktop apps instead of web version. It now available.

@Thierry85520 @saigkill RSS Feed:  Based on the feedback portal, this functionality is classified as Open. Feel free to vote for this functionality.

@Rgates59 Add/Drag Email to the Calendar is now available—short Video.

@Kalesh1Kumar Recall Feature is now available. Check out this video. 

Auto Capitalization/Spelling Check: Still on  MS backlog list.  Check out this video to understand what you can do.

Michael_Bowes: Saving Autocomplete Suggestions. I had to return to Outlook Classic to update the auto-complete suggestions. See this thread for details.

Unified Inbox: I don't know where MS stands on this functionality. I suspect they are considering security.  Based on the feedback portal, the status states Open. Feel free to give MS Feedback or vote for this feature. I did. 

@Michael_Bowes, Pick a local folder to save attachments. This feature's availability is coming in January 2024.

@Silenus1358 Picture Formatting: Set pictures before/behind text or align the pictures. Based on the feedback portal, the status states Open. Feel free to give MS Feedback or vote for this feature.

RheemHM Revert to Outlook Classic Timelines. Check out this video. It covers MS Strategy and Timelines for Mail, Classic, and New Outlook. 

@ArchitectChuck Public Folders: This functionality is still on the MS backlog list.

@xoxidein Shared Mailboxes as Accounts are coming in July 2024. Shared Mailboxes can be added as Accounts in the new Outlook for Windows. The Shared Mailbox will appear at the Account Level in the Folder list. Access to the Shared Mailbox requires the user's credentials and associated permissions.

@Nathan Roberts To Do App opens in New Outlook for Windows is coming in late January 2024.

I hope this helps.  You can watch this dedicated video playlist for additional New Outlook tips, tricks, and news. 

/Teresa
#traccreations4e

[AlanPBourke]

@thx1200 They are indeed hell bent on wedging Copilot (aka Super Clippy) into everything. As to the C++ question, I wouldn't necessarily agree. C++ is still easily in the top 5 if not top 3 programming languages in terms of usage worldwide. The entire Windows codebase is probably C and C++, the entire games industry revolves around it. There's plenty of young C++ smarts out there. 

[Teresa_Cyrus]

Hi afhdoh, 

I am an independent advisor answering New Outlook questions. 

A few issues with this new version I'm trying out:

• Flagging emails no longer provides you the option of customizing reminders
  • You can set reminders, dues dates, and more. Flagged Items are part of the To-Do App and My Day. See this thread for details.
    
    
• Unable to specify location to download/save attachments to
  • Expected Rollout date: January 2024
    
• Shared mailboxes have disappeared?
  • The shared mailbox improvements are coming in July 2024
  • Some shared mailboxes are located under Share With Me.
    Watch this video.
• No clear way to submit feedback to Microsoft through the app
  • From the ribbon, select Help | Feedback
• No clear way to revert back to Outlook classic
  • From the ribbon, select Help | Go to Classic
    

If you find this information helpful, please like it, which will assist others with the same questions.

/Teresa
#traccreations4e 01182024

[Petri X]

Is me who is blind, or why I cannot find the way to marking different calendar events with different color anymore? Also the colors what I made earlier on older Outlook client are lost on the new Outlook.

[Teresa_Cyrus]

@Petri X 

I understand you cannot find the settings to change a Calendar Event color.

Colorize Specific Events with Categories

Method 1: Right-click on an event, select a category, and assign a category.

Method 2: New Event | Choose Categories from the Ribbon| Assign a colorized category

Color Code Calendar Account

Also, you can change the Calendar Account color in New Outlook. All events associated with the account will have the same color unless you colorize with category-specific events. 

You can change the account color by right-clicking and selecting "Color."

Note that the color choices have been updated for all Microsoft applications as of Q4 2023. If you want to change Microsoft's default colors, choose "Custom."

.  

/Teresa

#traccreations4e

[mande1191]

@Teresa_Cyrus 

‎Jan 18 2024 10:12 AM great summary.

It would also be very good if MS would also include such detailed help in the help function and/or in the tips.

[mande1191]

Allow me to make a few additions. I hope that's right for you.

Add/Drag Email to the Calendar

If the "Meeting" icon is not present in the "Respond" ribbon group, as in my case (Microsoft 365 Family). This action can also be found here.

 

Alternatively, you can also create a QuickStep with the action "Reply with meeting". From my point of view, the calendar of the corresponding email account is always used. Perhaps the calendar can be freely selected in future?

 

Tip: If the invited attendees have been removed, the "Meeting" must be saved. Cancelling or discarding the meeting results in all original attendees receiving a cancellation email, which can be "bad" depending on the number of attendees. MS calls this "expected behaviour".

Perhaps the best way would be for MS to programme a QuickStep action "Create Event". Then attendees would not have to be removed. This function/action already exists in Outlook classic,

 

[anthonyajlesqcom]

Auto Capitalization (especially the stand alone I) and Auto Spell Check are huge issues that need to be fixed.  Now.  

[Petri X]

Hi @Teresa_Cyrus 

Thank you for sharing this, but unfortunately that I have already found :)

I would like use colors on my own calendar like in a previous version. It is super helpful to handled calendar when you have lot of overlapping and other events in there, like Education, OnCalls, Hairdress..