Updated: Use Groups in the Outlook mobile app; Outlook Groups app is retiring
Published Feb 08 2018 09:58 AM 35.6K Views
Microsoft

Last April, we introduced native support for Office 365 Groups in the Outlook mobile app. We’ve been improving the group experiences in the Outlook mobile app ever since, and today we’re pleased to share some new ways to get more done with Office 365 Groups right from Outlook.

  • In the next few months, we’ll be bringing you the ability to access all files that are stored in groups’ document libraries inside the Outlook mobile app.
  • We’ll also be bringing roaming favorites so you can pin groups, folders, and more to your navigation pane for easier access across Outlook in all your devices.

 These enhancements complement the work we’ve been doing over the past nine months inside the Outlook mobile app, including group creation and editing, which shipped late last year, as well as the ability you see your groups’ recent files, which we introduced earlier this year. This work is a part of our continuing efforts to advance Microsoft 365 as the universal toolkit for teamwork and complements similar investments that we’re making in Teams and Yammer.

 

By embedding groups functionality into the Outlook mobile app, we’re investing in group experiences to make teamwork effortless, while removing the need to install and use a separate app. Office 365 customers who are using the standalone Outlook Groups app should make plans to transition away in the next few months. On March 26, the app will be removed from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Microsoft Store. Then, the app will stop working on May 1, 2018. Between mid-March and May 1, users that have the app may continue using it, but after May 1, the app will not function.

 

For more details about the retirement of the app, please refer to this article. If you are an admin and received a notice today in the Office 365 Message Center, it means one or more people in your organization are using the Outlook Groups app. If you didn’t receive a notice in Message Center, you don’t need to take any action.

 

Thank you to those of you who used the Outlook Groups app over the years. Your feedback has helped to shape the Groups experience in Outlook—and helps us understand many other ways we can improve Groups experiences across Office 365. Please keep the suggestions flowing over in our UserVoice site.

 

—Groups Team

 

Learn more about groups in the Outlook mobile app here.

Learn what features are coming to the Outlook mobile app here.

 

Update: The mid-March date for removal of the Groups app is now set to March 26.

38 Comments
Silver Contributor

This makes so much sense, native support in Outlook app is definitely the way forward especially with the enhancements mentioned. Thanks for the update.

Silver Contributor

I disagree.  And the app shouldn't be removed until you give full access to all the things the app can currently do.

 

That means files, notebook, membership, planner, and SharePoint launch icons from the Group in Outlook.

 

And groups need to be way easier too find and access than where they are very buried currently.

Brass Contributor

This is a good thing, as my users don't want to jump to another app to access the type of information (email) that they're used to getting in one app (Outlook/mail client).  Agreed though that they need to add all group features before retiring the old apps.

 

I am very much hoping that this will finally provide an easy shared calendar access on an app.  This is one of may largest complaints of my users regarding O365 over Google Apps, which will display all shared calendars in the mobile devices' calendar application.  If the Outlook app will display at least Groups calendars, then it'll be a step forward.

 

My problem is there's such overlap between Groups and Teams.  It all needs to combine and simplify.

Steel Contributor

My greatest concern is that currently the Groups app is the only way to manage group calendars on mobile. It must not stop working before the Outlook app gets this capability.

Microsoft

 @Zoltan Bagyon, by default, events that you send to a group will land in all members' inboxes as well as your own calendar, so meeting attendees and yourself will still be able to see and accept their meeting invites.

 

Could you tell us more about your use case of how you use calendaring in the current Outlook Groups app? We'd love to hear how you use the group calendar on the go as we plan new functionality in the Outlook mobile app.

Steel Contributor

Thanks @Ethan Li for responding to my concern. We are using group calendars like a "wall calendar", just to let team members know / give them an idea what events are planned. Such are needless to be added to team members' individual calendars, but a group calendar used this way is great to surface such events. Now, if the Outlook app won't be able to display group calendars and the Groups app will stop working, then we feel we'll loose functionality on mobile platforms.

Copper Contributor

Not being able to see group calendars in the Outlook is a common complaint from clients I work with as well.

Silver Contributor

IMO this all stems from the token response of "O365 Groups is nothing more than a membership service".  Groups is a perfectly viable collaboration platform.  It is an interconnected set of services that allows people to get something done.  That alone warrants its own app, nothing fancy just a launching point to the different services.

 

Our users approach Groups by going to a particular group, and working across the different services.  Not going to a particular service and working across the different Groups.  Thats why I also feel this move is pressure from the Teams team to drive users into Teams instead of Groups.

 

 

We use the calendars the exact same way mentioned above.   Could be things like out of office calendars, major milestones, etc.  This will get only worse when the ability to add appointments (with no actual email invites) to Group calendars fully rolls out (instead of everything is an invite).

Copper Contributor

We are strongly disagree for this action, as our company is very rely the Groups Calendar for our daily schedule on Groups mobile apps!

For example: apply staff leaves, arrange sales appointments, arrange marketing meeting, arrange design schedule, etc.

 

So, access the Groups Calendar on mobile apps is most important for us.

But this moment, no way to access Groups Calendar on mobile Outlook apps, SharePoint apps or other mobile apps.

 

Please suggest another solution to access the Groups Calendar on mobile apps intends.

Or please update the Outlook mobile apps with Groups Calendar ASAP.

 

One more things, this Outlook Groups apps is the most easier way to access the Groups Conversation, Groups Files, Groups Calendar, Groups Notebook on one apps. If separate it, the core value of the Groups will be gone.

Copper Contributor

This is disappointing to hear, our company uses the file share in groups very heavily and we have integrated into our daily work flows so our field personnel working from iPads can all be working from the same files. 

 

Currently there is way to access all the files from outlook, from what I can see it only shows you the last five documents shared or updated. 

 

I think they need to leave the groups app active until they have all the proper functionality in outlook. 

Copper Contributor

I don't agree with the decision to bury Groups in the Outlook app but removing the Groups app before you provide full functionality in Outlook is inexcusable. The Groups app should absolutely remain active until Groups in Outlook is fully featured.

Copper Contributor

I would like to echo the need to be able to view Group Calendars on mobile. My team uses this feature to be aware of events even if they are not on the individual’s calendar. How will we view Group Calendars on mobile when the Groups app retires?

Copper Contributor

When you manage several email addresses and groups, the ease of access and notification provided by the groups app is helpful.  The way we utilize groups is for the most important stuff (customer inquiries, etc) that we did not want to get buried in the rest of the outlook muck.   I think it a mistake to not have another option; some will like it in Outlook App, others will like to have it separate; so do both.  To do otherwise, shows a lack of essential understanding of how the technology is leveraged in the real world outside of major enterprises.  We should be able to leverage the technology in the way that best meets our individual business needs.  

 

Deleted
Not applicable

We need access to add events or edit events in the group calendar on devices other than our computer.  You have taken that option away and have seriously limited our functionality.  Please find a way to add that feature in Outlook.  

Copper Contributor

Is there a way to view and add events to a group calendar on the Outlook app for iOS? If not, are there plans to develop this?

Microsoft

@Stephen Williams, @Deleted, @BENJAMIN GERTNER, you can send meeting invitations to a group, which will be sent to users' inboxes as well as to the group's calendar. We are currently working on allowing users to view the events that are on their group calendar.

 

We're also currently investigating on what the best way to add appointments onto the group calendar; however, we don't have timelines to share on this right now.

 

Follow along on the Office 365 roadmap here: https://products.office.com/en-US/business/office-365-roadmap?filters=%26freeformsearch=View%20group%20events

Copper Contributor

@Ethan Li, any update on when we'll be able to view group calendars in the Outlook app?  It looked like on the roadmap you provided that an estimated date for this functionality is June 2018.  Is that accurate?

Copper Contributor

Can someone help me.  I can see groups in the outlook app,  and post conversations but I can't delete posts even though I'm the owner of the group.  Also,  I can't see how to access the group files.  Thank you. 

Copper Contributor

 What aboutour Windows Phone users?  Outlook Groups app is not working anymore and the mail app doesn't support groups...

Copper Contributor

¿Any new about can read groups on windows phone? cant even read them from edge in windows phone.

Brass Contributor

@Ethan Li

Can you tell us when the Outlook app will support files access?

Now that the Groups app has been discontinued, our 2500 active users have no way to access their files on-the-go.

Appreciate any guidance you can provide.

Copper Contributor

@Pierrick BarreauWhy not use the OneDrive App?

Brass Contributor

@Steve Stryhalaleck Yes, you are correct.

For the moment we guide them towards that solution.

It's just that the previous Groups app was more integrated.

Thanks

 

Deleted
Not applicable

The problem is the calendar.  This calendar is the only one my group uses and I am always on the road.  And need to update it several times daily.  I can't do that until I get back to my desktop at the end of the day and it is causing productivity issues

Brass Contributor

@Ethan LiSo when are the push notification and like function from the groups app coming to outlook for IOS? Now 3 months since the app was removed from our devices and we cannot find these anywere. These functions really kept global teams extra productive...

Copper Contributor

any new about office groups on windows phone?

Copper Contributor

Hi, I also would like to add the concern of the groups calendar. Using owa is cumbersome and lacks functionality. Especially as I use my iPhone calendar app for everything except work related group events I often find my self double booking when they're not available at the same place. Wouldn't mind using outlook mobile if it would show group calendar as well as it shows eg google calendars.

Copper Contributor

@Ethan Li I agree with the comments, my main current problem with the Groups is not being able to see the calendar on the go in the outlook app. Its bad enough that the usual calendar sharing doesnt work for my group of people that vitally needs a shared calendar, but not being able to see the Office Group calendar in the app is another thing that blocks me from using it in its current state. Please fix the app so that Groups functions can be used in the app, the people who are often on the go really need it. Thank you.

Copper Contributor

We need the Group Calendar and Group Files (both with assignable user read/write permissions) available and usable in Outlook on Mac and iOS without having to go and mess with settings and only be able to edit/access in O365 Admin, OWA, Powershell, Teams, Sharepoint.

1. Setup a Group in Outlook (on any device/platform)

2. Set permissions, grant access

3. Automatically have the Group Calendar events and Files pushed and viewable in Group members’ Outlook (regardless of platform); without members having to add events from the Group Calendar to their own Calendar.

3. Add/edit Group calendar events subject to Admin permissions

4. Share/view Group files with read/write subject to Admin permissions)

 

If this is currently doable, please let me know or get in touch.

 

Thank you!

Brass Contributor

We need easy access to group files within just one app, so do you know, when that will be possible? Thank you for an informative article.

Copper Contributor
Our college is considering moving from Shared Outlook Calendars to O365 Group Calendars. With mobile such a big platform these days, making group calendars visible in the Outlook mobile apps will be important for many users. Based on current use of shared calendars my prediction is that most calendar events will be created in the group without sending invitations to members.
Copper Contributor

@Ethan LiHi Ethan. Is there any word on when an O365 Group Calendar can be viewed in the Outlook app for iOS or Android? This is a feature that is really needed, as most of our group users are mobile and rely in a shared calendar to view Group events. 

Thanks.

PaulC

Copper Contributor

Hi All, ONE YEAR later. Microsoft still did not give us a solution properly about the Groups Calendar on the mobile device. We are really disappointed with Microsoft Corporation. These few years, Microsoft always destroy our user experience. So, we looking for another platform can help us instead.

Brass Contributor

Why don't you move to Microsoft Teams instead? The problem at my school is that we teach low literate foreign students, where Teams seems to be somewhat too advanced and the original Groups app met all our needs.

Best wishes Linda Drowe 

Copper Contributor

Yeah, someday Microsoft Corporation will announce "Team App is retiring".
Can you make sure that will not happen?

The O365 is a one-stop solution platform to help the enterprise. But now, Microsoft Corporation is destroying the advantage.

All the user needs to adapt to their change by change. As the new service of Microsoft Corporation is not designed well before launch. And need to retire the new service. Also, it did not provide any solution instead.

That why more enterprise migrated to other platforms these few years.

Good luck Microsoft!

Copper Contributor

still not seeing it on my mobile outlook 

Copper Contributor

Still waiting to view group calendars. I tried adding the group email to my calendars but it said "group calendars not supported at this time". I really need it for work and it is a big disappointment.

Copper Contributor
Just an update to the group calendar sharing in the Outlook app. When adding the group calendar to my iphone I get an error message reading "Can't add Calendar, You can't open Groups calendars at this time." But the calendar does appear in my calendar list and I can view the events. I'm not sure what the error is but I was able to add the Groups calendar to the Outlook app.
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‎Mar 22 2018 03:18 PM
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