Microsoft guides organizations to facilitate the move to new Outlook for Windows

Currently, the app is in preview but soon will be available to general public

4 min. read

Published onMarch 8, 2024

published onMarch 8, 2024

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Microsoft made the new Outlook available for individuals in September 2023. For businesses and organizations, the new Outlook is currently in preview and will soon be available for the general public.

As Microsoft moves towards general availability, organizations are curious to know how to prepare for the changes and the future availability of classic Outlook. Therefore, Microsoft has offered an outline to guide companies.

In thenew blog post, they mentioned that it is a three-stage process, Opt in, Opt out, and Cutover, which can allow customers to evaluate, prepare, and migrate to the new Outlook.

The Redmond tech giant used the same strategy in 2022 when it released the newest version of Mac, and since it was successful, it is using the approach for the new Outlook for Windows.

Opt in

Currently, for commercial accounts, the new Outlook is in Stage 1: Opt in. In this stage, you can see Try the new Outlook toggle on the upper right corner of the Classic Outlook. The New Outlook is disabled by default, and you need to toggle it on to switch to the new app.

Also, if you don’t find the features and workflow you need in the new app, you can always toggle off the switch to get back to Classic Outlook.

The company also mentioned:

In this stage, we will maintain the ability for users to run both classic and new Outlook side by side, allowing them to compare their experiences while working seamlessly across both products. Feedback is a critical part of this stage. Each time a user toggles back to classic Outlook, they are asked to provide feedback on their experience. This feedback, along with many other sources, is helping drive the development of features, and is informing our readiness for the next stage.

Opt out

Once the feature development and quality assessment period is over, the next stage is Opt out, and the new Outlook will be on by default, which means the users will get the new Outlook experience automatically

Microsoft also informed that the transition to this stage will be collaborative. The organizations will be given 12 months’ notice before implementation, and IT admins will have the choice to move earlier if necessary.

Cutover

In the Cutover stage, companies can no longer return to classic Outlook, and all new Microsoft 365 subscriptions will include new Outlook for Windows.

Again, the company assured us that the transition would be collaborative. The businesses will be informed 12 months beforehand, and IT admins will still have the choice to move to the new Outlook earlier.

The Redmond tech giant also informed that existing installations of Classic Outlook for Windows via perpetual licensing will still be supported, and the cutover stage doesn’t mean the end of support for it. Furthermore, they mentioned that the support will be provided until at least 2029 as per published support timelines.

As already mentioned, the new Outlook for Windows is available for businesses to use, provide feedback, and prepare for the migration, and Microsoft has laid out a plan for the future.

So, as for the businesses, Microsoft wants them to prepare their organization:

To ensure a smooth transition, engage stakeholders, assess workflow impact, and initiate early readiness planning.

Have you tried the new Outlook? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Microsoft guides organizations to facilitate the move to new Outlook for Windows