The following articles were included in our Exchange Messaging Outlook (EMO) newsletter published on December 12, 2024.
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Today's Highlights »
- Classic Outlook is NOT going away in 2026
- PST Support in New Outlook
- Changes to Outlook Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA)
- Warn Before Deleting a Contact
- Calling Support Phone Numbers
Some subscribers did not receive last week's issue. It's available at Volume 29 Issue 35.
This is the last issue for 2024. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday season and a happy new year. Exchange Messaging Outlook will resume in early January 2025
Classic Outlook is NOT going away in 2026
A user saw an article recently published by a well-known online tech magazine, which said “classic Outlook is scheduled to go out of service by the end of April 2026.”
The user went on to add “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to ditch Outlook, especially for an on-line version! “
First, classic Outlook is good until 2029, if not longer. (I’m hoping longer… I need VBA and PowerShell support). But Microsoft wants to push users into it (even though right now, the haters outnumber the people who like it) so they are changing from opt-in (you decide if you want to try new Outlook) to opt -out, where Microsoft switches you to new Outlook and you decide if you want to switch back.
Secondly, while I am not a fan of new Outlook, especially for users who do not use outlook.com or Microsoft 365 business mailboxes, new Outlook is not “an online version”. It is a desktop app that uses the same scripts as Outlook on the web, but with a current max of 180 days for local caching if you are disconnected from the internet. (Offline options are in View tab > View Settings > General > Offline. Settings are per-account.)
In 2025 for Business Standard and in 2026 for Enterprise licenses, Microsoft will be switching new Outlook on for users, who will still be able to switch back to classic. Users will receive a warnings via in-app notifications before Microsoft switches them to new Outlook.
From Microsoft article at Switch to new Outlook for Windows, it is explained like this:
Small and Medium Businesses
Starting January 2025 and over the following months, if you are a classic Outlook user on the Current Channel with a Business plan, you will automatically be switched to the new Outlook after receiving a series of in-app notifications. You can choose to switch back to classic Outlook at any time, using the toggle in new Outlook. Both users and IT Admins can also turn off the automatic switch if not ready to try the new Outlook.
Users will not be switched to new Outlook if one or more of the following is true:
1. New Outlook toggle is hidden via policy
2. Perpetual license is in use
3. If using an account not supported in new Outlook (which should only be on-prem Exchange mailboxes)
4. Admin set a policy blocking it
To hide the new Outlook toggle (item 1) see Use Classic Outlook, not New Outlook for the registry key you need to set. (I have a ready-to-use reg file available.)
Information on the policy for Microsoft 365 administrators to block the switch (item 4) is here: Control the installation and use of new Outlook
Who should not switch to new Outlook? Anyone using COM add-ins or VBA (or PowerShell) to extend or automate classic Outlook. Anyone using custom views or client-side rules may want to stay on classic Outlook as new Outlook does not support custom views and rule options are limited.
For POP and IMAP accounts, my main issue is that the new Outlook pulls your mail into the Microsoft Cloud then syncs it to new Outlook rather than connecting the app directly to the mailbox. Offline caching is limited to up to 180 days of messages.
The "Microsoft Cloud" is what allows it to sync calendar and contacts from Gmail, Yahoo, and iCloud. If you use those accounts and want the calendar and contacts to sync, definitely try new Outlook. (The Outlook mobile apps work the same way - syncing your mailbox to the Microsoft cloud, which syncs with the app.)
You can use both classic Outlook and new Outlook, including both at the same time. (I often have both Outlooks open.) Switch on Try new Outlook, set up the accounts and pin new Outlook to the taskbar. Then toggle off New Outlook. If the toggle is missing in the upper right of the app, look on the Help tab for the “Go to classic Outlook” button.
Tip: When you remove an account from new Outlook and are asked if you want to remove it from all devices, selecting Yes will delete the mailbox from the cloud server. If you are using the Outlook mobile app, you will need to remove the account from Outlook mobile and add it back.
Microsoft published articles for administrators in the message center:
If the tenant has Business Standard license, they will have this article Toggle to new Outlook (MC926895)
Summary
Starting January 6, 2025, Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Premium users will be switched from classic to new Outlook for Windows. Users can revert to classic Outlook and provide feedback. The rollout requires no admin action but can be managed through a new policy.
Tenants with Enterprise subscriptions will have a message at Toggle to new Outlook (MC949965)
Summary
Starting April 2026, Microsoft 365 for Enterprise users will be switched from classic to new Outlook for Windows, with the option to revert back. This change aims to enhance user experience with modern features. Organizations are notified to prepare, with automatic rollout requiring no admin action but allowing opt-out options.
PST Support in New Outlook
PST support is beginning to roll out to new Outlook users. Currently the PST files are read-only; you cannot mark the messages read or unread, reply, forward, or delete the messages in the PST. While you can’t copy a message to paste into a new message as an attachment, you can copy the message bodies.
To see if PST support is available in your copy of new Outlook, go to View tab > View settings > General > Outlook Data Files. It should be available to Microsoft 365 software subscribers who have joined the Insider program for Office. (The Insider program is open to all subscribers. Look for the option on the File > Account page in any Office app. )
For the latest updates, see:
Changes to Outlook Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA)
The diagnostics available in the Outlook Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) utility are now in the Windows Get Help troubleshooting portal. The Support tool button on Outlook’s Help tab now points to Running troubleshooters in Get Help
The classic Outlook troubleshooters are at Classic Outlook troubleshooters
For more information on this change, see How to use Outlook Support and Recovery Assistant diagnostics in Windows Get Help
Warn Before Deleting a Contact
A user came to me with a problem: he had a habit of deleting the entire contact when he was just trying to delete a value from one field. He wanted to know if there was way to warn him so he didn't need to retrieve the contact from the Deleted items folder and move it back to the Contacts folder.
The only solution, other than being more careful, is to use VBA to warn you when deleting contacts. When you delete a contact, it actually moves it to the Deleted Items folder, so you’ll also be warned if you move a contact to a new folder. This is not a problem if you only have one contacts folder, but if you use more than one contacts folder, the macro can check the MoveTo folder name and only warn if the name is “Deleted Items”. (IMAP users will need to change the folder name to Trash.)
I have two code samples. The first with selected contacts, the second one works with opened contacts. You can use both, but I split them into separate macros because hitting the Delete key or Delete icon when viewing the contacts is easier to do.
To avoid the warning when making a copy of the contact or when moving a contact out of the deleted items folder, the macro checks the folder the contact is in. If you are making a copy in the same folder or moving the contact to a folder not named “Deleted Items”, the macro ends. If you want to be warned when moving contacts to any folder, remove the line that checks the folder name.
These macros are for classic Outlook. (New Outlook does not support automation or scripting.)
Calling Support Phone Numbers
It’s imperative that you call the right number when you need tech support and may need to allow support to access your computer remotely. Calling the wrong number for help with hotel or airline reservations won’t put your computer at risk, but as a client found out, it could cost you more than it would if you called the correct number.
A client needed help with third party software and called what he thought was a legitimate support line that came up in google. The fake support said he needed to upgrade to a pricy non-existent version before they could help.
When you need to find a phone number for a company, do not google for the number. Go to the company’s website and look for the phone number.
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New & Updated Outlook Support Articles
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Other Resources
WTF Do I Do Now?: ViewLock - Outlook Lock and Unlock Views
A macro to lock and unlock views in classic Outlook. Basically, an improved version of the macro at How to prevent changes to Outlook views with a dialog so you can choose the folders to lock or unlock.