If you are missing classic Outlook on a new computer or after a Windows or Office update, see Classic Outlook missing from computers
Microsoft has two "new" Outlooks, one for MacOS and one for Windows. The Windows version will replace Windows Mail & Calendar in late 2024. Microsoft is hoping to eventually replace classic Outlook with new Outlook, but that is years away. It's just not robust and lacks too many features.
While you cannot turn off the option to try the new Outlook in Windows mail, you can turn it off in classic Outlook for Windows.
Remove Try New Outlook switch
If you want to disable the option "Try the new Outlook", you need to set this registry key then restart Outlook.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options\General DWORD: HideNewOutlookToggle Value: 1
If you don't want to edit the registry, you can open the Run command using Windows key + R and paste the following into the box.
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options\General" /v HideNewOutlookToggle /t REG_DWORD /d 00000001 /f
If you prefer to use .reg files, I have this ready-to-use registry file available:
HideNewOutlookToggle.reg
If you prefer to download as a compressed folder (.zip):
HideNewOutlookToggle.zip
Switch back to classic Outlook
To switch back to classic Outlook or Windows Mail, you will either have a New Outlook slider on the top right or an option on new Outlook's Help menu.
Slide New Outlook switch to the left to go back to classic Outlook (or windows Mail).
Click Go to classic Outlook (or Windows Mail.)
If you don’t have the slider to turn off the new Outlook or on the Help menu, and can’t find both Outlook's on your Start menu, you need to find Outlook.exe. It's under C:\Program Files (or C:\Program Files (x86)) at \Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE. Double click to run it then pin it to your Taskbar or Start menu.
If the new Outlook opens when you run outlook.exe, you'll need to edit the registry.
- Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Start menu and open the registry editor when it comes up.
- Go to
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences. - Find UseNewOutlook and double click on it.
- Set the Value Data field to 0.
If you don't want to edit the registry, you can open the Run command using Windows key + R and paste the following into the box.
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences" /v UseNewOutlook /t REG_DWORD /d 00000000 /f
Or, if you prefer, I have a ready to use reg file you can download and run. It is available in both a .reg file and in a .zip file, if you prefer downloading zip files.
UseNewOutlook.reg
Or Zipped:
UseNewOutlook.zip
You can have both Outlooks pinned to the taskbar or start menu and both open at the same time.
Outlook for Mac
To switch between Legacy Outlook and New Outlook, go to the Outlook app menu and choose Legacy Outlook to toggle between versions. (The command weas previously named New Outlook.) You can also switch from the Help menu.
This command should block the new Outlook, hopefully even for updates:
Quit Outlook, open Terminal and paste then run this line:
defaults write com.microsoft.Outlook EnableNewOutlook -Integer 1
Possible values
0 = Switch hidden
1 = Switch displayed, default off
2 = Switch displayed, default on (default)
3 = New Outlook enabled with switch hidden
The above is from Set preferences for Outlook for Mac - Deploy Office | Microsoft Learn
Block New Outlook on Windows 10
Administrators can block new Outlook from being installed as part of the Windows 10 update by adding the following key. (This should work for anyone, but I have not tested it yet to confirm.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe REG_SZ: BlockedOobeUpdaters Value: ["MS_Outlook"]
If you don't want to edit the registry, open the Command Prompt using Run as Administrator paste the following command. (To open the Command Prompt, type cmd on the start menu or in the search box and choose Run as Administrator.)
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe" /v BlockedOobeUpdaters /t REG_SZ /d ["MS_Outlook"] /f
I have been using new Outlook for long time and have a folder for my personal email, IMAP POP accounts. All has gone well until a few days ago. Outlook is not receiving any of my personal email account mail, yet my iPad and iPhone are receiving my emails. I've tried syncing, deleting my email account and reinstalling as per server settings. When I try to send an email from my account in Outlook to myself the mail goes into the draft folder and sits there for days but never gets sent on. What can I do next?
When it stops syncing, remove the account from Outlook and add it back. If asked to remove it from all devices, say no and see if it syncs to new outlook. If not, you need to remove it again and remove from all devices. (Then add it back to all devices as they will stop syncing.)
If you have calendar & contacts in the account, you need to export them. The exception is gm ail, yahoo, and iCloud - calendar and contacts sync with those servers.
Thank you, Diane, have done what you suggested, and it seems to have worked. New emails today have showed up in my account. 🙂  Kevin
I have selected "classic" but continue to get the New Outlook. I checked the registry and the data value field is set to "0". Do you have any suggestions? I also need to set the outgoing server to POP rather than IMAP but I am not getting the option to do so. Again, any suggestions? Thank you.
So the UseNewOutlook value under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences is set to 0 and you keep getting new outlook? Did you use the reg file to set the key or edit it manually?
If you find and open outlook.exe, does classic open?
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I also need to set the outgoing server to POP rather than IMAP but I am not getting the option to do so.
>>
When adding the account to classic Outlook, before clicking connect. you need to click Advanced link and choose manual setup.
Thank you for this, I've been struggling with New Outlook since MS started pushing it. It is ugly, I don't like it, I am glad there's a way to block it! :)
Many thanks for this, it clarifies a lot of things.
Just to be sure what we are talking about:
I already have Office Pro Plus 2021 which includes Outlook and works fine with PST files. I just bought Office Pro Plus 2024.
I'm I right to understand that your guide here for switching to "Classic" is intended to continue using Outlook the same way and, especially, continue using my existing PST files?As this is exactly what I need, thanks again.
Correct. Note that because it is the perpetual version, Microsoft is less aggressive at trying to get you to switch to new outlook. But I would still set the key to hide the switch in outlook.
Dear Diane
I was searching the internet for answers on how to get rid of the annoying "New" Outlook, when I found your website where I found the answer.
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge with all of us:
thx! works fine!
Can't thank you enough for perfect instructions to get rid of that Try New Outlook toggle. So easy to accidentally turn it on and so difficult to go back to a real, functional email program that Microsoft programmers totally ruined "to make it better'.
Diane, I'm in my early 80s and in Australia. I have no family members here who can assist me. Whilst I am competent with software, I am out of my depth when it comes to the technology and "technospeak." I have a Dell laptop that sits on my desk, Windows 10, and I don't want to change that. I don't know what version I have, or the version of Outlook, and don't know how to find either, but my computer seems to update regularly so I assume I must have close to the latest versions. I was forced onto "New Outlook" back in September 2024, when my internet and email provider changed server settings, and the Geek who came to my home to assist me could not get Classic Outlook back to work. He was able to keep what I had in Classic Outlook, so all my historical information is preserved, but that "Classic Outlook" is not hooked up to the internet. He then installed "New Outlook" for me. My version of New Outlook works, and has all sorts of inadequacies which are well known, and I joined a Microsoft Community Group to try and sort some of them out.… Read more »
You shouldn't lose anything switching back to classic Outlook, especially if using IMAP or Microsoft exchange account in classic. (POP3 is download inbox only.)
Any error messages when you try to use classic outlook?