Incorrect. I was using a simple hotmail address, not Office365 account, not a corporate email or exchange server. Why is it so hard to simply accept that Microsoft did this on purpose as a programmatic decision?
Besides, nothing in the Device Admin Apps has anything to do with whether a link is opened by Outlook or the default browser on the device.
Even with it deactivated as a Device Admin App, the option to Set As Default in the app settings (device level, not in-app settings) is still greyed out.
The solution (unless Microsoft changes the app) is one of the following:
- Live with it.
- Long press links and choose "Open Link".
- Click the 3 dots in Outlook and choose "Open in browser".
- Uninstall Outlook and use something else like Samsung Email or Gmail app that doesn't exhibit this behavior.