How to permanently prevent Outlook for Mac from switching to the new GUI?

Everyone replying here with a similar view on not wanting the New Outlook for Mac to start automatically, please upvote some of the concerns raised here:

https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/bd7e91d5-4611-ee11-a81c-000d3ae5b6f4 https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/0a82b451-581f-ee11-a81c-000d3ae5b6f4

And, if you have the time, please sign in and add your voice, or at least upvote. I would suggest doing this in a nuanced and constructive way.

Been in contact with Microsoft Support. Very nice person explaining how to at least disable the switch/toggle and get it removed from the top bar in the app.

Using Terminal, it's possible to disable the switch by entering the following:

defaults write com.microsoft.Outlook EnableNewOutlook -int 0

As found on the Deployment Guide page on the Microsoft Documentation area:

This does not change the fact that Microsoft seems to keep pushing the New Outlook for Mac onto us.

Notice:

Please, everyone, if you think this should get the proper attention of Microsoft, make sure you raise your concerns in any way possible. Meaning: use the built-in support function in the Outlook app, or get to the User Voice / Feedback platform and make your voice heard. The more people complain, the bigger the chance it will get noticed.

Go to: https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com

And raise this issue again and again, until it's clear users are not happy with the approach or the changes.

I don't think you really do listen. People have been complaining about this new version ever since it came out but you haven't fixed any of the problems. The new version is terrible! Why take away simple functions like "add a folder at this level?"

It looks like you are now forcing us all to use the new version. I for one will be looking for another option to replace outlook.

MY SAY: Please share when you do find a fix or a work-around. To the guy telling us to get used to it, HELL NO. I tried that version and the two items I noticed first are, There is no way to keep the reding pane view on for Junk Mail. You can turn it on, but the next time you open up the junk folder it's been turned off again.

Secondly,it changed everyone of my calendar entries to the same damn color. It took me hours to fix this POS mess in my calender. Also, it sems there is NO Regedit on a Mac. As soon as I'm reay to replace this lap, I'll not getting another Mac anything.

Why do they constantly have to **** with stuff that works just fine. These two instances tell me that whomever the brain wiz up there really does not even use their calender in the irst place,

I completely agree with this assessment!

For me/us, using Outlook is a deliberate choice, that allows our team to work with all functionality across platforms. Apple Mail and most other mail apps simply do not provide the tools and options the current/legacy Outlook has. The New Outlook for Mac seems to be on a direction of being as useless or limited as many of the non-business mail apps that we have tested as possible alternatives.

We are generally very happy with Microsoft Office, and we heavily rely on it across Windows, macOS, and iOS. The integration of mail, calendar, tasks and contacts in one interface, with the possibility to use various mail servers and protocols, while having online and offline access (local folders!) to data stores is what makes Outlook a business productivity tool. The dumbing down and oversimplification of the interface are not helping, at all.

Outlook is supposed to be the main communication hub that connects to various resources, incl. on-premises and online Exchange instances, Teams (Groups), shared calendars, local folders (with subfolders!), app add-ins (eg. Hubspot/Nimble/Slack), corporate as well as private mail accounts (Google, Apple, IMAP, etc.).

The current/updated version still doesn't offer all of this, and this is even known and listed as open issues. Pushing the New Outlook for Mac only emphasizes on it not being ready. This is my main frustration: we do not want to abandon Outlook, we simply ask to prevent the unfinished product from being shoved down our throats as long as it isn't ready.

Apple doesn't have an integrated alternative. And doesn't offer an office suite for Windows users.