Why is the "New" Outlook for Windows client so awful...deliberately???

Anonymous
2024-02-26T17:21:00+00:00

While I believe I understand some of the reasoning behind the marginally improved "New" Outlook while lamenting the overall deprecated experience - namely, an effort to normalize the look and feel across the desktop, mobile and web versions - the path taken is regressive in nature, at least for those of us who've long relied upon the desktop variant to manage much of their eMail, task and scheduling affairs.

I've been comfortable with the working knowledge that detailed work associated with eMail, tasks and scheduling has been the province of the desktop client, while the mobile and web versions offered very functional and not as detailed abilities.

Now, after having lived with the "new" Outlook desktop client for months now, I can conclude that the 'improvements' to this client when compared to its current and soon former versions is far less capable and far more mobile/web like in function - overall, a deprecated experience.

One notable issue is the mere fact that one can seemingly no longer remove attachments directly from an eMail. While this may seem trivial to some, having attachments to eMail AND the ability to download same simply increases the already arduous task of managing one's documents, while increasing the overall storage footprint (since these could now be stored in at least two places), which could represent increased subscription costs over time.

Microsoft, PLEASE revisit this intended direction for the desktop client, and instead consider introducing some of the long-favored desktop client functions into the mobile and web variants, in turn genuinely introducing "new" functionality all around.

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-10-11T00:32:19+00:00

    Brad,

    When I first open New Outlook after turning on my computer in the morning I see the summary of the emails listed in a window in the middle of the screen with the folder structure on the left. The right side of the screen is occupied by a picture of a frozen/snow-covered mountain.

    I have found no way of expending the email window to cover the (stupid/boring/unnecessary/useless) view of a mountain, although I gather I can change this view to another (stupid/boring/unnecessary/useless) view of a limited choice if I wish to do so. I can't be bothered. Whoever thought up occupying the working area of a monitor screen with a non-functional picture is demented, and whoever authorised the release of this software even more so.

    If I left-click once on an email it opens in the right-hand window and covers the mountain.

    If I double-left-click on an email it opens in a new window that covers around 3/4 of the screen, and I can expand this to full screen by dragging the edges as per usual. But I cannot find any way of expanding this new screen size permanently.

    I know that I am merely venting my spleen, but whoever is responsible for this mess has made communication by email a task that I dread each day. More and more I'm using WhatsApp and texts on my phone, but for some tasks, such as correspondence of a financial and personal business nature, cannot be done these days except by email.

    I won't believe that any of the so-called Microsoft people who might respond to a message on here are anything other than a bot until I see an answer that actually addresses the question/issue raised and further until I see some evidence from Microsoft of any action to restore functionality of Outlook to what it was.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-10-11T00:01:01+00:00

    I can only concur. I have been putting off and putting off the change because, whenever I trial the new one, the experience has been awful to say the least.

    Today, I was forced to change over. There is no longer an option to return to the better version, only the new one. I was immediately inundated with close to TWO HUNDRED junk emails and then draft emails that I had written and deleted months ago suddenly reappeared. When I clicked "delete all", it deleted some and then found some more that weren't there before so then I had to repeat the process again...and then again.

    Opening up an email to view it in a new window only seems to be an option if I click reply and, as the OP discovered when the "help" person came along, the solutions offered only refer to the better version, not the new one.

    And, I have three email addresses in the better version, the new version refuses to allow me to open one of them. Instead, I have to logon via a web browser - even though it is on MS Exchange in order to use this one email address.

    The developers have proven themselves incompetent and indifferent. I have raised the above with them in the past and yet, here we are.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-10-10T19:33:10+00:00

    Its very bad. Mine would keep freezing and when I would check system resources, it would be running at 3gigs. Its not good at all and I hope MS doesn't force us into it.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-10-10T10:01:47+00:00

    IMO Kazi is almost certainly just a bot...There is no answer to the defects in New Outlook so it cannot answer.

    The whole purpose of New Outlook is to keep messages on Microsoft's computers rather than an individual's, for surveillance purposes. I read yesterday that the hardware/software in many models of new vehicles records the conversations that take place in those vehicles and can and may in fact on-sell them to anyone who would like to pay for them.

    C'est la vie. I used to worry about getting old. I don't now. If you wish to listen to the expletives in my car when I'm stuck in the traffic, please go ahead. You might learn some good old Aussie talk.

    Tooroo f'now.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-10-09T14:42:57+00:00

    Hello Kazi,

    With the slew of comments about not being able to do any of the things that Microsoft suggests (usually due to the funcitonality it says is there is just completely missing), why did you only respond to the first post?

    Every post I see about how awsful this is there is one reply and then silence, is that because MS just doesn't care about it's users/customers so why bother responding and listening to what they want?

    If you are wondering about my experience with the New Outlook desktop app, read all the rest as I agree with every single one.

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