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
    2024-12-13T10:57:29+00:00

    Yes, I've tried Microsofts New Outlook 365 for about a month. The reason I've even bothered for that long is I was hoping there'd be updates available. The app is a backward step for many reasons. I has it's own spam filter which I make no comment about but subscribe to 3rd party apps which this app doesn't seem to support. In the old app I could use Add in applications easily, but I can't find it in the new version.

    On the positive side I quite like the GUI but that's about all I can say. A company the size of Microsoft seems to be deprecating it's e-mail app which they need to be careful about as it's an important part of the Office 365 experience. There are other solutions out there for e-mail and for the other office applications but I've stuck with Microsoft because I've always believed that any issues would be resolved which has been the case over the last 20 years or so. It's time for Microsoft to step up to the table and re think Outlook and quickly or risk losing possibly millions of office subscriptions. My mindset is to always pay for the best and stay at the cutting edge but I'll be one of them.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-11-14T17:02:19+00:00

    too right mate and most of us don't want the full office **** just the mail as you say why do they keep farting about with things? **** KNOWS plus this windows 11 being forced on us is an absolute disgrace

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-10-28T02:11:51+00:00

    I agree it is totally awful. I can’t easily locate items. Grouping conversations is terrible. I hate it.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-10-14T03:54:15+00:00

    Yes, They never respond or care

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  5. 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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