PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - Let us keep CLASSIC OUTLOOK!!!!

Doerner, Brandy 0 Reputation points
2026-09-16T18:42:53.38+00:00

In the words of Dr. Seuss.... I do not like it, Sam I Am, I do not like NEW OUTLOOK, i detest it .... OK, maybe not completely Dr Seuss, but you understand my meaning.

Why would Microsoft stop supporting the most robust, well known, loved and used business platform for corporate calendaring and email on the market!?!?!

CLASSIC Outlook is simply the best for businesses... AND for those of us in the Executive Assistant world for many many years, making users switch to a very "google-esque" way of calendaring and managing email, well..... Microsoft, you clearly didn't include your Super Users in the decision making process. We would have told you about the many glitches, missing shortcuts or workarounds, and unease of use moving to NEW.... Bleh!!!

And per Microsoft's website, CLASSIC support is supposed to shut down on April 1, 2027 "April Fool's Day" - how appropo. I hope Microsoft is ready for the influx of calls from angry and frustrated users. And no. No amount of trying explain it will suffice.

Happy to talk to you or your developers and get you caught up so you're ready for the onslaught.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For business

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  1. Hornblower409 15,510 Reputation points
    2026-09-17T06:32:35.36+00:00

    @Doerner, Brandy said

    And per Microsoft's website, CLASSIC support is supposed to shut down on April 1, 2027

    I think you have confused the start of the "opt-out phase" (March 2027 - New Outlook becomes the default, but users and admins can still switch back to Classic Outlook) with the proposed/tentative End Of Support date, currently at least until 2029.

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5554339/when-will-classic-outlook-end

    support for classic Outlook will continue until at least 2029 for users who installed it via perpetual licensing (such as Office LTSC) or Microsoft 365 subscription plans that include desktop apps. This extended support ensures that organizations relying on classic Outlook for business-critical workflows can continue using it safely and securely for several more years.

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  2. Ryan-N 15,920 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-16T19:14:17.31+00:00

    Hi Doerner,

    Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

    Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences.

    First, I would like to share with you that Outlook classic will continue to be supported until at least 2029. You can find more information in the following documentation:

    Stages of migration to new Outlook for Windows | Microsoft Learn

    User's image

    At the same time, I understand that Outlook classic is very important to long-time users who have relied on it for many years.

    To help ensure that your feedback and real-world experience can more effectively reach Microsoft's Outlook development team, I recommend submitting your feedback directly through Microsoft's official Feedback portal.

    This is where Microsoft collects feedback, suggestions, and input from users. Your feedback can help the product team better understand users' needs and real-world experiences and can serve as valuable input for future product improvements.

    If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

    I look forward to continuing the conversation.


    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

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  3. AI answer

    2026-09-16T18:43:14.08+00:00

    Classic Outlook is not shutting down on April 1, 2027 based on the provided Microsoft content.

    What is supported by the available information:

    • Microsoft is gradually transitioning from classic Outlook to new Outlook for Windows.
    • New Outlook has been generally available since August 2024.
    • During the current phase, classic Outlook remains available and users can switch to new Outlook with the Try the new Outlook toggle.
    • In new Outlook, users can still choose to open classic Outlook or switch back to classic Outlook.
    • For small and medium businesses on Current Channel with a Business plan, automatic switching begins starting January 2025 after in-app notifications, and users can switch back to classic Outlook at any time using the toggle in new Outlook.
    • Both users and IT admins can turn off the automatic switch if not ready.
    • Microsoft recommends running classic Outlook and new Outlook side-by-side during preview and adoption to maintain productivity.
    • The feature comparison page confirms that new Outlook does not yet match classic Outlook feature-for-feature; some items are marked Available, Partially available, Not supported, Under investigation, or Upcoming.

    If the goal is to stay on classic Outlook as long as possible, the supported actions in the provided content are:

    1. In classic Outlook, go to File > Options > General > New Outlook options.
    2. Uncheck Automatically switch me to new Outlook if that option is shown.
    3. If already in new Outlook, use the toggle to switch back to classic Outlook.
    4. For business environments, IT admins can opt out of the automatic migration experience.
    5. Consider using classic Outlook and new Outlook side-by-side while validating whether required workflows are available in new Outlook.

    For executive assistant and other power-user workflows, the most relevant Microsoft-supported path in the provided content is to compare needed features against the feature matrix and use Help > Give Feedback in new Outlook for gaps.


    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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