In mid June, Microsoft revealed that the new Outlook for Windows would start to replace the current Mail and Calendar apps for Windows 10 and 11 in September 2024.
After receiving backlash from many Microsoft 365 users about this time frame, the company backtracked a bit, and a few days later said the new Outlook would replace the Mail and Calendar apps sometime before the end of 2024, without revealing a specific date.
However, it looks like at least a portion of Microsoft 365 subscribers are going to be automatically migrated from using Mail and Calendar to the new Outlook much sooner than the end of 2024. Petri reports that, according to a message in the internal Microsoft 365 Admin Center, some users will get switched over in a matter of weeks.
The message, as replicated by Petri, stated:
In late August of 2023, Microsoft will also begin a process of auto-migrating Mail & Calendar app users to the new Outlook for Windows with an option to go back if they choose. Users can go back to the current Mail and Calendar apps by clicking the toggle in the new Outlook for Windows.
The message added that Microsoft 365 users should see more and more notifications in the Mail and Calendar apps that they will officially shut down by the end of 2024.
There's no word as to why Microsoft is pushing for Microsoft 365 users to switch from the Mail and Calendar apps to the new Outlook well ahead of the shutdown of the older apps.
Even though users can switch back from the new Outlook to the current Mail and Calendar apps, it would appear that the company is trying to get its customers ready over a year ahead of the sunset for the Mail and Calendar apps.
Microsoft did add that these moves will not affect users of the classic Outlook desktop app.
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