The Truth About New Outlook: A Guide for IT Decision Makers

Every IT director's inbox is filling up with Microsoft's enthusiastic messaging about New Outlook.

Microsoft promises a modern experience with "intelligent capabilities" and "simplified design." They're pushing hard for organizations to embrace this change, with automatic migrations beginning January 2025 for business users. The messaging carries an implied urgency about security and modernization.

But there's another side to this story that Microsoft isn't telling you.

Let's separate marketing from reality and examine what New Outlook really means for your organization.

What New Outlook Really Is

New Outlook is essentially the Outlook web app wrapped in a desktop shell.

This isn't speculation or opinion—it's a fundamental architectural fact touted by Microsoft itself at its 2020 Ignite conference. Microsoft has rebuilt Outlook from the ground up using web technologies. While this may sound modern and appealing, it comes with significant implications:

Any functionality available in New Outlook can already be accessed through the Outlook web app in your browser
The desktop wrapper adds minimal functionality beyond what's available in the web version
Many Classic Outlook features are not available in New Outlook
Microsoft has no plans to achieve feature parity with Classic Outlook in certain areas

This last point is crucial because Microsoft isn't just changing the user interface—they're eliminating entire categories of functionality, particularly around automation and customization.

Security Facts vs. Fiction

Let's address the elephant in the room: security.

Classic Outlook will receive full security support through October 2029. This isn't a "best effort" support promise—it's a contractual obligation because Classic Outlook is included in Office 2024 perpetual licenses.

Here's what that means:

All security patches and updates will continue
Classic Outlook is not inherently less secure than New Outlook
There is no security-based justification for rushing to New Outlook
Microsoft will maintain Classic Outlook's security features for nearly five more years

The notion that running Classic Outlook creates security risks is, quite frankly, FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). Classic Outlook remains a fully supported, regularly updated enterprise application.

Business Impact Assessment

The most significant impact of New Outlook isn't what it adds—it's what it removes.

New Outlook eliminates support for:

VBA automation
COM add-ins
Many types of customizations
Various integration points with other Office applications

For organizations that rely on automated workflows involving Outlook, this is not a minor consideration. Common scenarios that will break include:

Access applications that automate email processing
Excel workbooks that interact with Outlook
Custom add-ins developed in-house
Third-party integrations that use COM automation

Timeline and Control

Here's the migration timeline you need to know:

January 2025: Auto-migration begins for business users
April 2026: Auto-migration begins for enterprise users
October 2029: Classic Outlook support guaranteed through this date

You can prevent automatic migration through:

Individual user settings in Classic Outlook
Group Policy settings for organization-wide control
Microsoft 365 admin center policies

Control installation and use of new Outlook - Microsoft 365 Apps

Describes how to control the installation and use of new Outlook in an organization

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While rollback to Classic Outlook is technically possible after migration, field reports suggest this process can be problematic in practice.

Strategic Recommendations

Based on these facts, here are my recommended strategies:

Don't Rush

There is no security or technical imperative to migrate before 2029.

Audit Your Systems

Identify applications that integrate with Outlook
Document automation dependencies
Assess the impact on business processes

Plan Deliberately

Block automatic migration if you have automation dependencies
Wait for Microsoft and third-party vendors to provide migration paths for VBA/COM functionality
Give the Access and Excel teams time to develop workarounds

Consider Hybrid Approaches

Users who need only basic email can use New Outlook
Users who require automation features can remain on Classic Outlook
Web app access can provide New Outlook features without breaking automations

Future Considerations

The development teams at Microsoft are actively working on solutions for the automation gap. While details aren't public, we know:

The Access team is exploring alternative automation approaches
Microsoft Access MVPs are investigating workarounds
Some within Microsoft are aware of the significant business impact

The prudent approach is to wait for these solutions before committing to organization-wide migration plans.

The Bottom Line

New Outlook represents Microsoft's vision for the future of email, but that future isn't fully ready yet. Your organization has until 2029 to make this transition thoughtfully and deliberately.

Don't let artificial urgency drive premature migration decisions. Classic Outlook remains a fully supported, secure platform for enterprise email—one that will continue receiving security updates through at least October 2029.

Your business-critical automations represent years of investment and refinement. Don't sacrifice them for a hasty migration that offers no compelling benefits.