The new Outlook is ugly and needs to be covered up. That's the message being sent out by Microsoft if you read between the lines. A new option setting in Outlook on the web and the new Outlook for Windows makes those experiences look like classic Outlook.
Microsoft claims that the option is being added to help those transitioning from classic Outlook to the new Outlook. But if the difference is so jarring that it requires a skin to make the new Outlook palatable, Microsoft has larger issues to deal with.
Microsoft details the option in a message sent out through the Microsoft 365 Message Center:
"We're introducing a new optional setting in Outlook on the web and the new Outlook for Windows that adjusts the experience to more closely resemble classic Outlook for Windows. When enabled, the setting applies coordinated changes across the Outlook experience, including visual styling, layout, typography, icons, and selected interactions.
This update is designed to help users who are transitioning from classic Outlook by providing a more familiar experience while maintaining the capabilities of the new Outlook."
The theme will be disabled by default for most users. As part of a phased rollout, Microsoft will enable the classic Outlook theme for "some users moving from classic Outlook to the new Outlook."
I've admittedly mixed snark into this piece, but that's because the new Outlook is terrible. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden explained how the new Outlook was not ready for prime time back in 2024. The situation has barely improved.
A question posed on a Microsoft Learn page asks, "Why Does New Outlook Suck???" That post is from this year, not the early days of the new Outlook. Others on the web have asked similar questions or expressed frustration with the new Outlook.
The new Outlook is a web wrapper. There's debate over whether the new Outlook is a native app, but the key takeaway is that it performs worse than classic Outlook in several ways.
The fact that Microsoft had to make Mail & Calendar inoperable to try to get people to switch to the new Outlook is telling. The new theme option is another sign that people still want classic Outlook on their PCs.
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