Microsoft Pushes New Outlook Web App, Leaving Users Scrambling

Microsoft is in a full-court press to get users on its new Outlook web application. Since early March, they've been rolling out a mandatory update that replaces the legacy "Mail and Calendar" app (a holdover from the Windows 10 era) with the new Outlook on both Windows 10 and 11. However, this update only affects the UWP (Universal Windows Platform) version of the Mail & Calendar app, leaving the classic desktop version untouched for now.

The upgrade process is swift and somewhat forceful. Upon opening the old "Mail" app, users are greeted with a notification announcing the upgrade to the new web-based Outlook application. This pop-up offers two seemingly innocuous options: "Try the new version of Outlook now" or "Keep the old app for now." Here's the catch: regardless of your choice, Microsoft shuts down the original Mail app and launches the new Outlook automatically.

The notification does technically inform users that they can switch back to the Mail app later using a toggle switch in the new Outlook's upper right corner. However, Microsoft throws another curveball – the "Later" button in the initial pop-up is a decoy. Clicking it triggers the automatic switch to the new Outlook anyway.

Following this, users see a message stating they're being switched to the new version, with the download of the web app happening in the background (taking a minute or two). Once downloaded, they're fully migrated to the new Outlook interface. While the option to return to the Mail app remains, uninstalling the new Outlook is a bad idea – it simply triggers the entire forced installation process again the next time you try to launch Mail.

The toggle switch appears to be a temporary concession for users who need time to adjust to the new platform. But Microsoft's intentions are clear – they want everyone on the web-based Outlook.

However, there's a silver lining for those using the classic desktop version of Outlook (not the UWP Mail app). Microsoft has pledged continued support for Win32 clients until at least 2029, so you can stick with your familiar program for a while longer.