Microsoft already revealed that it’s working on a new version of Outlook for Windows. In fact, Office Insiders can already test the next-generation version by selecting “Try the new Outlook” in the top right corner of the program itself.
Now, Microsoft has said a little more about what will happen to Windows 11’s existing Email and Calendar apps. Basically, they will cease to exist at the end 2024. In September next year, the new Outlook experience will be released to the public, and new PCs will start to ship with the new Outlook preinstalled.
“Beginning in 2024, new Windows 11 devices will be shipped with the new Outlook for Windows as the default mailbox application free for all to use,” the company writes. “The Mail and Calendar applications will continue to be available via download in the Microsoft Store through the end of 2024. On existing devices, users can switch to the new Outlook for Windows from a toggle in the Mail and Calendar applications.”
The idea from Microsoft’s side is to create a more uniform user experience. You’ll be able to add accounts from other email providers to the new Outlook, and having all that information alongside your calendar in the same app simplifies and streamlines things.
