Outlook Roadmap

by
Rob Helm

by
Rob Helm

As managing vice president, Rob Helm covers Microsoft collaboration services and client software. His 25-plus years of experience analyzing Microsoft’s... more

Outlook applications manage e-mail, calendars, contacts, and tasks, usually paired with Exchange Online and Exchange Server. From 2026 to 2029 Microsoft will replace Outlook for Windows with a completely new application built around Exchange Online.

Product: Outlook

Licensing: Outlook client

Near-Term (2026–2027)

Beginning Mar. 2027, the so-called new Outlook will replace classic Outlook in Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise on Windows. Before then, new Outlook’s developers will restore some classic features—such as editing calendars offline—that it lacks today.

Outlook client apps are also available for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android. Browser access comes through Outlook on the Web, an application hosted by Exchange Online and Exchange Server. All of these applications continue to improve, but Outlook on the Web plays the most important role in Outlook’s future.

Windows

Classic Outlook, the longtime mail client for Windows, will be removed from Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise in Mar. 2027, a year later than planned. Customers will still be able to deploy classic Outlook with Microsoft 365 Apps through 2029 as an additional install. Classic Outlook development has slowed, but it will get a few AI features, including Copilot summarization of e-mail messages and upcoming meetings.