The new Outlook for Windows and Web will no longer let people share folders with specific users

Microsoft will release a couple of important policy changes in the new Outlook for Windows and Web in October that will greatly enhance security on the platform.

The changes were noted in Microsoft 365, and they’re set to be released in October.

The first concerns checking feedback policies across all accounts. The Redmond-based tech giant will make the feedback policy check more restrictive, which will make it more secure. Those unable to provide feedback due to policies in place will no longer be shown the Feedback button for any of their accounts.

Here’s what the entry says:

Currently, when we determine whether a user is entitled to submit feedback, we only look at the feedback policy for their primary (global) account. Going forward, we are going to make the feedback policy check more restrictive which is more secure. We’ll be looking at feedback policies for all users’ accounts and basing their eligibility off the most restrictive policy value found. For example, if any of the users’ accounts have Feedback disabled by a policy, we won’t show the Feedback button in the Help tab of the ribbon for any of their accounts.

The second of these policies has to do with turning off sharing recommendations. Outlook will disable the ability for users to share folders with individual users. If before, this setting only stopped users from changing the default and anonymous sharing permissions for folders, and that part will stay the same, now users won’t be able to share folders with specific people. The way this policy works with calendar sharing won’t change either.

Here’s what the entry says:

Updates to the office Cloud Policy Service setting “Turn off sharing recommendation” will disable the ability for users to share folders with individual users. Currently, the policy blocked users’ ability to update default and anonymous permission levels for shared folders. This functionality will remain and will not be changed. The current policy and how it works with calendar sharing will not be impacted by this change and will remain as implemented.

The two policies are set to make Outlook more secure and safe for commercial users. These policies will impact the new Outlook for Windows and Web, which was recently made generally available to users.

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