Microsoft Wants Users to Switch to New Outlook, Showcases 15 Key Features

Microsoft is continuing its effort to move users from Classic Outlook to New Outlook, even as feedback on the newer email client remains mixed.

While Microsoft has made New Outlook the default experience for many users, the company has also acknowledged that not everyone is ready to switch. Enterprise migration plans have already been pushed back until next year, partly due to customer feedback and feature gaps that remain important to some organizations. Microsoft recently pushed back New Outlook migration for enterprises to March 2027, giving organizations more time to prepare for the transition.

Now Microsoft is highlighting 15 features in New Outlook that it believes can help convince more users to make the transition.

Microsoft promotes productivity and organization features

Many of the features Microsoft is showcasing are not entirely new. Several are also available in Classic Outlook, while others have been redesigned to offer a more modern experience.

Among the highlighted features is the ability to pin important emails to the top of the inbox, making them easier to find and track.

Users can also snooze email conversations and have them return at a later time, helping reduce inbox clutter without permanently dismissing messages.

Category management has been simplified as well. New Outlook allows multiple categories to be assigned to a single email through a streamlined interface.

The Sweep feature is another area Microsoft is emphasizing. Sweep enables users to quickly create automated inbox cleanup rules, making it easier to manage newsletters, notifications, and recurring messages.

Better scheduling and calendar management

Microsoft is also promoting several scheduling-focused features.

Schedule Send allows users to compose emails and deliver them at a later time. This can be particularly useful when communicating across multiple time zones.

Folder sharing has been simplified, with permissions automatically inherited from parent folders to reduce setup complexity.

For meetings, New Outlook includes a “Follow” option that lets users stay informed about meetings they cannot attend. Users receive meeting updates and recaps without needing to join the event.

Calendar improvements are another major focus. Users can save different calendar layouts for different workflows and switch between them as needed.

Filtered calendar views help reduce clutter by displaying only relevant events, while organizers gain additional control through enhanced meeting response tracking.

Meeting recaps and recurring event improvements

Microsoft has continued investing in post-meeting experiences as well.

Meeting Recap brings together recordings, transcripts, shared files, and related information directly within Outlook Calendar. The feature helps users quickly catch up on discussions and decisions after a meeting ends.

The company has also improved recurring event management. Users can now modify future meetings in a recurring series without affecting events that have already taken place.

For people managing multiple email accounts, New Outlook allows account names to be customized, making it easier to distinguish between personal, work, and shared mailboxes.

Additional quality-of-life features include modern themes, Dark Mode support, and customizable keyboard shortcuts. Users can choose Outlook for Windows shortcuts, Outlook on the web shortcuts, or disable shortcuts completely.

Will the new features be enough?

While the feature list is substantial, it remains unclear whether it will be enough to win over users who continue to prefer Classic Outlook.

Some long-time Outlook users have criticized New Outlook for missing features, workflow changes, and differences compared to the traditional desktop client.

The migration effort also comes at a time when Microsoft recently acknowledged a Quick Steps bug affecting Classic Outlook users. The company has additionally faced criticism after removing the contact masking feature from Outlook.

For now, Microsoft appears focused on demonstrating that New Outlook can meet the needs of both existing Outlook users and newcomers. Whether these 15 highlighted features will be enough to accelerate adoption remains to be seen.