Microsoft is putting a skin on the ugly new Outlook

The new Outlook is ugly and needs to be covered up. That’s the message being sent out by Microsoft if you read between the lines. A new option setting in Outlook on the web and the new Outlook for Windows makes those experiences look like classic Outlook.

Microsoft claims that the option is being added to help those transitioning from classic Outlook to the new Outlook. But if the difference is so jarring that it requires a skin to make the new Outlook palatable, Microsoft has larger issues to deal with.

Microsoft details the option in a message sent out through the Microsoft 365 Message Center:

“We’re introducing a new optional setting in Outlook on the web and the new Outlook for Windows that adjusts the experience to more closely resemble classic Outlook for Windows. When enabled, the setting applies coordinated changes across the Outlook experience, including visual styling, layout, typography, icons, and selected interactions.

This update is…