By Richard Speed
Publication Date: 2026-08-21 11:15:00
applicAtionS
Functionality not all there yet, but at least Redmond’s latest and greatest appears a bit more like its predecessor
Microsoft is rolling out a setting that makes Outlook on the Web and New Outlook for Windows look and feel like Classic Outlook through a theme that tweaks the visual style and layout.
“This update is designed to help users who are transitioning from classic Outlook by providing a more familiar experience while maintaining the capabilities of the new Outlook,” Microsoft said.
Importantly, it won’t add back the bits from Classic Outlook that are currently missing from New Outlook. For example, the offline capabilities of New Outlook are still a poor relation to its predecessor. It has been possible to import calendars and contacts from .pst (Outlook Data Files) files for a few months now, but full support remains in the future. The app framework (COM add-ins and so on) that many…

