15 Aug Comparing Classic Outlook and New Outlook for Windows: A Feature Breakdown

Comparing Classic Outlook and New Outlook for Windows: A Feature Breakdown

Microsoft Outlook has long been a staple for productivity, providing users with powerful tools for managing email, calendar, contacts, and tasks. With the introduction of the New Outlook for Windows, Microsoft has revamped this essential application, introducing a modern design and enhanced features while still offering the core functionalities that users have come to rely on.

Here’s a detailed comparison between Classic Outlook and New Outlook for Windows based on key features:

1. Account Support

• Classic Outlook: Supports a wide range of account types, including Microsoft 365, Exchange, Gmail, Yahoo, and iCloud. Multiple mail profiles and shared mailboxes are also supported.
• New Outlook: Provides similar account support but is still catching up with features like multiple mail profiles and shared mailboxes, which are marked as upcoming.

2. App Framework

• Classic Outlook: Includes support for custom forms, VBA macros, and extensive offline functionality.
• New Outlook: Emphasizes a modern user experience, but lacks support for custom forms and VBA macros. Offline support and .PST file handling are slated for future updates.

3. Calendar Features

• Classic Outlook: Offers robust calendar functionalities such as category colors, group calendars, and delegate access.
• New Outlook: Matches many of these features and introduces new ones like editing events in a series and in-person events. However, some features like offline support are still being developed.

4. People and Contacts

• Classic Outlook: Features a comprehensive address book and offline support for contacts.
• New Outlook: Maintains key features like contact lists and global address lists, but lacks an integrated address book and is awaiting offline support.

5. Mail Functionality

• Classic Outlook: Known for its extensive mail management tools, including conditional formatting, mail merge, and message recall.
• New Outlook: Introduces Microsoft Copilot and other AI-powered enhancements. However, some traditional features like message recall and .msg file support are partially available or under investigation.

6. Search Capabilities

• Classic Outlook: Provides robust search features with refiners and top results.
• New Outlook: Expands on search functionalities with new features like file answers, calendar answers, and an integrated Teams tab.

7. Security and Compliance

• Classic Outlook: Includes advanced security features like S/MIME, DLP, and Purview Message Encryption.
• New Outlook: Continues to support these features with some enhancements, though a few are still under investigation.

8. Teams Integration

• Classic Outlook: Integrates with Microsoft Teams for meeting scheduling and presence indicators.
• New Outlook: Builds on this integration with additional features like meeting chat and share to Teams, with more improvements on the way.

You can refer the below table for the detailed comparison for each features:

The New Outlook for Windows is clearly designed with a forward-looking approach, incorporating modern design elements, AI capabilities, and deeper integration with Microsoft 365 services like Teams. However, it is still evolving to fully match the extensive feature set of Classic Outlook. Users and organizations will need to weigh the benefits of the new interface and functionalities against the maturity and comprehensiveness of the Classic Outlook experience. As Microsoft continues to update the New Outlook, it’s likely that more features will be added, eventually making it the go-to version for all users.