Updated on December 6, 2024
In January 2025, the New Outlook will become the default application for small and medium organizations using Microsoft 365, unless your organization’s IT department decides otherwise. While some users have already "opted-in" and are enjoying the new, modern features, many still hold on to the Classic Outlook that we all know and love. To help ease this transition, Storyals is excited to announce our new story-based course, “Take control of your day with a new outlook”. This course highlights the benefits of the New Outlook and helps users smoothly transition and fully embrace its capabilities.
Brief History of Outlook 
The so-called “Classic Outlook”, also known as Outlook for Windows, was first introduced almost 30 years ago, as part of the Microsoft Office suite in 1997 (before many of today’s younger employees were even born). When Outlook 97 was released, it significantly evolved personal productivity, combining email with calendar, contacts, and task management in a single application. Over the years, Outlook has been continuously updated and enhanced, incorporating new features and improvements to meet the changing needs of its users. Despite these updates, the core functionality has remained consistent, providing a reliable and familiar experience. Today, Outlook is used by hundreds of millions of people across various devices all over the world, making it an indispensable tool for personal and professional communication.
Source: Internet Archive - Wayback Machine
The New Outlook
The development of the “New Outlook” was driven by the need for a more modern, web-based architecture that allows for faster updates, better integration with Microsoft 365 services, and enhanced security features. The New Outlook for Windows was first released in private preview on September 28, 2022, and was made generally available to business users on August 1, 2024. Since then, users have had the option to “Opt-in” to use the New Outlook. Since many users have a strong attachment to the classic version (a majority of the Storyals staff included), it's not surprising that the feedback has been mixed.
Starting January 2025, small and medium business users in the Current Channel, will automatically be transitioned to the New Outlook. During this period, users will still have the option to revert back to the classic version if so desired. Enterprises will have a longer transition period. Microsoft has committed to supporting the classic Outlook until at least 2029, ensuring ample time for a smooth and strategic transition. You can learn more about the various Outlook transition dates in the Microsoft Learn article, Progressive stages of migration to new Outlook for Windows.
Key Benefits of the New Outlook
Storyals has already written a blog about the New Outlook, and it’s benefits, New Microsoft Outlook: Finally on par with Outlook on the web. In short, it is faster and more consistent across desktop, web, and mobile. There are also several feature enhancements that really make the switch worthwhile. Here we have listed some of our favorites:
- User interface that is more modern and easier to use
- Wide range of personalization options from themes, icons, and work location
- Seamless integration of smart AI capabilities
- Ability to “Follow” meetings
- Smarter scheduling
In addition, the New Outlook is a must for Microsoft 365 Copilot users to get the optimal experience. Copilot in Outlook helps draft emails, summarize lengthy threads, and helps you stay on top of your prioritized email. Even though Microsoft has introduced some of the Copilot functionality in the classic Outlook, it is not on par with the New Outlook.
Storyals New Outlook course highlights
To align with the broader roll out of the New Outlook, Storyals is excited to announce our new story-based course, “Take control of your day with a new outlook”. This modern course highlights the numerous benefits of the new Outlook for business users, covering everything from setting up and customizing Outlook to suit personal preferences, to leveraging new features for managing emails, tasks, contacts, and scheduling. Designed to help users overcome any resistance to change, this course ensures a smooth transition and full embrace of the new Outlook's capabilities. As with all Storyals courses, this offering is crafted to provide practical, real-world applications that enhance productivity and efficiency in the workplace.
Conclusion
While users might initially resist the change, the transition to the New Outlook is essential for organizations to drive efficiency and productivity. By incorporating the Storyals course into the transition process, users will receive a warm welcome to this powerful tool and see beyond the initial discomfort of a new interface.
For more information or any inquiries, please don't hesitate to contact us at Storyals. Our team is here to support you in making the most out of the New Outlook and all it has to offer.