From mid-July, Microsoft will be serious about phasing out the Mail and Calendar app on Windows 10 and Windows 11: the app will be switched to read-only mode, meaning that no new emails can be sent or received. Outdated clients will also be decommissioned on other platforms.
The upcoming measures are documented in detail in the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre (Message ID MC801980, for users with corresponding access). Let's start with the Mail and Calendar app, as this is the most significant change:
Last year, Microsoft announced that it would be removing the Mail and Calendar app from Windows and replacing it with the new Outlook for Windows. The schedule was adjusted several times, making it difficult even for reporters to keep track. Now, however, the final act is beginning.
From mid-July, the ability to send and receive emails via the Mail and Calendar app will be removed. In other words, the app will become unusable. The changeover will last until the end of September, so users who hold on to the app until the end may be given a final reprieve.
At the same time, older versions of Outlook for iOS, Android and Mac will also be discontinued during the same period. The impact should be minimal, as most users are already using the latest versions.
The new minimum versions for the individual Outlook versions are:
- Outlook for iOS: 4.2411
- Outlook for Android: 4.2342
- Outlook for Mac: 16.73
There are also new minimum requirements for the supported browsers for Outlook on the web, but these should have no practical relevance. The following browsers will no longer be able to use the web version of Outlook in future:
- Internet Explorer
- Microsoft Edge Legacy (before the switch to Chromium)
- Microsoft Edge <=79
- Google Chrome <=79
- Apple Safari <=13.1
- Mozilla Firefox <=78
- Opera <=76
If you try to access Outlook with an outdated browser version, an error message appears with a corresponding note. This changeover will take place between mid-August and the end of October 2024.
2 responses
Hello Mr Herzig
I have had Windows 11 Pro on my laptop since Nov. 2022. Can I still send or receive new mails?
I would be grateful for an answer.
Kind regards
Brigitte Sennhauser
Dear Brigitte
Thank you very much for your question. What is relevant is which products you use for calendar management and email traffic. If you are already using Outlook for these things, everything will continue to work as before. The "Calendar" and "Mail" programmes integrated in Windows will be replaced. If you use these programmes, it is recommended that you switch to Outlook.
Kind regards FS-Team