Microsoft is intensifying its push to migrate users from the legacy desktop application to the web-based New Outlook for Windows 11. The company has confirmed a slate of at least ten new features scheduled for release between July and October 2026, aiming to bridge the functionality gap that has kept many power users loyal to Outlook Classic.
Despite these upcoming additions, early testing suggests significant performance hurdles remain. Reports indicate that New Outlook can take over 10 seconds to open an email from a notification, whereas Outlook Classic handles the action almost instantly. Additionally, users managing multiple accounts have reported unreliable alert systems, a known issue Microsoft is actively working to resolve.
Key Features Coming to New Outlook
The roadmap includes several high-priority updates designed to replicate the robust workflow of the classic desktop client:
- Advanced Mail Merge (September 2026): Moving beyond basic bulk sending, the new update will support true field replacement. Users will be able to personalize emails with recipient-specific details like names, company locations, and invoice numbers, ensuring each message appears individually addressed.
- All-Accounts View (August 2026): Similar to Gmail’s unified inbox, this feature allows users to view messages from all connected accounts in a single pane. It supports cross-account actions like deleting, moving, and archiving, with Copilot AI workflows and immersive search extending across all mailboxes.
- PST File Integration (July 2026): New Outlook will gain the ability to import calendars and contacts from PST files, a critical feature for users migrating large archives from legacy systems.
- Delegate Permissions (July 2026): Users will be able to grant mailbox access and manage folder-level sharing permissions directly within New Outlook on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
- Enhanced Folder Control (September & October 2026): Updates will allow users to toggle between showing unread counts or total item counts in the folder pane. Additionally, a new collapsed favorite folders view will let users switch contexts without opening the full sidebar, mimicking the Classic experience.
- Office File Integration (September 2026): Improved handling of local Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files will allow users to send copies via email even while actively editing the document.
Minor Improvements and Offline Support
Beyond major feature drops, Microsoft is rolling out dozens of smaller quality-of-life improvements. These include:
- Offline Capabilities: Enhanced offline support will include file attachments and sync up to two years of email history.
- Calendar Enhancements: Basic conditional formatting rules, bulk opening/closing of calendar groups, and visibility into teammates’ calendars in the left pane.
- Sorting and Preview Options: Users can now sort messages by value (e.g., size) or flag due date, and customize email preview text to display up to two lines.
What this means for you
If you are a holdout for Outlook Classic, the gap is narrowing but not yet closed. While features like advanced Mail Merge and PST imports address critical business needs, the persistent latency in notification handling and general responsiveness remains a significant drawback. For everyday users, the unified inbox view may be enough to justify the switch, but power users managing complex workflows should wait for the performance updates Microsoft promises are in testing.
Source: Windows Latest
Over to you: Will the new Mail Merge and PST import features be enough to convince you to switch to New Outlook, or is performance still the dealbreaker?
