M365 Changelog: (Updated) Future of the Mail and Calendar apps in Windows with Outlook

MC590123 – Updated June 20, 2023: Microsoft has updated the content below for clarity. Thank you for your patience.

By the end of next year we will be replacing the Mail and Calendar apps in Windows with the new Outlook for Windows. 

How this will affect your organization:

After this change is implemented at the end of 2024:

1. Users with a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription with access to the Microsoft 365 desktop apps can use the new Outlook for Windows.
2. Users who do not have a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription with access to the Microsoft 365 desktop apps will need to manage their email and calendar in Outlook on the web.
3. Users will be able to use the new Outlook for Windows with any personal email account (Outlook.com, Gmail, etc) even without a subscription.

What you need to do to prepare:

There is nothing you do to prepare now, but we recommend you:

1. Start trying and testing the new Outlook for Windows
2. Read this support article – Getting started with the new Outlook for Windows
3. Read this article communicating the change – Outlook for Windows: The Future of Mail, Calendar and People on Windows 11