Microsoft to Block Outlook Web App on Unsupported Browsers in Fall 2023

Microsoft plans to redirect all users with unsupported browsers to the light version of the Outlook web app. The company has now started notifying IT admins that this change will begin rolling out to customers in Fall 2023.

Microsoft Outlook Lite is a version of the regular Outlook web app with faster performance for low-end devices on any network. The app provides basic email features compared to the standard version of Outlook. The Outlook Lite app lacks support for tasks and notes, an offline mode, multiple Exchange email accounts, inbox rules, retention policies, and other capabilities.

With this change, web users will legacy browsers will be automatically redirected to the Outlook Lite app. Microsoft explained that this change aims to align the Outlook web app with the minimum browser support requirements of Microsoft 365 web apps.

“This initial communication is to notify customers that starting in Fall 2023 (September 2023), users using unsupported bowsers will be redirect to the light version of Outlook on the web. This will align with the experience with other Microsoft 365 web applications,” Microsoft explained in a message on the Microsoft 365 Admin center.

Microsoft to roll out Outlook web app browser restriction in September 2023

Microsoft notes that this change will impact customers who use unsupported web browsers, including Brave and Opera. The company warned that it could potentially cause disruptions for both small businesses and organizations. Microsoft recommends IT admins to upgrade their fleet of devices to a supported browser (like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari).

Alternatively, users who can’t switch to a supported browser can use Outlook for Windows or the Outlook mobile app. They can also use an email program that provides support for the POP or IMAP protocols.

Microsoft plans to begin rolling out this restriction to all targeted release tenants in September of this year. The company expects to complete the deployment process worldwide in November 2023. Let us know in the comments below if you’re using unsupported browsers in your organizations.