Microsoft announces upcoming New Outlook for Windows release that will function offline

In September of the previous year, Microsoft announced the introduction of several features designed to function offline. At that time, the tech giant launched offline support for email activities and message composition.

During the announcement, Microsoft hinted that additional offline functionalities would be forthcoming in upcoming updates, stating, “The initial suite of offline capabilities in the new Outlook for Windows allows mail, calendar events, and contacts to be stored locally on your device, enabling access even when disconnected from the internet.”

Despite this, the rollout of the local storage capabilities for mail, calendar events, and contacts was unexpectedly postponed. The company revisited this matter earlier this year in June, updating the same feature under Microsoft 365 (M365) feature ID 178030. However, Microsoft has not provided any explanation for the delay in the feature’s release.

Fast forward to today, and it appears that Microsoft is finally adding more offline functionalities, aligning with its original objectives. The most recent update on the Microsoft 365 roadmap pertains to offline booting for the Outlook application, which is particularly beneficial for users who favor the Classic Outlook experience.

The update reads as follows:

Outlook: Offline app boot

This feature allows you to open or restart the new Outlook for Windows even when not connected to the internet. Previously, it was necessary to have an internet connection to access the new Outlook. Offline usage is only feasible when the application is already active and then goes offline. The capability to open and restart the app while offline will be included in this rollout.

This update can be found under ID 414516, and Microsoft has announced that the feature will start rolling out this month, October 2024. It is worth mentioning that it has experienced a minor delay, as it was first slated for release on September 3, 2024.

The update has also been made available on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center dashboard under ID MC907098.

Source