It’s no secret that Microsoft is pushy when it comes to software. We’ve gone through numerous instances of the company aggressively shipping Bing as the default browser, making Windows 11 updates mandatory despite their lacking quality, and, most recently, forcing New Outlook.
These are inevitable downsides to Windows as a service, yet with each new frustration, there’s typically a tireless soul in the modding community looking to provide a solution. For those of us with Mail headaches, a savvy Reddit user has created a script that prevents the app switcheroo from happening.
If It Ain’t Broke
New Outlook for Windows, as it’s officially called, is a progressive web app as opposed to a fully-fledged desktop program. Microsoft reckons the app “combines intelligent features from the Outlook web interface and current Windows Mail and Calendar app in a free experience,” but I’m one of many who happen to disagree.
It brings no inherent advantages over Mail and Calendar, or Outlook for Windows, and Microsoft’s implementation of intrusive ads only adds salt to our wounds. In fact, a quick search shows just how maligned it is. Zac Bowden at Windows Central yells “I actually hate the new Outlook for Windows,” while Reddit users describe it as “buggy, laggy, broken,” and lacking in features compared to the Mail & Calendar app.
In an effort to push people to this sub-par experience, Microsoft has removed its optional prompt to try the new Outlook in favour of just redirecting those who click on Mail & Calendar. The situation has gotten so bad that people are jumping through hoops to avoid it. A few of us at Club386 spend more than our fair share of time manually uninstalling the replacement, as it reinstalls every time you open the original app. It’s become a daily ritual.
How To Fix It
Declaring war on the invasive practice, Reddit user Ryarralk has a script that fools Microsoft’s App Packager into believing it has the new wrapper installed while keeping the old one in effect. All you need to do is:
- Download the script from Github or straight from the OutlookRemover zip file
- Run it as administrator
- Enjoy Mail & Calendar
After the script works its magic, you might see a banner prompting you to update to the new app every time you boot. It’s irritating but easy enough to ignore. A small trade-off and perhaps the least of your worries. Many question whether this workaround will continue functioning as of January 1, 2025, since Microsoft plans to officially retire Windows Mail and Calendar apps at the end of the year.
In such a case, Ryarralk has another version of the script that reverts to a previous state so New Outlook can reinstall itself. You can do this manually at any time by using the batch file, disabling the spoof, and then restarting your system.
Should you find yourself stuck with the latest version or even enjoy it, Ryarralk has you covered there, too. The NewOutlookPatcher makes the app more usable by disabling ads, among other things, and enabling developer tools.
Is it too late in the game for Microsoft to see sense and bring back the fast, reliable and widely used Windows Mail and Calendar apps? Perhaps so, but the modding community will ensure this war is far from over.