Alex Ruben
How to Permanently Revert to Classic Outlook on Windows 10 and 11
If you find the new Outlook interface unappealing and you’re looking to revert back to the classic version, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to control the installation and use of the new Outlook on Windows 10 and 11. You will learn how to configure your system to prevent the automatic switch to new Outlook, block its preinstallation, manage user settings regarding automatic migration, and ultimately install the classic Outlook application.
Step 1: Prevent Users from Switching to New Outlook
The first step is to prevent users within your organization from transitioning to the new Outlook interface. To do this, you will need to modify the registry settings on your Windows machine. Before proceeding, make sure to create a backup of your registry in case you need to revert any changes.
Follow these steps to modify the registry:
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, then type
regeditand hit Enter. - Navigate to the following path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Options. - Right-click on the
Optionskey, then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. - Name this new DWORD as
DisableNewOutlookand set its value to1to disable the new Outlook.
This change will ensure that users will not be able to access the new Outlook experience.
Step 2: Block New Outlook Preinstallation on Windows
If you want to prevent new installations of Outlook from occurring altogether, you can disable new Outlook preinstallation on Windows. Again, this requires accessing the registry:
- Open the Registry Editor as described above.
- Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Options. - If the
Optionskey does not exist, right-click on theOutlookkey and create a new key namedOptions. - Inside this key, create a new DWORD called
DisableOutlookPreinstalland set its value to1.
With this setting in place, new versions of Outlook will be blocked from being preinstalled on your system.
Step 3: Opt-out of New Outlook Migration
To opt-out of the new Outlook migration, you can set the migration flag in your registry. This avoids any uninvited migration prompts:
- In Registry Editor, navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook. - Create or modify a DWORD value named
MigrationOptOutand set it to1.
This step ensures you won’t be prompted to migrate to the new interface unexpectedly.
Step 4: Prevent Users from Acquiring New Outlook from Microsoft Store
To completely avoid users from downloading the new Outlook version via the Microsoft Store, you can modify group policies or set registry keys accordingly:
- Open the Local Group Policy Editor by typing
gpedit.mscin the Run dialog. - Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store.
- Enable the setting titled Turn off the Store application.
This will restrict access to the Microsoft Store, preventing any inadvertent installations.
Step 5: Manage User Settings for Automatic Migration
It’s important to manage user settings to avoid automatic migrations to the new Outlook:
- In the Registry Editor, navigate once more to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Options. - Create a DWORD named
AutomaticOutlookMigrationand set it to0.
This setting ensures that Outlook will not migrate automatically, maintaining your preferred version.
Step 6: Download and Install Classic Outlook
To restore Classic Outlook after performing the above configurations, you can download it through the following link:
Download Classic Outlook. Follow the installation instructions to complete the setup. Be sure to check your account settings after installation to ensure everything transitions smoothly.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
During this process, keep in mind that some settings might require administrative privileges, especially if you’re part of a corporate network. Additionally, ensure you have the latest updates installed for Windows and Outlook to avoid any compatibility issues. If you encounter any problems, double-check the registry values you’ve set to ensure they’re correct.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the classic version of Outlook with Microsoft 365 subscriptions?
Yes, you can continue using the classic Outlook version even if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. Just follow the steps above to prevent the automatic migration.
What if the registry editor doesn’t exist on my system?
All versions of Windows should support the registry editor. If you can’t access it, ensure your account has the necessary permissions, or contact your IT administrator.
Is there an alternative email client I can use instead of Outlook?
Yes, several alternatives like Thunderbird and Mailbird offer email functionality and can be seamlessly integrated with various email providers. However, depending on your requirements, the features may differ significantly from Outlook.