Everyone can now download the new Outlook, but be warned, new Outlook is a freeware lightweight app and replaces Microsoft’s previous Mail app.

If all you need is a lightweight mail client, please go ahead and use new Outlook.

Outlook 365 is not the same as new Outlook.

The Heavyweight at work

However, if you rely on the business friendly infrastructure of classic Outlook, available as part of Microsoft Office 365, please uninstall Mail and new Outlook and use only classic Outlook. Classic Outlook is the workhorse of modern business. It forms part of the Office suite of products, which allows shared resources between MS Word and MS Excel. This ability to integrate shared resources is what gives classic Outlook it’s real power. Power that new Outlook and the Mail app lack.

The content below is curated from the Microsoft answers site. Note that Microsoft 365 must be installed for the fix below, to work.

I understand that you are not fond of the interface or features of the new Outlook. Since you haven’t provided specific details, may I ask if you would like to use Mail or the classic version of Outlook instead? Please note that these are three separate applications, and there is no upgrade or replacement relationship between them.

Both Mail and new Outlook are free applications that can be downloaded directly from the app store. If you have a 365 subscription, it is strongly recommended that you use the classic version of Outlook, as it offers more features.

You can find instructions on how to switch back to the classic version of Outlook at this link: 

Toggle out of the new Outlook for Windows preview – Microsoft Support

You can find the download path for the classic version of Outlook at this link:

You can’t open classic Outlook on a new Windows PC – Microsoft Support

If your issue is that you have already downloaded the classic version of Outlook, but it keeps automatically switching to the new Outlook, then you will need to change your program settings through the terminal.

1. Find the folder path in C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\NewOutlookMigration (the username is the current system user’s name).

Quick access method: Win+R, paste into the Run window: %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook\NewOutlookMigration

(This is more reliable, adapts to the current system user)

2. Create a new text file named: handoff.txt

(The file does not need any content, it should be empty)

Then open Classic Outlook to confirm if it can open normally.

Quick way to create the file:

1. Win+R: cmd, type in the Command Prompt: echo. > “%localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook\NewOutlookMigration\handoff.txt”

(After entering this command, there will be no prompt of success or failure)

2. PowerShell: New-Item -Path “$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Outlook\NewOutlookMigration\handoff.txt” -ItemType File

(This can also be used in the terminal on Win11)

I hope the above information is helpful to you!

Best regards

Yolanda – MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist