Even Windows 10 cannot escape the new Outlook
- Reference: 1738251128
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/01/30/outlook_arrives_on_windows_10/
- Source link:
The preview update rolled out over the last two days, with patches for Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 ( [1]KB5050092 ) released on January 29, and [2]KB5050094 for Windows 11 24H2 released on January 28.
Microsoft's work on Windows' audio system is in the rollout. The company claims to have dealt with an issue with audio device drivers where the message "This device cannot start" appeared when connecting to external audio management devices, a [3]previously reported known issue with USB Digital / Analog converters (DAC).
[4]
Users brave enough to try out the update reported on [5]social media that the DAC problem did indeed appear to have been solved. Some, however, registered other complaints, so as with any update, it would – if possible – be sensible to test it first and be prepared to roll it back.
[6]
[7]
[8]As promised by Microsoft , the update ( [9]KB5050081 ) also included some extras for Windows 10. As well as the audio fixes, the new Outlook for Windows app has put in an appearance.
Microsoft said, "A new app icon appears in the Apps section on the Start menu, near classic Outlook.
[10]
"There are no changes to any settings or defaults."
[11]Microsoft talks up 'significant capital investments' in AI as sector reacts to DeepSeek
[12]Windows 10's demise nears, but Linux is forever
[13]Improved Windows Search arrives... but only for Copilot+ PCs
[14]Microsoft fixes under-attack privilege-escalation holes in Hyper-V
Most versions of Windows 10 are rapidly approaching the end of the road. Support is due to end on October 14. While Microsoft has shown no desire to keep affected versions supported past that date, it has continued to update the platform. Although ditching the Mail and Calendar applications in favor of the new Outlook for Windows app is probably not what users had in mind as an "update."
Support for Mail and Calendar ended on December 31, 2024. In a [15]support article , Microsoft said, "You can no longer able (sic) to send and receive emails or events using Windows Mail and Calendar. Any local emails, calendar events, and contacts stored in Mail, Calendar, and People will remain exportable following the steps in Export emails and contacts from Windows Mail or People and import to new Outlook.
"We recommend you move to new Outlook or Outlook.com." ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/january-29-2025-kb5050092-os-builds-22621-4830-and-22631-4830-preview-fc9d13d6-09c6-412e-aab5-939e2c13a768
[2] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/january-28-2025-kb5050094-os-build-26100-3037-preview-78fda0ea-79e9-468d-8a77-de7914ca1aef
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/28/microsoft_admits_to_usb_digital/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z5uwMjfmiQq7f-id6OAhBwAAARQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows11/comments/1iceekl/january_28_2025kb5050094_os_build_261003037/
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z5uwMjfmiQq7f-id6OAhBwAAARQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z5uwMjfmiQq7f-id6OAhBwAAARQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/10/new_outlook_windows_10/
[9] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/january-28-2025-kb5050081-os-build-19045-5440-preview-a8c14cfd-0f24-43ad-aea2-641d86cb648f
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z5uwMjfmiQq7f-id6OAhBwAAARQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/30/microsoft_q2_2025/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/28/windows_10_demise_linux/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/20/microsoft_unveils_windows_search_improvements/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/15/patch_tuesday_january_2025/
[15] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/outlook-for-windows-the-future-of-mail-calendar-and-people-on-windows-11-715fc27c-e0f4-4652-9174-47faa751b199
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
You'd think - they'll still force it on if you have an Internet connection. No-one is allowed to escape, not even those who don't want Outlook!
"Most versions of Windows 10 are rapidly approaching the end of the road. Support is due to end on October 14. While Microsoft has shown no desire to keep affected versions supported past that date"
With those reluctant to upgrade hardware even more reluctant if tariffs hike prices MS is set to make a fortune on an extended update service. I wonder what the annual cost of that will be compared to the one-off OEM prices it would have got for new W11 licences.
"We recommend you move to new Outlook or Outlook.com Linux, where we don't have the power for faff about with your day-to-day applications ."
There, FTFY
I'm sorry, *what*?
Support for Mail and Calendar ended on December 31, 2024. In a support article, Microsoft said, "You can no longer able (sic) to send and receive emails or events using Windows Mail and Calendar."
Did they seriously put a kill-switch in that app? And if so, why would they think I would ever trust them again?
The "New Outlook" takes great care to send all your email to Microsoft servers for "storage" (quite probably, "feeding AI learning").
kind of confused
I'm more of a Linux person though I do use Windows 10 LTSC 1809 in a VM as my main windows desktop for work stuff mainly.
I looked it up again to confirm, MS says they will support classic Outlook until at least 2029(I assume for users of LTSC 1809 which has support till 2029 as well?). Users can continue to use/install classic Outlook until the "cutover" phase which as of Nov 2024 has not yet been specified, and when it is, there will be at least a 12 month time before it takes effect. Maybe the situation is different for personal accounts(vs accounts associated with a company that has office365).
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/outlook/new-outlook-for-windows-a-guide-to-product-availability/4078895
Kind of ironic I regularly get warnings in MS teams saying classic teams is not supported, so I should upgrade, but the newer teams is not compatible with LTSC 1809 as far as I know, and the "fine print" (last I checked) said MS will continue to support classic teams on LTSC platforms until their EOL.
I do see a "try the new outlook" option in the top right of my outlook on Win10, I have not tried it, I'm kind of assuming it would not work (like newer teams won't work) due to the newer system requirements.
Most of my outlook usage is OWA from my Linux system but sometimes I do use the classic outlook to do some things.
As outlook has never been installed on my Win 10 machine I shall be immune from the embuggeration and annoyance of this latest downgrade and instead will remain with Thunderbird.