Beginning January 2025, Microsoft will start forcing users from the Classic Outlook to the new app based Outlook. Those with the Microsoft 365 for Business Standard and Business Premium licenses are the only ones that are affected for now.
To stop the forced migration for users to the ‘New’ Outlook, there are a variety of methods available. This can be achieved with the following;
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Group Policy
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Microsoft Intune
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Cloud Policy
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Registry
Group Policy
Location: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Outlook 2016\Outlook Options\Other\Setting: Admin-Controlled Migration to New Outlook > Set to ‘Disabled’This policy controls the ability of IT admins to initiate the migration of users from classic Outlook to new Outlook.
If you enable this policy setting, IT admins will start the process to switch users from classic Outlook to new Outlook.
If you disable this policy setting, the migration process to new Outlook will be stopped, keeping users on their current version of Outlook without transitioning to new Outlook.
If you do not set this policy setting, the migration process to new Outlook will not start, and users that have not migrated will remain on classic Outlook.
Microsoft Intune
In the Microsoft Intune Admin Centre navigate to Devices > Windows > Configuration > New Policy > Settings Catalog
Select the following options:
- Hide the “Try the new Outlook” toggle in Outlook (User) = Enabled
- Admin-Controlled Migration to New Outlook (User) = Disabled
Assign to a test group of workstations before deploying more widely.
Cloud Policy
In the Microsoft 365 Apps Admin Centre navigate to Customisation > Policy Management > New Policy > Search for and:
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Enable the Hide the "Try the new Outlook" toggle in Outlook policy
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Disable the Admin-Controlled Migration to New Outlook policy
Registry
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options\General]
“DoNewOutlookAutoMigration”= dword:00000000Copy the above into Notepad and Save As newOutlookDisable.reg and double click to run it.
