Is the New Outlook a Security Risk?
Microsoft's „new Outlook“ is causing confusion because key features are missing and privacy concerns are arising. Since its launch a year ago, it has been increasingly aggressively marketed as the successor to the classic version and is now part of Windows 11. The program combines the free Mail, Calendar, and People apps into a single application, but functions primarily as a WebView2 cloud application with additional features. It also allows users to connect external email accounts via IMAP—but does not support POP3. However, users should be aware of the privacy risks: When linking third-party accounts, only a vague warning message is displayed, which does not make it sufficiently clear that all content created will be stored in the Microsoft Cloud. This raises the question: Should you switch, or is it better to stay away?
Privacy?
Data privacy in the new Outlook is problematic. When users sign in with a third-party email account, their user data and existing emails are transferred to the Microsoft cloud without sufficient transparency. Instead of direct communication between the user and the mail server, Outlook delegates this task to a Microsoft server. This gives Microsoft access to login credentials and all messages, meaning that Microsoft becomes an additional email provider acting as an intermediary between the user and their actual provider. This raises significant privacy concerns.
The pressure from Microsoft is mounting
Microsoft has announced that it will establish the new email client, „New Outlook,“ as a complete replacement for the classic Outlook included in the Office suite. Although there is no specific date yet for the final discontinuation of support for the classic Outlook—though it is not expected to happen before 2029—pressure to use the new client is increasing. Starting in 2026, Microsoft 365 users will be required to switch to the new client.
The transition presents challenges in the corporate environment, particularly with regard to data protection. If companies do not use Exchange Online, routing data through Microsoft servers could conflict with internal policies. Switching back to the classic Outlook has been straightforward so far, but many view this process as more of a downgrade than a true update.
What's next?
For home users, the new Outlook is a functional successor to the discontinued Windows apps Mail, Calendar, and Contacts—provided you can get used to the changed user interface. When using Microsoft accounts, privacy concerns are less serious, since Microsoft already has full access. While the new Outlook looks similar, it is a standalone program, which can be problematic for businesses, especially when using external email providers or internally hosted servers. It is recommended that administrators prevent forced migration to avoid data breaches and IT support issues. The reduced feature set compared to the old Outlook is currently a drawback; Microsoft plans to continue developing it for at least four years. It remains to be seen whether the project will continue or be discontinued—history shows that Microsoft has been known to backtrack at times.