Microsoft’s web-flavored update for Outlook begins rolling out to more testers

Enlarge / The new Outlook client for Windows is creeping nearer to release, though it still doesn’t support some important features. (credit: Microsoft)

Earlier this year, Microsoft released a preview of a totally redesigned Outlook for Windows client. It was a step closer to something Microsoft has been working toward for a while—a unified Outlook client across all of its platforms, based on the design of the web version. Today, Microsoft is taking another step toward that goal, with an updated preview for the new Outlook client that will be available to all Office Insiders in the Beta and Current channels.

Outlook for Windows users signed up for the Office Insider program will be able to try the new app by hitting a “try the new Outlook” toggle in the upper-right corner of the app window; hit the toggle again to return to the old Outlook app. Microsoft says toggling between the two will result in “no data or email loss.”

The Outlook app will also eventually be replacing the free built-in Mail and Calendar apps preinstalled in Windows. Microsoft will make a similar toggle available to Windows Insiders “in the coming weeks.”