Switch from 'new' Outlook (2023) to 'classic' outlook

Question

I need to go back to the Classic version because the 'new' Outlook lacks some features that I need for work.

This webpage https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/getting-started-with-the-new-outlook-for-windows-656bb8d9-5a60-49b2-a98b-ba7822bc7627 states "You can switch back whenever you want, just switch the toggle off in the new Outlook and it will automatically open the classic version."

There is no toggle. Is there any other way I can undo this update and go back to the previous version?

EDIT: Moved FROM Microsoft 365 Insider / Outlook / Windows TO Outlook / Outlook for Windows / For business.

Answer 1

Once flipped on, the toggle is irrelevant since the "old" version still exists. Just run it. You should still be able to find its shortcut in Start (and wherever else you might have had it before), but if not you will see outlook.exe in one of these places (may vary slightly depending on edition), so if necessary make a new shortcut:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

or here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

The nice thing about the New Outlook is that it's not an either/or proposition (like New Teams is). You have both old and new. You can even run them concurrently.

But if running that actually runs New Outlook for you (some have reported that's the case), then either:

1. Uninstall Outlook

or

2. run Regedit.exe and go here (or the same with 15.0, if you don't have 16.0):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences

And in that you will see UseNewOutlook

Set it to 0, which means that running old Outlook actually runs it.

Answer 2

Take a look at my last post. You don't need the toggle now. Old Outlook is still there.

The purpose of the toggle is to install New Outlook. Once that's done (and it's not even really needed for that, since it can be installed manually), its work is done.

The only problem is, when I open the old app, the new version opens instead.

Answer 3

I'm on the same boat, I want to go back to Classic. This new version is horrible. No toggle on mine either, almost exact same specs (Enterprise, work email address - Exchange, Win11 22H2)

Answer 4

I had the same problem. Oddly, after I removed the shortcut for the new version from my taskbar the old version would open properly.

Answer 5

Thank you!

I hope MS will correct the website (and other places online) that mention the toggle option. But I'm not holding my breath.