Send Availability feature removed from Outlook for iOS?

Question

I have been making regular use of the "Send Availability" feature in the Outlook app for iOS. Recently though, I can't seem to access this. Previously, there was a 'Calendar' button above the keyboard when replying to emails, which allowed easy selection of free timeslots in my Calendar. When I tap the Calendar button now, it just tries to create an event.

Hoping that I am missing something, rather than the feature having been removed?

Answer 1

Dear James DaviesUK,

Good day! Thank you for posting to Microsoft Community. We are happy to help you.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble with the "Send Availability" feature in Outlook for iOS. Microsoft has recently made some changes to the app, and it's possible that this feature has been removed or moved to a different location.

To confirm, the "Send Availability" feature has been removed from Outlook for iOS. However, you can still share your availability with others by creating a new event in your calendar and inviting the person you want to share your availability with.

To do this, open the Outlook app and tap on the calendar icon at the bottom of the screen. Then, tap on the plus sign in the top right corner to create a new event. Add the details of the event, including the date and time, and then tap on the "Invite Attendees" option. From there, you can add the person you want to share your availability with and send the invitation.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Answer 2

Thanks for your reply; I'm disappointed to hear that this feature has been removed. This was a useful way of sharing availability for meetings with people who are outside of the organisation I work in, and giving multiple options for future meeting dates. Are there any plans to update or reinstate the feature?

Answer 3

Wow. What a complete fail of a decision here. I consistently used that feature. Sharing a calendar is time consuming and doesn’t let me expose blocked time that I’d consider freeing up for a particular customer.

How do I downgrade outlook so I can get this back?

Answer 4

Wow. What a complete fail of a decision here. I consistently used that feature. Sharing a calendar is time consuming and doesn’t let me expose blocked time that I’d consider freeing up for a particular customer.

How do I downgrade outlook so I can get this back?

I could not agree more!! This was one of the most compelling and useful features of Outlook for iPhone. I often would not reply to a message on my computer rather I would go to the iPhone to reply so I could share my availability via my email response. This is a huge fail!

How do I get this feature back??

Answer 5

Hello James DaviesUK,

Many thanks for the response.

We apologize if we are not able to meet your requirements; however, thank you for bringing this to our attention, we will surely raise your concerns to our Product Team and hopefully this can be considered in the future updates. In the meantime, we suggest posting your feedback as an idea to our Outlook in-app feedback by going to Settings and click Help & Feedback.

Currently, the only option as a workaround; you can indeed send your availability directly from your calendar when composing an email or replying to one.

• When composing an email or replying to one, tap the calendar icon (usually located above the keyboard).
• Select the timeslots that work best for you.
• Tap the checkmark to confirm your selection and then click Send.
• And this is how it will look, showing the availability of the sender.

This feature makes it convenient to share your availability without leaving the email interface*.*

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions. Please understand that our initial response may not always resolve the issue right away. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution. Thank you for your help.