Acceppt button is now not appearing in outlook invitations (new Outlook)

Question

Accept/ reject options have stopped appearing in outlook team meeting invitations. I am using new Outlook.

Answer 1

Okay that's really an important information. So it changed after a year of using it and just recently there was an update to the New Outlook for Windows that changed how it interprets iCalendar (ICS) invitations for non-Microsoft accounts (like Gmail, IMAP, Yahoo, etc.), which seemed related to the buttons disappearing. This actually is a known regression and has been reported to feedback hubs already.

In the meantime, until Microsoft re-enables the RSVP buttons just accept via your provider’s web calendar (e.g. Gmail → Calendar.google.com) or switch back to Classic Outlook where the old iCalendar parser still works.

• Toggle off “New Outlook” in the top right corner.
• Your data/account settings remain intact.

You can also submit a report, the more reports, the more it helps push the fix faster.

1. Click Help → Feedback → Report a Problem
2. Mention: “Meeting invitations for non-Microsoft accounts (e.g. Gmail/IMAP) no longer show Accept/Tentative/Decline buttons since late Oct 2025.”

Answer 2

Thanks for sharing the details, Stephen!

Try opening the same invite in Outlook Web (https://outlook.office.com).

Check if you see “Accept / Decline” there, it can be a rendering issue in the New Outlook app.

Best regards,

Kimberly

Answer 3

That explains it. The Accept / Tentative / Decline buttons only appear if the invitation follows Microsoft’s Exchange / Outlook calendar format or if the connected account supports full calendar integration through Microsoft’s API. So if your account is Gmail, Yahoo, or another IMAP provider and you’re using the new Outlook, meeting invitations may appear as plain emails, no buttons. Don't worry this can still be fixed, here are your options:

Option 1: Switch back to Classic Outlook (recommended)

The classic Outlook app has native calendar parsing for Gmail, IMAP, and Exchange.

Option 2: Add your account’s calendar directly to its native service

If it’s a Gmail or Google Workspace account:

• Open your Gmail in a browser.
• Go to Google Calendar → you’ll find your meeting invites there with Yes / No / Maybe buttons.
• Respond there. It will still sync to Outlook (depending on your account link).

Answer 4

You’re very welcome. I’m glad that helped clarify things!