install classic outlook

Question

I have tried everything recommended on your website. I have downloaded from the actual classic outlook link but still get new outlook without the toggle switch. The only thing I haven't tried is the suggestion about changing the registry which I would do but my registry doesn't look like the one on your website. I have wasted a month. Please give me accurate instructions

Answer 1

@Gail Robertson said

changing the registry which I would do but my registry doesn't look like the one on your website.

I assume you mean the article at
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/toggle-out-of-the-new-outlook-for-windows

Do you not have a HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0 Registry Key? Do you have any Office keys at all?

I have downloaded from the actual classic outlook link

I assume you mean
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/install-or-reinstall-classic-outlook-on-a-windows-pc-5c94902b-31a5-4274-abb0-b07f4661edf5

If so, did you see any errors during the install?

Do you have this directory on your PC C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16 ?
If so, is there an OUTLOOK.EXE file in that directory? If so, what happens if you double-click on it?

Answer 2

Which version of Office do you have? To install the classic Outlook, you need either a subscription (such as Microsoft 365 Personal) or a perpetual license (such as Office Home & Business 2024) which includes that version of Outlook.

Answer 3

If classic Outlook still opens as new Outlook and the toggle is missing, use this path instead:

1. Install classic Outlook directly.
   • Use the standalone classic Outlook installer or the Microsoft Store option listed in the Microsoft support article.
   • On new Windows PCs, many devices come with new Outlook preinstalled and do not include classic Outlook by default.
2. Check whether classic Outlook is actually installed.
   • Open Start and search for Outlook.
   • If only the new Outlook app appears, classic Outlook is not installed yet.
3. If the Go back to classic Outlook button in new Outlook only closes the app and does not install classic Outlook, that issue was fixed, but the documented workaround is to use the install link in the classic Outlook install article.
4. If classic Outlook is installed but the Try the new Outlook toggle is missing in classic Outlook, check these supported conditions:
   • Windows must be Windows 10 build 1809 (17763) or later.
   • Supported channels are Current Channel, Monthly Enterprise Channel, and Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview).
   • Non-subscription versions such as Outlook 2021 and Outlook 2019 are not supported for the toggle.
   • If the classic Outlook profile contains POP or on-premises Exchange accounts, the toggle might not appear.
   • If the device is or was part of a sovereign network, the switch option is not available.
5. Check whether the toggle is hidden by policy.
   • In the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center, check the global policy Hide the "Try the new Outlook" toggle in Outlook.
   • If that policy is enabled, disable it.
6. Check the registry only if needed.
   • The toggle visibility is controlled by HideNewOutlookToggle under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options\General.
   • If HideNewOutlookToggle is 1, the toggle is hidden.
   • Changing it to 0 and restarting classic Outlook makes the toggle visible.
   • Warning: editing the registry can cause system or app problems if the wrong value is changed.
7. If the toggle is visible but does nothing, that points to installation issues related to security settings.
8. If none of the above resolves it, collect Outlook logging files for support.
   • The article says to include the .etl files from %Temp%\Outlook Logging.
   • Open Start > Run > %Temp%\Outlook Logging.

For a home scenario, the most reliable next step is:

• reinstall classic Outlook from the official classic Outlook install article or Microsoft Store entry,
• confirm classic Outlook appears separately in Start,
• then open that app directly instead of the preinstalled new Outlook app.

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References:

• Install or reinstall classic Outlook on a Windows PC
• You can't open classic Outlook on a new Windows PC
• Resolve deployment issues in the new Outlook for Windows
• Go back to classic Outlook button not working correctly in new Outlook