Mail app opens Outlook but its still 2023

Question

Hi I'm aware that there is a migration from the default Mail app to Outlook upcoming, however everything I can find online about it states that this isn't happening until 2024. Today I went to open the default Mail app (which I prefer 100000x over Outlook but user feedback doesn't really matter at MS and I get that) and then Outlook opens. I tried uninstalling Outlook and then when i click the default Mail app I get a pop-up saying I need to download Outlook to "open this ms outlook link". So the app icon gets turned into an Outlook link overnight, all by itself. This is hilarious but stupid. There is no option on the top right of the Outlook window to stop "trying" outlook as other posts suggest, I never even clicked the suggestion to try it when that came up in Mail, which was the reason why I know we aren't to expect this until 2024. It's currently 2023 by the way, in case that helps.

My real question is how do I comprehend an update to my OS that went by completely without my consent? I didn't click anything and there was zero notification saying "hey tomorrow we're just gonna change this thing even though we said it would happen much later." Not even a yellow dot above a Windows symbol in the tray that indicates an update will happen and a restart is required. Just whatever MS says goes?

Answer 1

I figured it out and hit reset in Advanced Options -- after deleting and uninstalling the new Outlook. I expect it to happen again, but at least I know how to recover Mail now. And I had to setup my account & signature from scratch.

Can't they at least make the new Outlook pretty? I want the functionality to use the Windows accent color as the theme color in Outlook, but no. Mail has it but it's too complicated for Outlook? Something that's built right into Microsoft Windows?? That daily color change makes my work life so much more palatable. I'm hoping I can hold onto it at least until 2024.

Answer 2

I switched thinking I'd live with the new interface and app but there's no pop3 option anywhere. All my ISP email accounts are now incompatible and I can't escape outlook. It starts up, as with everyone, when I hit the old mail icon. I'll try the suggestions above. Windows, no pop3 support? Not Happy! I'll be ditching MS and going with Thunderbird. No option to uninstall Outlook either, it doesn't appear in my programs, and unable to import my accounts to Thunderbird, no accounts found. Thanks MS. What a headache. I'll never tap update on an MS app again.

Answer 3

Hello, Tom Magee1

I can understand your current feelings, can you tell us if you tried the registry modification method? What was the result?

Answer 4

This is how my outlook...looked as well. I got onto support chat and they simply advised that I reset the Mail & Calendar app by inspecting its advanced options via Settings > Apps & Features. They had no explanation as to how or why it even occurred though, but I knew I wouldn't be the only one.

Planned obsolescence is cool MS, go ahead, but if you're telling us what the plan is at least stick to it.

Answer 5

This same thing has happened to me twice now. The first time I uninstalled Outlook, got the weird "ms outlook link" error, and then downloaded Microsoft Mail from the Store again. It didn't work at first, and then it did.

But then the same thing happened as with Tom--overnight, and with no warning or system update, my Microsoft Mail app icon gets turned into an Outlook link overnight. Overnight. With no warning. Twice.

Here is my "New Outlook" interface for reference -- I do not have the option to toggle off "New Outlook."

I thought we were going to be allowed to use Microsoft Mail for at least three months until the end of 2023?