For many years, Microsoft Outlook has held the title of the business world’s de facto email client, synonymous with the broader Microsoft 365 productivity ecosystem. The ongoing transformation of Outlook, especially the controversial shift from the classic native app to a web-based experience, has stirred passionate debate among Windows enthusiasts and enterprise users alike. With the June 2025 update to the new Windows Outlook client, Microsoft advances its campaign to unify the email experience across platforms—but even with tangible improvements, many users remain unconvinced. This article delves into the latest developments, critically examines their implications, and clarifies how the new Outlook delivers both progress and persistent frustration.
AI has rapidly become the centerpiece of Microsoft’s product roadmap, and Copilot in Outlook is among the most significant moves to embed generative AI in day-to-day workflows. The June 2025 update further cements Copilot’s presence by unlocking features for users with Copilot Pro or Microsoft 365 Personal/Family subscriptions. Now, AI-powered functionalities—ranging from email coaching to intelligent suggestions—are available across all accounts tied to the Outlook app, including third-party providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and iCloud.
However, reviewers—including those at Windows Central—are divided about the real-world value. Some power users appreciate the guidance for important correspondence, yet others see it as superficial, arguing that experienced communicators or those working in professional environments rarely need automated “tone checks.” It’s also clear that Microsoft’s aggressive push for Copilot reflects a wider business strategy: steering customers to premium M365 subscriptions and, potentially, monetizing AI credits for more intensive use.
Yet, the update only covers replying and forwarding at the moment. Advanced .pst features—like creating new .pst files, importing/exporting en masse, or robust offline data management—are still forthcoming. Microsoft’s promise of “future expansion” is positive, but cautious users and IT administrators would be wise to temper their expectations. Incomplete .pst compatibility remains a significant hurdle to widespread adoption for many organizations with complex compliance and archiving needs.
There are, nevertheless, potential pitfalls. Inter-account email movement, if mismanaged, could unintentionally compromise sensitive information. Security-conscious organizations should review policy settings and monitor usage patterns after enabling this feature.
Moreover, support for searching folders and undoing send actions while offline brings a near-parity experience with desktop standards. The ability to add shared folders to Favorites—another feature that eases multi-user and collaborative workflows—shows attention to user expectations in enterprise scenarios.
Windows Central’s Senior Editor Zac Bowden summed up the frustration: “That’s probably because it’s not a Windows app, it’s a web app. For whatever reason, Microsoft thinks it’s okay for the default Windows mailing experience to be no better than a [glorified] website. When I compare this experience to the clean and lightweight one of Apple Mail on the Mac, or Samsung Mail on a Galaxy Tablet, it’s simply no contest. Those apps are easier to use, smoother to navigate, and faster too.” Even as Microsoft retires Mail & Calendar and pushes users decisively toward the web-based future, nostalgia for the streamlined efficiency of native apps lingers.
However, those who recall the elegant simplicity of Mail & Calendar or the depth of classic desktop Outlook may find the web app’s controls less efficient and more cluttered. Consistency with other Microsoft apps and cross-platform parity are worthy goals, but they come at the cost of a more homogenized, sometimes less tailored experience on Windows machines.
Microsoft asserts that Copilot interactions are governed by enterprise-grade data handling standards, but users should note that the specifics of AI processing—what data is retained, how it is analyzed, and how long it persists—depend on subscription tier and organizational policy. Admins must remain vigilant, reviewing both Microsoft’s periodic transparency reports and the organization’s own compliance guidelines to avoid accidental data leakage or non-compliance.
Compounding this, the forced adoption of the new Outlook—with users on Windows 10 and Windows 11 automatically migrated away from Mail & Calendar—has fueled resentment. For those who valued that app’s balance of performance with essential features, Microsoft’s move is especially galling.
But the principal grievances—slower performance, increased RAM consumption, erratic notifications—remain largely unaddressed. Until the new Outlook narrows these gaps, the debate over web versus native will persist. For organizations with heavy reliance on archiving (.pst support), compliance (account movement policies), or productivity (offline capability), careful testing and staged rollouts remain prudent.
Ultimately, Microsoft’s push for a unified email experience appears set in stone. The best that critics and skeptics can hope for is that future updates will not just close feature gaps, but address the core issues of performance and notification reliability that currently prevent the new Outlook from being universally embraced. Until then, the promise of a better Outlook remains, for many, just out of reach—a web app that’s finally closer to good, but still not quite great.
Source: Windows Central The latest Outlook update makes things better… just not good
AI has rapidly become the centerpiece of Microsoft’s product roadmap, and Copilot in Outlook is among the most significant moves to embed generative AI in day-to-day workflows. The June 2025 update further cements Copilot’s presence by unlocking features for users with Copilot Pro or Microsoft 365 Personal/Family subscriptions. Now, AI-powered functionalities—ranging from email coaching to intelligent suggestions—are available across all accounts tied to the Outlook app, including third-party providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and iCloud.Email Coaching and AI Credits: More Than Hype?
The draw of Copilot email coaching lies in its promise: helping users tailor their tone, clarify meaning, and optimize the sentiment of every message before hitting send. Early user feedback and Microsoft’s own promotion suggest that this assistance can save time and alleviate communication anxiety, especially for those who draft sensitive or high-stakes emails. In practice, Outlook’s implementation of Copilot coaching now presents suggestions, edits, and dynamic rewriting options on demand—not just for Outlook.com but also for connected non-Microsoft accounts.However, reviewers—including those at Windows Central—are divided about the real-world value. Some power users appreciate the guidance for important correspondence, yet others see it as superficial, arguing that experienced communicators or those working in professional environments rarely need automated “tone checks.” It’s also clear that Microsoft’s aggressive push for Copilot reflects a wider business strategy: steering customers to premium M365 subscriptions and, potentially, monetizing AI credits for more intensive use.
Transparency and Control
A recurring concern with AI integrations is user autonomy. Microsoft has addressed this by providing a straightforward way to toggle Copilot off through Outlook’s Copilot control panel. This move is notable; it signals recognition that not everyone welcomes AI in their workspace, whether due to privacy concerns, data sovereignty, or simple preference..PST File Support: A Partial Step Forward
The ability to reply to and forward email directly from a .pst file—Outlook’s longstanding Data File format—brings long-requested capability to the new web-based client. For many, especially those migrating from older Outlook environments or managing legacy archives, this feature is essential. Previously, the lack of .pst interaction was a dealbreaker for businesses required to retain years’ worth of offline correspondence.Yet, the update only covers replying and forwarding at the moment. Advanced .pst features—like creating new .pst files, importing/exporting en masse, or robust offline data management—are still forthcoming. Microsoft’s promise of “future expansion” is positive, but cautious users and IT administrators would be wise to temper their expectations. Incomplete .pst compatibility remains a significant hurdle to widespread adoption for many organizations with complex compliance and archiving needs.
Moving Emails Between Accounts: Productivity Boost With Caveats
Consumer Outlook users can now move emails seamlessly between their accounts, providing improved organization and workflow flexibility. Enterprise users, on the other hand, will discover that this feature is controlled by administrator policy—turned off by default to align with security protocols and compliance safeguards. This dual-layered approach is smart: giving individuals power over their inboxes while ensuring enterprises retain control over potential data leakage or policy violations.There are, nevertheless, potential pitfalls. Inter-account email movement, if mismanaged, could unintentionally compromise sensitive information. Security-conscious organizations should review policy settings and monitor usage patterns after enabling this feature.
Strengthening Offline Functionality: From 7 Days to 30
A chief critique of the new Outlook, compared with traditional native clients, has been its dependence on persistent connectivity and limited offline capability. The June 2025 update addresses several of these concerns: the default mail sync window in offline mode now spans 30 days, up from the previous 7. This wider window is a marked improvement, especially for frequent travelers or users in environments with spotty connectivity.Moreover, support for searching folders and undoing send actions while offline brings a near-parity experience with desktop standards. The ability to add shared folders to Favorites—another feature that eases multi-user and collaborative workflows—shows attention to user expectations in enterprise scenarios.
The Native App Debate: Still Unsettled
No matter how many features Microsoft brings to the new Outlook, the app’s fundamental architecture—a progressive web app (PWA) wrapped for Windows—remains a central bone of contention. Users accustomed to the responsiveness and low overhead of Mail & Calendar or previous native Outlook builds continue to notice sluggishness, increased resource usage, and unreliable notifications, as echoed in prominent reviews and editorials on Windows Central and other platforms.Windows Central’s Senior Editor Zac Bowden summed up the frustration: “That’s probably because it’s not a Windows app, it’s a web app. For whatever reason, Microsoft thinks it’s okay for the default Windows mailing experience to be no better than a [glorified] website. When I compare this experience to the clean and lightweight one of Apple Mail on the Mac, or Samsung Mail on a Galaxy Tablet, it’s simply no contest. Those apps are easier to use, smoother to navigate, and faster too.” Even as Microsoft retires Mail & Calendar and pushes users decisively toward the web-based future, nostalgia for the streamlined efficiency of native apps lingers.
Performance: RAM, Notifications, and User Confidence
Multiple user benchmarks and subjective reports still find that the new Outlook consumes more RAM than its predecessor, sometimes by dramatic margins. Notifications continue to be unreliable, with delayed alerts or missed events—issues particularly catastrophic for time-sensitive communications. While these are not universal experiences, the inconsistencies suggest that performance tuning for web-forward apps is an ongoing challenge, one Microsoft cannot afford to ignore.Interface and Usability: Familiar Yet Divisive
Not everyone hates the new Outlook interface. For some users, the familiarity of the web UI and integration with wider Microsoft 365 tools outweigh the performance drawbacks. The accessibility of shared folders in Favorites, improved search, and flexible mail management demonstrate Microsoft’s responsiveness to user feedback.However, those who recall the elegant simplicity of Mail & Calendar or the depth of classic desktop Outlook may find the web app’s controls less efficient and more cluttered. Consistency with other Microsoft apps and cross-platform parity are worthy goals, but they come at the cost of a more homogenized, sometimes less tailored experience on Windows machines.
Privacy and Security Implications
A further area of concern—one less discussed in casual forums but top-of-mind for IT professionals—is the privacy and security posture of the new Outlook. Email, by its nature, transports sensitive information. Integrating third-party accounts, cloud-based AI, and cross-account mail movement introduces new vectors for data exposure.Microsoft asserts that Copilot interactions are governed by enterprise-grade data handling standards, but users should note that the specifics of AI processing—what data is retained, how it is analyzed, and how long it persists—depend on subscription tier and organizational policy. Admins must remain vigilant, reviewing both Microsoft’s periodic transparency reports and the organization’s own compliance guidelines to avoid accidental data leakage or non-compliance.
Competition: Where Microsoft Falls Short
Comparison with rival systems is unavoidable. Apple Mail and Samsung Mail, as referenced by editors and echoed on social media, retain their status as fully native, tightly integrated with their respective platforms, and lightweight in operation. The gap in user experience is most stark on mid-range and older hardware, where the web app’s resource requirements are more likely to disrupt workflows.Compounding this, the forced adoption of the new Outlook—with users on Windows 10 and Windows 11 automatically migrated away from Mail & Calendar—has fueled resentment. For those who valued that app’s balance of performance with essential features, Microsoft’s move is especially galling.
The Road Ahead: Inevitable Web-First Future?
The June 2025 Outlook update is clearly a step forward in terms of capability. Recent additions—offline search and send undo, expanded sync, shared folder favorites—respond to popular requests, reducing the remaining distance between the web and classic desktop paradigms. Copilot’s deeper integration, and the ability for users to disable it, reflect lessons learned in balancing innovation with user agency.But the principal grievances—slower performance, increased RAM consumption, erratic notifications—remain largely unaddressed. Until the new Outlook narrows these gaps, the debate over web versus native will persist. For organizations with heavy reliance on archiving (.pst support), compliance (account movement policies), or productivity (offline capability), careful testing and staged rollouts remain prudent.
Conclusion: Incremental Progress, Lingering Discontent
Microsoft’s latest Outlook update demonstrates the company’s double-edged approach: rapid innovation with AI and cross-platform support, offset by compromises in user experience inherent to a web-first model. The improvements are undeniable, especially in areas like .pst handling, offline features, and Copilot accessibility. Yet, for long-time Windows users, the loss of a truly native, snappy client—and the drop in Mail & Calendar support—are more than aesthetic concerns. They touch on productivity, reliability, and the emotional connection to software that “just works.”Ultimately, Microsoft’s push for a unified email experience appears set in stone. The best that critics and skeptics can hope for is that future updates will not just close feature gaps, but address the core issues of performance and notification reliability that currently prevent the new Outlook from being universally embraced. Until then, the promise of a better Outlook remains, for many, just out of reach—a web app that’s finally closer to good, but still not quite great.
Source: Windows Central The latest Outlook update makes things better… just not good