Outlook has been fantastic for decades, and the all-new Outlook for Windows preview app is a bid to ensure users continue to trust Outlook for years to come. A significant overhaul of Outlook brings users together for improved connectivity and productivity.

The Outlook for Windows preview app has received important updates that have modernized the classic email client. Read on to find out what the new Outlook for Windows app is and why you should consider switching to it.

How to Get the Outlook for Windows Preview App

The preview version of Outlook aims to help users work more efficiently through a rich design and new features that boost productivity and usability. Microsoft has revamped the Outlook experience by making it modern, sleek, and functional.

If you have a valid personal or family Microsoft 365 subscription, you can register for the Insider program for no additional cost. Once you’ve signed up, choose between the Beta Channel or Current Channel (Preview).

Finally, when you’ve set up Microsoft 365 on your Windows PC, you can enable Outlook for Windows preview by sliding the Try the new Outlook toggle button in the top-right corner of your Microsoft Outlook client.

Alternatively, you can try Outlook for Windows Preview through the Mail and Calendar apps on Windows 10 and 11. Simply launch the apps via the Start menu and enable the Try the new Outlook toggle button.

1. A Revamped UI

personalized outlook

The new Outlook user interface is fresh, compact, and uncluttered. Not only is it appealing to the eye, but it also prioritizes ease of use. All of your primary email-related actions, such as new mail, delete, reply, and meeting, are accessible in a single click through the inbox Ribbon.

Outlook’s primary tabs are less crowded now, and you can easily switch between the Home, View, and Help tabs for quick access options. The new intuitive design is also reflected in the draft email window, menu options, and Outlook settings.

In addition to having email, contacts, and Calendar on the sidebar, the new Outlook preview app also allows you to launch Microsoft 365 apps directly. All in all, Outlook’s unique design is quite refreshing and will surely help users stay productive.

2. Incredible Options to Personalize Your Experience

themes for outlook

It's always fun to be able to customize the visual appearance of the apps you use daily. Outlook provides many different options that allow you to control the look and feel of the app. You can quite easily change the layout settings of the mailbox, adjust the reading pane, choose an Outlook theme, and even switch to a relaxed dark mode.

customize inbox ribbon

More importantly, you can completely customize the inbox Ribbon, so your preferred mailbox actions are easily accessible.

3. Seamless Google Account Integration

outlook-preview-account

If you also need to add a Google account to Outlook, you’ll find it very easy to do so. The new Outlook for Windows preview app streamlines the process of adding third-party accounts to Outlook. While currently only Google accounts are supported, Microsoft plans to support Yahoo and iCloud accounts in the future.

The new and improved Gmail integration lets users directly access their email, contacts, and calendar through the Outlook for Windows preview app. You can say goodbye to using a browser to access your email and calendar.

4. Improved Text Editing

In addition to having a complete visual makeover, Outlook now also features powerful text editing thanks to Microsoft Editor. You can use smart suggestions while drafting emails that help you fix spelling and grammar issues while also finetuning your writing style.

You will write like a pro with Microsoft Editor directly integrated into the new Outlook for Windows preview app.

5. Unsend Emails

At one point in our lives, we’ve all wished there was an unsend button while sending an email. You may have made a spelling mistake, addressed the wrong recipient, or didn’t add an attachment; either way, an unsend or undo email option would have been a blessing.

While Gmail has had this feature for quite some time now, we’re glad Outlook is finally jumping on board too. The new Outlook allows you to delay the delivery of an email so that you can “unsend” the email and make changes if necessary.

6. Skype and Teams Integration

If your workplace relies heavily on Microsoft Teams or Skype, you’ll find the ability to directly join a meeting from Outlook quite comforting. This saves you the hassle of copying a meeting room access code or navigating multiple link redirections. Unfortunately, this feature does not support Zoom or Google Meets yet.

7. New Calendar Features

Outlook’s Calendar has also improved drastically. You can now directly work with a Google Calendar and even add multiple shared calendars; this ensures you don’t miss any work or personal events. Users who preview Outlook for Windows can now add various time zones to their calendars to stay organized and prevent confusion between different time zones.

The Calendar will also show you the daily weather so you can plan ahead.

8. Track Courier Packages & Flights

track flights from Outlook
Image Credit: Microsoft

Another exciting feature of the new Outlook app is the ability to track shipments and flights from your Inbox directly. This nifty feature lets you stay updated easily without inquiring about status updates on packages and flights online.

You can also add a flight reservation to your Calendar so you can stay informed and never miss another flight.

9. A Smarter Inbox

With Outlook for Windows, your Inbox is very smart. You can add a reminder to reply to important emails so you don’t forget them at the end of a busy day. To avoid forgetting an important email, you can also pin it to the top of your Inbox.

Additionally, you can rely on the improved search to quickly access the emails you need from the numerous folders in your mailbox. There are many other features similar to this that allow you to work smart.

Outlook Is Better Than Ever

Microsoft has played its cards very well with the revamped Outlook. An excellent fresh design coupled with new features that empower productivity and usability is a testament to Microsoft’s vision of connecting and coordinating lives.