2024 is a year of many changes for Windows 11, and we’re not just talking about the arrival of Copilot+ laptops with built-in artificial intelligence. While it’s true that Windows 11 gains many features with this renewal, it’s no less true that it also loses many classic programs still used by many people.
Not long ago we said goodbye to Wordpad, one of those programs that seemed to always be there and a free alternative to paid word processors like Microsoft Word; but that is precisely why the company does not want to allow them to continue to be used, in addition to saving space in Windows to use for new parts of the system.
Now it’s the turn of two applications widely used by Windows users, due to their ease of use and simplicity: Windows Mail and Calendar applicationswhich come pre-installed with the system. Although they are not the most complete or recommended applications, far from it, at least they are free and for the average user they are more than enough; unfortunately, Microsoft does not want you to continue using them.
The Redmond company has confirmed what it had already announced at the time: the Mail and Calendar apps will be removed from Windows 11. They will be replaced by the new outlook appand while that may sound like a good thing, it’s actually one of the most controversial decisions Microsoft has made in years.
The new Outlook app is free and it is not necessary to get a Microsoft 365 account to use it; However, many users have found an application that is worse in many ways than the classic Mail app, as it still lacks some of the most used functions such as a unified inbox with all our accounts. But above all, users are bothered by the fact that New Outlook app contains ads that they cannot be deleted in any way, which the Mail app did not have; The only option is to pay for the aforementioned Microsoft 365 subscription to get the professional Outlook app.
Pop-up window in Outlook warning of Mail and Calendar app termination
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This is another aspect that has been criticized: this Outlook app is not the same Outlook app that was traditionally included with Office (now Microsoft 365). In reality, it is just the Outlook site as a standalone app, which has also led to complaints from a number of people. poor performance. A confusion that did not help the acceptance of the new application.
But that hardly matters, because Microsoft has made the final decision to end Mail and Calendar. Until now, if we were using Outlook, it was always possible to go back to the previous applications, but now Microsoft starts showing a pop-up window that warns that this option is now harder to find and that It will be phased out throughout 2024.
Microsoft’s response to criticism, discovered by Latest Windowswas surprising: if we don’t like the new Outlook application, let’s move on to another messaging app. Microsoft does not seem to care about losing users because of this controversial change; for example, to Gmail, a free alternative that also relies on a web page.
