Many Windows users are against Microsoft’s controversial move to replace the Mail & Calendar apps with the new Outlook, citing issues such as missing features, poor performance, and more.
Our Senior Editor, Zac Bowden, argued years ago that the new Outlook app for Windows 11 isn't ready for prime time because it's a web wrapper. "For whatever reason, Microsoft thinks it’s okay for the default Windows mailing experience to be no better than a [glorified] website," he lamented.
Well, a new feature is coming to Outlook for Windows that could improve the user experience, at least a little. As spotted by Neowin, the email client will soon let users attach files to emails while offline, which will then be sent automatically once the internet connection is restored.
The feature, under the ID 496371 tag on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, was initially supposed to ship to broad availability this month, but the timeline has since been moved to between April and May 2026.
💬 Is Microsoft making Outlook for Windows's user experience better?
This update means that a power outage or an unstable internet connection will no longer significantly disrupt your workflow, since you'll be able to add attachments in Outlook for Windows even when your device drops its network.
Naturally, emails aren't worth much without an internet connection in the first place, but it's a small help.
It's also worth noting that the feature could ship enabled or disabled by default, depending on your configuration of the OWAMailboxPolicy-OfflineEnabledWin policy.
Still, when it reaches broad availability, you'll be able to enable it by going to Settings > General > Offline in Outlook for Windows. From there, turn on offline email, calendar, and people, and make sure the Include file attachments option is toggled on.
Elsewhere, Microsoft recently announced that it is extending the deadline for the transition from the Mail & Calendar apps to Microsoft's new Outlook email client for Windows for enterprises. The opt-out phase is now slated to begin in March 2027, which essentially gives organizations an additional year to make the transition.
What's your experience with the new Outlook email client? Let me know in the comments!
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