Let’s face it, with Microsoft’s ‘New’ Outlook removing VBA and lacking all sort of existing features that previous versions included, people are pondering their options.

As the ‘New’ Outlook slowly rolls out and is forced upon users, more and more I get phone calls from clients asking where this, where’s that, what happened, how can Microsoft do this … Sometimes I can help them out and other times I have to inform them that the feature no longer exists or that automation is no longer possible (just had that fun conversation earlier today).

Thus, there is little motivation to feel the same love of the product that we had for the Legacy Outlook and people are starting to consider alternatives.

Beyond my own clients, today I saw this post from an Access MVP Alum:

Replacement for Outlook

I cannot get back to the old Outlook on my new Win 11 computer. I’m ready to ditch Outlook entirely. The new, but not improved Outlook is missing too many features. There has to be something better. I really dislike web apps so would prefer something that installs locally. Any suggestions?

Seeing Pat’s question and having some experience with a few of the alternative options out there, I wrote her a quick e-mail in the hopes I could share a little information with her, offer her a few possible options to consider.

Then, I thought to myself, this could be useful to others and this post was born.
 

Microsoft Outlook Alternatives

I won’t bore you with lots of blah, blah.

The most common alternative to Outlook is Mozilla Thunderbird (https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/).  This is a great application and one I have personally recommended for years and installed for a number of my clients. ***** Now, they even have a version for Android (not sure beyond that though). *****

Beyond Thunderbird, here are a few other options to consider (in no particular order):

• eM Client (https://www.emclient.com/)
• Mailbird (https://www.getmailbird.com/)
• Mailspring (https://getmailspring.com/)
• Postbox (https://www.postbox-inc.com/)
• Spark (https://sparkmailapp.com/)
• The Bat! (https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/)
• Zimbra Desktop (https://www.zimbra.com/)

So if you find yourself considering jumping ship and looking for a new E-mail client look at these and see if one of these might not fit the bill. Check them out, look over their feature and decide for yourself.
 

One More Potential Option

In the thread (link above), Gasman mentions an interesting idea, purchase an older perpetual version of Outlook, he mentions 2019.

It’s an intriguing idea, but …

My father recently received a visit from the unsolicited Microsoft’s New Outlook upgrading gnomes and found himself running the ‘New Outlook’ even though he did want it. I was then tasked with returning things to the previous state. On his PC he had Windows Mail and Outlook 2010. Both were fully functional. When Microsoft pushed their update on him, low and behold, Outlook 2010 was completely reset. The accounts that were previous registered and functional, were gone. I uninstalled the New Outlook thinking I could just revert to using Outlook 2010, but no, there was nothing to do but start over.

Instead, I chose to simply install Thunderbird and stop having to fight with Microsoft. Path of least resistance!!!

Would re-configuring Outlook 2010 have worked, would it get reset again at some later date through the next Microsoft Update??? I have no clue.

The concept of using an older perpetual version of Outlook might work, I just don’t know though. The fact that their push of the New Outlook actually took his 2010 install down, makes me wonder and shows how much Microsoft is willing to overstep to get your data on their servers!