The new Outlook app hasn’t received many positive reviews since its release – in fact, many insiders pointed out the lack of favorite features that made classic Microsoft Outlook so popular. But in 2025, the tech giant appears to want to make amends with the public. The Microsoft 365 Roadmap reveals that there will be 53 new Outlook features in development or rolling out soon.
This article will explore some of the more popular features we expect to see.
- Organizing and Reordering Folders: Until now, a newly created folder has been located alphabetically in the Folder Pane, and when folders are clicked and dragged, they are inserted as sub-folders. This update allows users to arrange folders in their preferred order.
- The “None” Color Category: Since the rollout of the new Outlook features, users had the option to assign color-coded categories to emails and calendar events. Microsoft has scheduled the addition of a “None” color category to provide more flexibility and customization in sorting emails and calendar events.
- The Creation and Distribution of Newsletters: Although this feature update isn’t scheduled until later in 2025, it will be unique to the new Outlook. Users will have the ability to create and distribute internal email newsletters from within the app and track the open rate.
- Color Change for Folder Icons: This year, the new version of Outlook offers the ability to change the colors of your email folders using the Folder Pane. This allows differentiation that transcends naming and sorting and makes sorting more visual.
- Adding Shared Folders to Favorites: As of now, users can only add personal folders to Favorites in the Folder Pane by right-clicking the relevant folder and adding to favorites. This update will give users easy and quick access to important emails shared with you in just a couple of clicks.
- Shift Emails Between Personal Accounts: The new Outlook features allow users to add email accounts from other providers, including Gmail, Yahoo, and iCloud, in a single location. Personal Outlook users will be able to easily move emails between accounts, and the feature will be available for work versions of Outlook with permission from the admin team.
- Copilot Implementation: Microsoft plans to integrate Copilot across the entire suite of productivity apps. Copilot Pro subscribers can expect the following changes over the next few months:
- Identify and designate high-priority emails, and provide a short content summary
- Find information and complete tasks using dialog-like commands
- Identify and summarize key upcoming meeting points in an instant, allowing easier back-to-back meeting management
- Generate themes in new Outlook to personalize the user interface
- AI will assist in drafting emails utilizing conditions, such as tone and length
When it comes to adding features, Microsoft is not stopping with Outlook – Excel will also reveal new updates in 2025, such as enhanced integration with Microsoft Forms and remediation of incompatible formulas.
If you are a small-to-medium-sized business in the Sarasota area and are interested in learning more about Outlook in 2025, call Alliance IT. Our team of IT professionals is uniquely qualified to assess your current processes and make recommendations based on your needs and budget.
Managed services from Alliance IT provide SMBs with resources and knowledge they may not have access on their own. Make 2025 the year that your business becomes more productive, more competitive, and more efficient. Call Alliance IT for an appointment and initial consultation.
