The New Outlook For Windows Set To Get Offline Support

Microsoft is bringing a much-needed offline support feature to the Outlook app for Windows 11. While the feature is currently in testing, the company has confirmed it will allow some parts of Outlook to work without the internet.

It is worth noting that the abovementioned feature has been missing on Windows 11's new Outlook app. To recap, Microsoft introduced a new version of Outlook for Windows 11 back in September.

The new Outlook will be based on Outlook.com and Microsoft Edge WebView and it is currently available for public testing, which started with users in the Beta channel in May 2022.

Moreover, Windows 11's new Outlook app received Gmail, Google Calendar and Contacts support in April. While nothing is set in stone yet, an earlier report claims Microsoft is planning to oust Mail and Calendar apps on Windows 11 in favour of an AI-powered Outlook.

However, the Redmond-based tech giant has neither confirmed nor denied that speculation yet. Nevertheless, the company is currently testing offline support for its new web-based Outlook, which is based on Outlook.com.

Outlook 2.0 doesn't work offline since it entirely relies on Microsoft Edge. However, an upcoming update is set to change that behaviour.

According to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company is prepping to bring a slew of extensive upgrades to the new Outlook on Windows 11 and Windows 10. One of the listings suggests the company will improve the offline support in Outlook.

As a result, users will be able to utilise some useful functions without an active internet connection. Outlook PWA is a regular website with some features that make it appear and work like a standard app.

Apps like Outlook are designed to work offline with the help of something called a Service Worker. According to Mozilla: "Service workers essentially act as proxy servers that sit between web applications, the browser, and the network (when available)."

So, the Service Worker remembers some of this data and files for users when they are online. The Service Worker provides access to the cached data and files when the user tries to access the web app without an internet connection.

Microsoft says the offline support will encompass some important mail features. For instance, it will enable the user to tag emails and transfer them to different folders. Aside from this, users will be able to delete emails without being tethered to the Internet.

Outlook web app set to get more features

Microsoft will streamline the process of accessing attachments with the next version of Outlook. You will be able to launch attachments like Word, Excel and PowerPoint files in their respective applications simply by double-clicking on them.

Also, Microsoft has already hinted at Copilot's support for Outlook. AI-backed Outlook could enable users to effortlessly create emails and summarise content so they can quickly address the emails. The AI can also simplify the tone and shorten the length of messages.

It will be interesting to see how Microsoft will further enhance these capabilities with the arrival of its next-generation Windows OS, possibly Windows 12. Amid the lack of an official confirmation, a new report implies that the company will not charge a monthly subscription for the upcoming Windows 11 successor.