Disable the “Try the New Outlook” Toggle in Classic Outlook

Introduction

In many organizations, maintaining a stable and consistent email environment is important. The introduction of the new Outlook experience can sometimes cause compatibility issues with existing add-ins, workflows, or internal applications.

To avoid unexpected changes, administrators may want to disable the "Try the new Outlook" toggle button in the Microsoft Outlook classic application.

This article explains simple methods to remove the toggle and prevent users from switching to the new Outlook experience.

Why Disable the Toggle?

Organizations may choose to disable the toggle for several reasons:

Ensure compatibility with existing add-ins (for example: third‑party DLP solutions)
Maintain a consistent user experience
Avoid unnecessary support issues
Prevent users from switching to an unapproved application version

Method 1: Disable Using Group Policy (Recommended)

This is the best method for enterprise environments where devices are managed through Active Directory.

Step 1: Download Administrative Templates

Download the latest Administrative Template files (ADMX/ADML) for Microsoft Office to the AD server.
On the AD server, extract the downloaded template file and copy the .admx and .adml files to:

C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions

Step 2: Configure the GPO

Open Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).
Create or edit a Group Policy Object (GPO).
Navigate to:

User Configuration
 → Administrative Templates
   → Microsoft Outlook 2016
     → Outlook Options
       → Other

Find the policy:

Hide the “Try the new Outlook” toggle in Outlook

Set the policy to Enabled.

Click Apply and OK.

Step 3: Apply the Policy

Link the GPO to the required Organizational Unit (OU) where the relevant users exist.
Run the following command on both the AD server and the client computer, then log back in using a user account from the configured OU:

gpupdate /force

Result

Once applied:

The toggle button will be hidden
Users cannot switch to the new Outlook
The organization maintains a controlled Outlook environment

Method 2: Disable Using Registry (Single Computer)

If Group Policy is not available, you can disable the toggle using registry changes on individual machines.

Before You Start

Close all Outlook instances
Back up the registry (recommended)

Step 1: Uninstall New Outlook (if installed)

Go to:

Settings → Apps → Installed apps

Uninstall New Outlook if it is present.

Step 2: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows + R
Type:

regedit

Step 3: Configure Registry Keys

Navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options\General

Create a DWORD (32‑bit) value:

Name: HideNewOutlookToggle
Value: 1

Delete the following values if they exist:

NewOutlookAutoMigrationStage
NewOutlookAutoMigrationType

Delete the following key if it exists:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\NewOutlook

Next, navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences

Create a DWORD (32‑bit) value:

Name: UseNewOutlook
Value: 0

Delete the following values if they exist:

NewOutlookRenudgeStartDate
NewOutlookRenudgeWatermark

Step 4: Restart the Computer

Restart the device to apply the changes.

Result

The "Try the new Outlook" toggle will be removed
Users will stay on the classic Outlook
Migration prompts to the new Outlook will be disabled

Conclusion

Disabling the "Try the new Outlook" toggle helps organizations maintain stability and control over their email environment.

Use Group Policy for centralized management
Use the Registry method for standalone systems

By applying these methods, you can ensure users continue working with the approved version of Microsoft Outlook without unexpected changes.