Microsoft has confirmed that its Windows Mail, Calendar, and People apps will no longer function after December 31, 2024. This comes as part of a broader push to transition users to the new Outlook for Windows. After this deadline, users will be unable to send or receive emails through the old Mail and Calendar apps, which have been a staple of Windows for years.

In an updated support document, Microsoft announced that it would discontinue support for the Windows Mail apps, effectively rendering them useless for email communication. The company is encouraging users to switch to the new Outlook for Windows, which has been met with mixed reactions from users, many of whom find the web-based version sluggish and difficult to use.

For those relying on the Windows Mail and Calendar apps, Microsoft is offering a migration path, allowing users to export their emails, contacts, and calendar events to Outlook before the end of the year. However, after December 31, sending and receiving emails will only be possible via the new Outlook, leaving many to consider alternatives, such as third-party email clients.

As the countdown continues, Windows Mail users are urged to migrate their data and get familiar with Outlook, which Microsoft says will be the “best of Outlook” for free. While this transition is mandatory for Windows 11 Mail and Calendar apps, some may opt for different email solutions to avoid the cumbersome new interface and performance issues associated with the new Outlook app.

This change could also impact millions of users who have come to rely on the Mail and Calendar apps for daily tasks, leaving them with little choice but to adapt to Microsoft’s new vision for email management.