Looks like we’re just days away from testing the new Outlook for Windows client

Famous insider WalkingCat noticedthat the new Outlook client for Windows, which is in development, has been given a “PRE” (stands for PREVIEW) dot icon instead of the “BETA” icon that had been in use for several months. Our team also noticed that the Microsoft configuration file changed the server URL from the internal version to the public version:

• Was: “targetUrl”: “https://outlook-sdf.office.com/mail/”
• Became: “targetUrl”: “https://outlook.office.com/mail/”

This means that public testing of the new Outlook client for Windows, also known by the code name “Project Monarch”, will begin very soon. Microsoft will likely introduce it on April 5 as part of the Windows Powers the Future of Hybrid Work event. By the way, back in January, the editor of the ZDNet portal Mary Jo Foley informedthat Microsoft plans to start testing the client around the end of March or beginning of April 2022.

Recall that “Project Monarch” is a web application based on the Microsoft Edge WebView2 component. Microsoft wants the future of Outlook desktop clients on all platforms to have the same code base and the same user interface, which is why they opted for web technologies.

Microsoft originally planned to immediately replace the current Mail and Calendar UWP app for Windows with Project Monarch, but rumor has it that the idea was dropped. Instead, the company intends to install the new client in parallel with the old one, after which it will try to convince users to upgrade to the new version themselves.

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