Microsoft lays hands on login data: Beware of the new Outlook

The free new Outlook replaces Mail in Windows, and later also the classic Outlook. It sends secret credentials to Microsoft servers.

The new Outlook is not what it seems at first glance: a replacement for Microsoft Office Outlook - at least not yet. What it definitely is, however: way too curious.

Microsoft is singing the praises of the new Outlook and wants to persuade users to switch. But beware: if you try out the new Outlook, you risk transferring your IMAP and SMTP credentials of mail accounts and all your emails to Microsoft servers. Although Microsoft explains that it is possible to switch back to the previous apps at any time, the data will already be stored by the company. This allows Microsoft to read the emails.

The new Outlook now appears as a recommended app in the Windows Start menu of Windows 11 devices with the 2023 update. The Outlook client itself also offers to test the new Outlook version with a "The new Outlook" switch. This is still under development, but is set to replace the mail program and the calendar included in Windows in 2024. In a recent tech community article, Microsoft employee Caitlin Hart also explains that it will also replace the classic Outlook. However, unlike the Windows Mail and Calendar apps, the timetable for this has not yet been set.

New Outlook: Warning about data transfers

When adding a mail account in the new Outlook that is not hosted by Microsoft but is located on company mail servers, for example, the program displays a message. It links to a support article that simply states that non-Microsoft accounts are synchronized with the Microsoft cloud, whereby Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud and IMAP accounts are currently supported. The new Outlook also does this in the versions for Android, iOS and Mac. This means that copies "of your email, calendar, and contacts will be synchronized between your email provider and Microsoft data center". This gives the company full access to all emails and allows it to read and analyze them. Microsoft wants to provide functions that way that Gmail and IMAP do not offer.

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