According to a posting in the Microsoft 365 Message center, Microsoft is planning a bit of a new look for Outlook on the web. The company will soon be rolling out a new app bar for the popular corporate and business emailing experience, adding shortcuts to frequently used Microsoft 365 apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, and Yammer.
The rollout is set to begin in early March and is scheduled to be complete by late 2021. Once available for you, you’ll notice that the sidebar in Outlook on the web will have a bit more of a modern look, and the icons for Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and To Do have also moved to the top left side of the sidebar, right next to the inbox. As of today, these shortcuts sit at the bottom of the left sidebar whether the latter is collapsed or not.
Though minor, this would be a welcome change. It helps make Outlook on the web look more modern, which is important, especially if Microsoft is indeed planning the rumored “One Outlook” app which is based on Outlook on the web. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if this redesigned app bar will make Outlook on the web more usable for you.