Microsoft Introduces Promotions Silently in New Perspective for Windows

The transition from the previous Mail and Calendar app to the latest Outlook app is currently ongoing. Microsoft had openly announced the discontinuation of the traditional apps in favor of the new Outlook app in June 2023. The new Outlook app was rolled out to Insider versions a month later, with the company confirming that the shift would be compulsory in early 2024.

At this point, not all users have completed the switch. Those who have made the transition or directly installed the Outlook app may notice several differences between the fresh Outlook app and the classic Mail app.

One of the major differences is the introduction of promotions, turning the formerly ad-free email experience into one with advertising. Users can now come across promotions in their inbox in the new Outlook app, a feature that was missing in the old Mail app. The new Outlook app is based on the web-based version of Outlook, which also includes ads.

Microsoft has distinguished ads with a promotional symbol, but they are designed to look like regular emails, making it challenging for some users to differentiate between promotions and genuine emails.

It’s important to note that Microsoft is not the only provider of free email services that display such promotions; Google’s Gmail and many other free email services may also incorporate ads for users.

Users currently have the option to remove the promos by hovering over them in the inbox and selecting the trashcan icon. However, new promotions will subsequently be included in the inbox once again.

Moreover, there is a menu link that directs users to the “go ad-free” page on Microsoft’s website, where they are offered an ad-free experience for $1.99 per month.

According to Proton, the developer of Proton Mail and a competitor to Microsoft, the presence of promotions and trackers in the Outlook app signifies a new data collection feature on Windows.

How to Achieve Ad-Free Experience by Migrating to Another Email Client

Switching to an alternate email client is an option to avoid the promotions. When third-party email clients are synced with the Outlook account, these promotions are not displayed.

One of the recommended choices for Windows is the freely available Thunderbird client. Setting up the Outlook account in Thunderbird is a simple process, requiring users to enter their Outlook email address and password in Thunderbird’s account creation dialogue. This provides an ad-free experience, with the configuration being completed in under a minute.

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