This is not required (or necessarily recommended).  


Our default recommended Outlook client is Outlook Classic due to it's richer feature set.  If you prefer the new Outlook, you will need to switch.  Follow these steps to switch to the simplified "New Outlook for Windows" application.


Option 1:  Conversion from Outlook Classic

Phase 1: Activate and Switch

  1. Open Classic Outlook: Launch your current (Classic) Outlook desktop application.

  2. Toggle Switch: Locate and click the "Try the new Outlook" toggle switch in the upper-right corner.

  3. Confirm: Click Switch or Yes when prompted to confirm the change.

  4. Launch: The Classic Outlook will close, and the New Outlook application will open automatically.

Phase 2: Sign-In

  1. Enter Credentials: The New Outlook will prompt you to confirm your AIR email address and ask for your password. Enter your password and complete any Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) steps.

  2. Verify: Check your inbox and calendar to ensure all data has synchronized correctly from the cloud.


Option 2:  New Outlook App Already Present

Follow these steps within the New Outlook app to add your new AIR email account.

  1. Launch: Open the New Outlook for Windows application.

  2. Settings: Click the Settings gear icon (top right).

  3. Navigate: Go to Accounts -> Email accounts.

  4. Add Account: Click Add Account.

  5. Sign In: Enter your new AIR email address, password, and complete any MFA steps.

  6. Verify: Check your inbox to confirm the account is syncing correctly.


Option 3:  New Profile Setup

This method forces the classic Outlook application to launch the profile selector, allowing you to create or choose a profile directly from the app.

Phase 1: Access the Profile Picker

You can access the profile picker using one of two methods:

  • Method 1: Shift Key (Easiest)

    1. Ensure Outlook is completely closed.

    2. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard.

    3. While holding Shift, click the Outlook desktop icon to open the application.

  • Method 2: Command Line

    1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

    2. Type: Outlook.exe /profiles.

    3. Press Enter.

A Choose Profile dialog box should appear, listing any existing profiles.

Phase 2: Create the New Profile

  1. Select New: In the Choose Profile dialog box, click the New button.

  2. Name Profile: Type a descriptive name for the new profile (e.g., AIR Mail) and click OK.

  3. Add Account: The Add Account wizard will launch. Enter your new AIR email address and password.

  4. Connect: Click Connect. Outlook will automatically set up the connection to your new mailbox.

Phase 3: Set Default and Launch

  1. Set as Default (Recommended): Back in the Choose Profile box, click the Options button.

  2. Designate: Select your newly created profile and check the box that says "Set as default profile".

  3. Launch: Click OK. Outlook will open using your new profile, connected to your new mailbox.



If none of these work, we highly suggest you either use Outlook (Classic) temporarily or if you really want the UX of Outlook (New), use https://portal.office.com/outlook. Subsequent steps are more involved and we'd recommend contacting us for help.  However, please wait to make this type of request until after the initial migration is work so that your colleagues can get assistance for higher priority issues.