New Outlook ‘Try the New Outlook’ Toggle Hidden: How to Force-Show

You see the option to switch back to classic Outlook has vanished. The toggle that says Try the New Outlook no longer appears in the top-right corner of your window. This usually happens after your organization pushes a policy that disables the toggle or after a Microsoft 365 update changes the default behavior. This article explains why the toggle disappears and provides three methods to force-show the Try the New Outlook switch so you can move between the two Outlook versions freely.

Why the Try the New Outlook Toggle Disappears

The Try the New Outlook toggle is controlled by a combination of Microsoft 365 update channels, Group Policies, and registry values. When a system administrator sets the policy Do not show the Try the new Outlook toggle to Enabled, the toggle is removed from the user interface. The same effect occurs when a registry DWORD named HideNewOutlookToggle is set to 1 under the Outlook General key. Microsoft also occasionally hides the toggle for users on the Current Channel or Beta Channel after a forced migration to the new Outlook. The toggle is not a permanent removal; it is a configuration flag that can be reversed.

The toggle itself is a simple binary switch. When visible, you can click it to enable the new Outlook preview or disable it to return to classic Outlook. When hidden, neither the main window toggle nor the option in File > Options > General appears. The underlying feature remains installed, but the user interface element is suppressed. Understanding this cause lets you target the exact registry key or policy that hides the toggle.

Method 1: Enable the Toggle in Outlook Options

The simplest fix works if the toggle is hidden by a non-policy setting. This method checks the built-in Outlook Options dialog.

1. Open Outlook and go to File > Options
   Launch classic Outlook. Click the File tab in the top-left corner. Select Options from the left sidebar.
2. Navigate to the General tab
   In the Outlook Options window, click General on the left panel.
3. Find the Try the new Outlook section
   Scroll down to the bottom of the General page. Look for a checkbox or toggle labeled Try the new Outlook. If it is present, check the box or toggle it to On.
4. Restart Outlook
   Click OK to close the Options window. Close and reopen Outlook. The toggle should now appear in the top-right corner of the main window.

If the Try the new Outlook section does not appear in Options at all, the setting is being blocked by a registry value or Group Policy. Proceed to Method 2 or Method 3.

Method 2: Edit the Windows Registry to Force-Show the Toggle

Editing the registry directly overrides any hidden toggle state set by Outlook or a previous update. This method works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1. Close Outlook completely
   Make sure Outlook is not running. Check the system tray and close any Outlook process from Task Manager if needed.
2. Open Registry Editor
   Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.
3. Navigate to the Outlook General key
   In Registry Editor, go to:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options\General
4. Create or modify the HideNewOutlookToggle DWORD
   Right-click an empty space in the right pane. Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it HideNewOutlookToggle. Double-click the new value. Set the Value data to 0. Click OK.
5. Restart Outlook
   Close Registry Editor. Open Outlook. The Try the New Outlook toggle should now be visible in the top-right corner.

If the toggle still does not appear, your system may have a Group Policy that overrides the registry. Check Method 3.

Method 3: Disable the Group Policy That Hides the Toggle

Organizations often deploy Group Policies to control Outlook features. If you are on a work or school computer, the policy Do not show the Try the new Outlook toggle may be enabled. You need local administrator rights to change Group Policy.

1. Open Local Group Policy Editor
   Press Windows key + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. This tool is available on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. Windows 10 Home does not include gpedit.msc.
2. Navigate to the Outlook General policy folder
   Go to:
   User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Outlook 2016 > Outlook Options > General
3. Locate the policy Do not show the Try the new Outlook toggle
   Double-click the policy named Do not show the Try the new Outlook toggle.
4. Set the policy to Not Configured or Disabled
   Select Not Configured or Disabled. Click Apply and then OK.
5. Restart Outlook
   Close Group Policy Editor. Open Outlook. The toggle should reappear.

If the policy is already set to Not Configured or Disabled, check with your IT department. The policy may be enforced from a domain-level Group Policy that you cannot override locally.

If the Toggle Still Does Not Appear

Outlook is already running the new Outlook permanently

If your organization has fully migrated you to the new Outlook, the toggle may be removed permanently. Check your account type: go to File > Office Account. If you see New Outlook listed as your default experience, you cannot revert to classic Outlook without IT approval. Contact your administrator to request a rollback.

Registry key did not stick after restart

Some antivirus or security software resets registry changes on reboot. Temporarily disable real-time protection, apply the registry change again, then restart Outlook. If the toggle appears, re-enable your security software.

Multiple user accounts on the same machine

The registry key and Group Policy apply per user. If you have multiple Windows user profiles, repeat the registry or policy steps for each user account that needs the toggle.

Classic Outlook vs New Outlook: Key Differences

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Description	Full desktop application with offline access and COM add-in support	Web-based app integrated with Windows 11 and Microsoft 365
Toggle location	Top-right corner or File > Options > General	Top-right corner or Settings > General > Try the new Outlook
Add-in support	Full COM add-ins, VBA macros, and third-party integrations	Limited to web add-ins and Microsoft Power Automate
Offline mode	Full offline access with cached Exchange mode	Limited offline access; requires internet for most features
Update frequency	Monthly quality and security updates	Continuous updates via Microsoft 365

The Try the New Outlook toggle is the gateway between these two experiences. When the toggle is hidden, you lose the ability to choose. Using the registry or policy methods above restores that choice.

You can now force-show the hidden Try the New Outlook toggle using the Options dialog, a registry edit, or Group Policy. Start with the Options dialog because it requires no advanced permissions. If that fails, edit the HideNewOutlookToggle DWORD in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options\General and set it to 0. If you are on a managed device, check the Group Policy setting Do not show the Try the new Outlook toggle. After restoring the toggle, you can switch between classic Outlook and new Outlook to test which version works best for your workflow.