New Outlook vs Classic Outlook In-person Events: Where to Find It

In-person events in Outlook let you schedule meetings that happen at a physical location rather than online. Classic Outlook has long included a Location field and a full meeting workspace for this purpose. The new Outlook for Windows changed the interface, moving or renaming several key options. This article explains exactly where in-person event settings appear in each version of Outlook. You will learn how to add a physical location, set a room, and configure event details in both the new and classic interfaces.

In-person Event Features in Classic and New Outlook

An in-person event in Outlook is any calendar item that includes a physical location such as an office, conference room, or external venue. Both Classic Outlook and the new Outlook for Windows support these events, but the user interface differs significantly.

In Classic Outlook, the meeting form contains a dedicated Location text box and a Rooms button that opens the Room Finder pane. The Room Finder lets you browse available conference rooms, check their schedules, and add them to the meeting. You can also type a custom address directly into the Location field.

In the new Outlook, the event form uses a single Location text box that doubles as an address input and a room search tool. When you click inside the Location box, a dropdown appears with suggested addresses, your recent locations, and a link to search for rooms. The separate Room Finder pane no longer exists. Instead, room availability is shown inside the Scheduling Assistant tab.

Both versions let you mark an event as in-person by setting a location. The key difference is how you access room suggestions and availability.

Where to Find In-person Event Settings in Each Version

Classic Outlook: Location Field and Room Finder

1. Open a new meeting or appointment
   In Classic Outlook, go to your Calendar and click New Meeting or New Appointment on the Home tab. You can also double-click a time slot on the calendar grid.
2. Enter a physical location
   In the Meeting or Appointment window, locate the Location text box directly below the Subject field. Type the building name, room number, or full address. Outlook will suggest previously used locations as you type.
3. Select a conference room
   Click the Rooms button on the Meeting or Appointment tab in the ribbon. The Room Finder pane opens on the right side of the window. Choose a room list from the dropdown, then double-click a room to add it to the Location field.
4. Check room availability
   With the Room Finder open, select a date and time. The grid shows free and busy status for each room. Green indicates available, red indicates booked. Click a room to see its detailed schedule.
5. Set the event as in-person
   Classic Outlook does not have a toggle for in-person versus online. The event is considered in-person when the Location field contains a physical address or room name. If you add a Microsoft Teams or Skype meeting link, Outlook treats it as a hybrid event with both in-person and online components.

New Outlook: Location Box and Scheduling Assistant

1. Create a new event
   In the new Outlook for Windows, open your Calendar and click the New Event button at the top of the calendar pane. You can also double-click a time slot on the grid.
2. Add a physical location
   In the event window that opens, click inside the Location text box located below the title and date fields. Start typing the address or room name. A dropdown list appears showing matching locations from your address book, your recent locations, and suggested addresses from Bing.
3. Search for a room
   In the Location dropdown, click the link labeled Search for a room or type a partial room name. A room picker panel opens. Browse available rooms and click Add next to the room you want. The room name appears in the Location field.
4. Check room availability
   Click the Scheduling Assistant tab at the top of the event window. The left panel shows attendees and rooms you added. The grid displays free and busy times. Hover over a time slot to see details. You can drag the meeting time directly on the grid to find an available slot.
5. Mark the event as in-person
   The new Outlook automatically labels the event as in-person when you enter a physical location. If you also add an online meeting (Teams), the event shows both a location and a meeting link. There is no separate toggle for in-person mode.

Common Mistakes and Missing Features

The Room Finder pane is missing in new Outlook

Classic Outlook users expect the Room Finder pane to appear on the right side of the meeting window. In the new Outlook, this pane does not exist. Room selection is handled entirely through the Location text box dropdown and the Scheduling Assistant tab. If you cannot find the Room Finder, use the Scheduling Assistant instead. All room availability data is available there.

Location suggestions require an internet connection in new Outlook

The new Outlook uses Bing to suggest addresses when you type in the Location field. If your computer is offline or if Bing integration is disabled by your IT administrator, suggestions will not appear. You can still type a full address manually. Classic Outlook does not rely on Bing for location suggestions; it only shows previously used locations from your sent items.

Adding a room does not automatically book it

In both versions, selecting a room from the room picker adds the room as a required attendee. The room is not booked until you send the meeting invitation. If the room is already booked for that time, Outlook will show a scheduling conflict. You must choose a different time or room before sending the invitation.

In-person events with online meeting links behave differently

When you add both a physical location and a Teams meeting link, Classic Outlook creates a single meeting that includes both details. The new Outlook handles this the same way. However, the new Outlook may show a toggle for Add online meeting at the top of the event form. If you toggle this off, the meeting link is removed but the location remains. Classic Outlook does not have a similar toggle; you must delete the meeting link manually.

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Location input method	Text box + Rooms button on ribbon	Text box with dropdown suggestions
Room search interface	Room Finder pane on right side	Room picker inside Location dropdown
Room availability view	Room Finder grid or Scheduling Assistant	Scheduling Assistant tab only
Location suggestions source	Previously used locations only	Bing + previously used locations
Add online meeting toggle	Not present	Present at top of event form
In-person event label	Automatic when location is set	Automatic when location is set

Now you can locate and configure in-person event settings in both Classic Outlook and the new Outlook for Windows. The main difference is the room selection interface. In Classic Outlook, use the Room Finder pane. In the new Outlook, use the Location dropdown and the Scheduling Assistant tab. To save time, learn the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Q to quickly create a new meeting request in Classic Outlook. In the new Outlook, you can press Ctrl+N from the calendar to start a new event.