Where to Find Third-party Online Meeting Defaults in New Outlook After Leaving Classic Outlook

When you switch from Classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows, the setting for third-party online meeting defaults is not in the same place. In Classic Outlook, you could set a default provider under File > Options > Calendar. In new Outlook, that menu path no longer exists. This article shows you exactly where to find and change the third-party online meeting defaults in new Outlook.

The change occurs because new Outlook uses a different settings framework that relies on the Outlook on the web (OWA) settings panel. Your existing third-party meeting provider, such as Zoom or Cisco Webex, still works, but the default toggle is now inside the new Outlook settings under Calendar Events. The fix is a simple two-click navigation.

By the end of this article, you will know the exact menu path and steps to set your preferred third-party meeting provider as the default for all new meeting invitations in new Outlook.

Why the Setting Moved and What Changed

Classic Outlook stored third-party meeting defaults in the Windows Registry via the File > Options > Calendar dialog. The setting was a simple dropdown list of installed COM add-ins. New Outlook, built on the same codebase as Outlook on the web, uses a cloud-synced settings model. This means the default provider setting now lives inside the web-based Settings panel, not in a local options window.

The new Outlook also requires third-party meeting providers to be installed as add-ins from the Microsoft Store or via the provider’s own installer. Once installed, the provider appears in the Settings > Calendar > Events and invitations section. The old dropdown in Classic Outlook no longer exists, and any previous default you set in Classic Outlook does not carry over to new Outlook.

What the New Setting Controls

The “Make default provider” toggle in new Outlook controls which third-party service is automatically attached to every new meeting you create. When you click New Event, the meeting includes the provider’s join link, meeting ID, and dial-in numbers. If you do not set a default, new Outlook will not attach any third-party meeting details, and you must add them manually each time.

Steps to Set Third-party Online Meeting Defaults in New Outlook

Follow these steps to locate and configure the third-party meeting default in new Outlook. You must have the provider add-in installed before proceeding.

1. Open Settings in new Outlook
   Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the new Outlook window. Alternatively, press Ctrl + Comma to open Settings directly.
2. Navigate to Calendar settings
   In the Settings panel, click the Calendar tab on the left sidebar. The Calendar settings page opens.
3. Find Events and invitations
   Scroll down the Calendar settings until you see the section labeled Events and invitations. This is the section that controls online meeting defaults.
4. Select your third-party provider
   Under the “Online meetings” heading, you will see a list of installed add-ins. Click the dropdown menu and choose your third-party provider, for example, Zoom, Cisco Webex, or GoToMeeting.
5. Toggle “Make default provider”
   After selecting the provider, a checkbox or toggle switch appears labeled Make default provider. Click the toggle to turn it on. The setting saves automatically.
6. Create a test meeting to confirm
   Close Settings and click New Event. In the meeting form, verify that the third-party meeting details are pre-filled. If they appear, the default is set correctly.

If the Provider Does Not Appear in the List

If your third-party provider is missing from the dropdown, it is not installed as an add-in. Go to the Microsoft Store inside new Outlook by clicking Get Add-ins on the ribbon. Search for your provider and install it. After installation, restart new Outlook and return to Settings > Calendar > Events and invitations. The provider will now appear in the list.

What to Do If the Default Still Does Not Stick

Some users report that the default provider reverts to None after closing and reopening new Outlook. This usually happens when the add-in is not properly registered or when a recent update to the add-in has changed its internal identifier.

Third-party Provider Add-in Not Loading

Open the Add-ins panel by clicking Get Add-ins on the Home ribbon. Check that your provider add-in shows a status of “Enabled.” If it shows “Disabled” or “Not loaded,” click the three dots next to the add-in and choose Enable. Then repeat the steps to set the default provider.

Multiple Providers Installed

If you have more than one third-party meeting add-in installed, new Outlook may not apply the default correctly. Remove any unused add-ins by going to Get Add-ins > My Add-ins and clicking Remove on the add-ins you do not need. Then set the default for the remaining provider.

Classic Outlook vs New Outlook: Default Provider Settings

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Setting location	File > Options > Calendar	Settings > Calendar > Events and invitations
Setting type	Dropdown list of COM add-ins	Dropdown list of web add-ins with toggle
Provider installation	COM add-in via installer	Microsoft Store add-in or provider installer
Setting sync	Local to the machine	Cloud-synced across devices
Default carries over from Classic?	N/A	No, must be set again

The table shows that new Outlook requires a fresh configuration of the default provider. The cloud sync means the setting applies to all devices where you sign in with the same Microsoft 365 account, but only if the add-in is installed on each device.

Now you can set your third-party online meeting default in new Outlook using Settings > Calendar > Events and invitations. If you manage multiple users, you can pre-deploy the add-in and default setting using group policy or Microsoft 365 admin center. Try configuring the provider on a second device to confirm cloud sync is working.