Microsoft new Outlook takes 10 seconds to do what Outlook Classic does instantly
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New Outlook takes 10 seconds to show an email from a notification vs. instantly in Classic.
The new Outlook, built on WebView2, runs 10 separate processes and uses 490-636 MB RAM at idle versus 117-148 MB for Classic. Clicking a Windows 11 notification takes ~10 seconds to load the targeted email, while Classic does it instantly. Opening the app manually and finding the email is faster than using the notification. Microsoft postponed the forced enterprise migration to March 2027. The app is improving with features like unified inbox and PST support, but the WebView2 architecture imposes fundamental performance constraints. Outlook Classic is supported until April 2029.
What commenters are saying
Commenters see the new Outlook's performance issues as emblematic of broader Windows bloat and a shift toward web-based apps. Many contrast it with the lighter, faster behavior of older software (Outlook 2016, Excel 2010, Windows 7 utilities). Several note that corporate security tools like CrowdStrike further degrade performance, making systems nearly unusable. One commenter points out the delay is from Windows Defender's real-time scanning, which can be diagnosed with ETW tracing. There is widespread frustration with Microsoft pushing web wrappers while native Win32 apps remain superior for responsiveness.