PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Microsoft Plans to Finish Outlook Lite Shutdown Next Month

Outlook Lite will stop working on May 25, following its October delisting from the Android store.

 & James Peckham Reporter

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
(Credit: Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Microsoft Outlook Lite for Android will stop working next month. If you’re still using the ill-fated email app, you should switch to another service as soon as possible.

Outlook Lite first launched in 2022, but its shutdown was confirmed in October 2025, when Microsoft removed it from the Google Play Store to prevent new customers from downloading it. Now, Microsoft has confirmed it’s also stopping all functionality on the app for existing users.

As spotted by Neowin, a new message titled MC1276508 in Microsoft’s 365 Admin Center confirms Outlook Lite will be retired on May 25, 2026.

If you have the app, you won’t find it removed from your phone, and it’ll continue to open, but Outlook Lite won't function as intended after the shutdown date. It won’t show any emails, and you won’t be able to navigate away from the opening page.

Your Outlook account won’t be disabled or deleted, so you’ll continue to have access to features like your calendar and email via alternative email clients. Outlook makes the most sense as a replacement, as it’s most similar to Outlook Lite, with more features than you’re used to, but most email applications on Android should be suitable. If you open Outlook Lite, there's a button called Upgrade in the app that takes you to the Outlook app in the Play Store.

Outlook Lite was a lightweight alternative to Outlook designed to keep the app size small, improve performance on less powerful devices, and reduce battery usage. Microsoft celebrated the app surpassing 10 million downloads in 2024.

About Our Expert

James Peckham

James Peckham

Reporter

I’ve been a journalist for over a decade after getting my start in tech reporting back in 2013. I joined PCMag in 2025, where I cover the latest developments across the tech sphere, writing about the gadgets and services you use every day. Be sure to send me any tips you think PCMag would be interested in.

I’ve worked at TechRadar, Android Police, T3, and more, where I broke many tech stories you may have read, including the return of the Motorola Razr when it first became a foldable phone. Based near London, I’ve appeared on BBC News, Al Jazeera, and other TV networks, podcasts, and radio shows as an expert on the latest tech stories and trends.

Read full bio