What changed with the new Outlook for Windows
Microsoft is replacing classic Outlook and the Windows Mail app with the new Outlook for Windows. It is built on the same code as Outlook on the web and runs inside a WebView2 window. For many people that means a different feel, fewer settings, and some features they relied on working differently or not at all.
Classic COM add-ins don’t run in the new Outlook. Free Outlook.com accounts see ads in the message list. And when you add a non-Microsoft account such as Gmail or a regular IMAP mailbox, it is synced through Microsoft’s cloud service, which means your credentials and copies of that mail are handled there.
How BoltSweep is different
BoltSweep is a native app that talks directly to each provider from your computer. Microsoft accounts use Microsoft’s own login; Gmail and IMAP accounts never pass through anyone else’s servers — including ours, because we don’t run any.
It keeps the parts of classic Outlook that people miss: a dense, readable message list, the reading pane, server folders exactly as they are, and the keyboard shortcuts. Then it adds a cleaner design, a proper dark mode that recolours emails, instant local search and the ability to use your own AI assistant.
Keep using Outlook where you need it
BoltSweep doesn’t lock you in. Your mail stays on the server, so you can use BoltSweep on your PC and Outlook on your phone, or switch back at any time. Drafts are stored in your Drafts folder on the server, so they show up everywhere.