MC1479516 - (Updated) Microsoft Outlook: Link preview retirement
Microsoft 365 Message Center announcement MC1479516.
MS Message Center's Summary
Microsoft has retired the link preview feature in the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web. Pasted or inserted web links remain fully clickable as standard hyperlinks, but preview cards will no longer be generated automatically. General availability rollout is already complete across all environments. Administrators should inform internal users of this visual change to manage support queries effectively, though no technical configuration is needed.
- Administrator impact
- No direct administrator action is required.
- End user impact
- Users will no longer see automatic preview cards when inserting web links into emails, though the links remain fully functional.
- Importance
- 2/10: This is a completed feature retirement with minor user interface changes and no administrative configuration required.
Microsoft Summary
The Link Preview feature in new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web has been retired due to the deprecation of the browser service needed for previews. Links remain clickable, no action is required, but users should be informed that preview cards will no longer appear.
- Message Center ID
- MC1479516
- Category
- stay Informed
- Severity
- normal
- Services
- Exchange Online
- Tags
- Updated message, User impact, Admin impact, Retirement
- Published
- 2026-09-25
- Last updated
- 2026-10-06
- Expires
- 2026-10-30
Updated October 6, 2026: We have updated the content. Thank you for your patience. [What and why] The Link Preview feature has been retired in new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web because the browser service required to retrieve preview content from the web was deprecated. Without this, Outlook can no longer access the information needed to generate preview cards. Links will continue to function as standard clickable hyperlinks. [Rollout schedule] General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, DoD): This change has already been implemented. [Impact on your organization] Who is affected Users of new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web. Platforms and services Exchange Online. New Outlook for Windows Outlook on the web What will happen Outlook will no longer generate preview cards for web links that have been inserted or pasted into email messages. Links will continue to function as standard clickable hyperlinks. [Action required and recommendations] No action is required. We recommend that you inform users that link preview cards will no longer be automatically generated when composing email messages.