Table of Contents
Summary
- Introduction of a new People Hub in Outlook Web with a modern, multi-column layout and enhanced search functionalities.
- Automatic linking of duplicate contacts and addition of organizational profile information to enrich contact details.
- Migration to the “New Contacts” experience will occur automatically, with no option to revert to the old version.
- No administrative action is required; the feature will be enabled by default.
- Admins are encouraged to train users on the new Contacts experience.
Admin Impact: Low
User Impact: Medium
Release Start: 28 Feb 2026
Release End: 15 Mar 2026
Services: M365
Category: Plan for change
Tags: New Feature, User Adoption, Admin Action
History
12/18/2025 Item Added to Message Center
Microsoft Message
Introduction
We’re introducing the new and improved People Hub in Outlook Web, designed to deliver a modern, multi-column contacts experience with fast search and a streamlined interface. We’re investing in fast, relevant search and modern contact management capabilities that deliver a high-quality experience for everyone.
This update provides a unified view of each person, automatically links duplicate entries, and enriches contacts with organizational profile information where available. These enhancements aim to improve reliability and scalability for organizations of all sizes, while phasing out older solutions that no longer meet performance expectations.
This message is associated with Roadmap ID 537282.
When this will happen
- Targeted Release (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out on mid-January 2026 and expect to complete by late January 2026.
- General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out on late February 2026 and expect to complete by mid-March 2026.
How this affects your organization
Who is affected: All Outlook Web users and admins managing contact solutions in Microsoft 365.
What will happen:
- Users will see a refreshed People Hub with a modern, multi-column layout and improved search capabilities.
- Duplicate contacts will be automatically linked, and organizational profile data will enrich contact details where available.
- All users will be migrated to the “New Contacts” experience automatically. The toggle to switch off “New Contacts” will no longer be available.
- No admin action is required; the feature will be enabled by default.
What you can do to prepare
- Admins can start training users on the new Contacts experience. Learn more: Add, find, edit, or delete a contact in Outlook.
- Before rollout, we will update this post with updated documentation.
Compliance considerations
No compliance considerations identified; review as appropriate for your organization.