Managing declined meetings in Outlook can sometimes be tricky, especially when transitioning between the New Outlook and Classic Outlook interfaces. This guide explains how to handle declined meetings effectively and provides tips for both versions of Outlook.
Showing Declined Meetings on Your Calendar in New Outlook
If you’re using the New Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, Outlook Web, Outlook for Android or iOS, or Microsoft Teams, you can display declined meetings on your calendar. However, this feature requires you to decline the meeting in the New Outlook interface for it to work across all services.
Steps to Enable Declined Meetings in New Outlook:
- Open the New Outlook interface on your device.
- Decline the meeting using the New Outlook interface.Note: Declining a meeting in Classic Outlook for Windows will not display the declined event on your calendar in any other service.
For more information, refer to the official documentation:
Show a Declined Meeting on My Calendar – Microsoft Support
Managing Declined Meetings in Classic Outlook
In Classic Outlook for Windows, declined meetings are moved to the Deleted Items folder and cannot be displayed on your calendar. However, you can still accept or tentatively respond to a previously declined meeting.
How to Accept a Previously Declined Meeting:
- Go to your Deleted Items folder in Outlook.
- If the folder pane is not visible, select View > Folder Pane > Normal to enable it.
- Locate the declined meeting request in the Deleted Items folder.
- Double-click the meeting request and choose Accept or Tentative to restore it to your calendar.
Important: If the Deleted Items folder has been emptied, this option will no longer be available. In this case, ask the meeting organizer to resend the meeting invite.
Key Differences Between New and Classic Outlook
| Feature | New Outlook | Classic Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Show Declined Meetings | Available (if declined in New Outlook) | Not available |
| Restore Declined Meetings | Use Deleted Items Folder | Use Deleted Items Folder |
| Cross-Service Compatibility | Works across devices and services | Limited to Classic Outlook only |
Tips for Managing Meetings More Effectively
- Consistency is Key: Use the same Outlook interface (e.g., New Outlook) for managing meetings to avoid compatibility issues.
- Keep Deleted Items Folder Clean: Regularly check your Deleted Items folder to avoid losing important meeting requests.
- Provide Feedback to Microsoft: If features like showing declined meetings in Classic Outlook are important to you, submit feedback through the Help section in Outlook.