Outlook for Mac Bug Strips Email History from Replies and Forwards
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Outlook for Mac Bug Strips Email History from Replies and Forwards
A faulty update to legacy Outlook for Mac is silently deleting conversation threads when users reply or forward messages — and the only current fix is to roll back to an older version.
Mac users running the legacy version of Microsoft Outlook have been hit by a disruptive bug introduced in the latest update. Since version 16.110 (build 26061317), which began rolling out on June 16, 2026, replying to or forwarding an email no longer includes the original message content in the compose window — leaving recipients with no visible conversation history.
Prior to the update, the original email thread appeared automatically in replies and forwards, as it has in virtually every email client for decades. After the update, the reply window opens blank or with only the header metadata (sender, recipient, date) visible, while the body of the prior message is missing entirely.
“It makes it impossible to have a proper email thread because the recipient can’t see the conversation history.”
The problem affects the legacy Outlook for Mac client — not the newer Outlook for Mac experience. Users who switch to the current Outlook version report that reply threading works correctly there, though some have noted unrelated issues with the newer interface, such as folders appearing empty.
Microsoft’s Response
Microsoft confirmed on June 17, 2026 that the issue is a known bug and that the engineering team is actively investigating. A support bulletin has been published on Microsoft’s support site. However, as of the time of writing, no patch has been released and no estimated timeline for a fix has been provided.
A Microsoft forum moderator on Microsoft Learn noted that the issue impacts the retention of email threads when replying to or forwarding messages, and that a report has been filed with the Product Engineering team.
For users on managed corporate devices, waiting for an official fix from Microsoft may be the only option — IT administrators control update channels and typically cannot easily roll back software deployed organisation-wide.
Workaround: Roll Back to Version 16.109.3
The only confirmed workaround at this time is to uninstall version 16.110 and reinstall an earlier version of legacy Outlook for Mac, such as version 16.109.3 or earlier. Previous builds are available through Microsoft’s Update History for Office for Mac page on Microsoft Learn.
After rolling back, it is important to disable automatic updates to prevent Outlook from silently upgrading itself back to the broken version:
- Open any Microsoft Office application on your Mac.
- From the menu bar, click Help, then select Check for Updates.
- In the Microsoft AutoUpdate window, uncheck “Automatically keep Microsoft Apps up to date.”
A Bug with Broader Implications
The timing of this bug is significant. Legacy Outlook for Mac is already on an end-of-life trajectory: Microsoft has announced that the legacy client will stop working with Exchange Online mailboxes starting in October 2026, when support for the underlying Exchange Web Services protocol is withdrawn. For organisations still relying on the legacy client, this bug may accelerate pressure to migrate to the current Outlook for Mac experience sooner than planned.
Users have expressed frustration not only with the functionality loss itself, but with the fact that such a basic feature regressed in a released update. Forwarding is just as affected as replying — when forwarding a message, the entire purpose is to pass along the original content, which is now absent.
Microsoft has not announced when a corrective update will be issued. Users are encouraged to check the official Microsoft support bulletin for the latest status and to report diagnostic information via Help > Collect Diagnostics in Outlook to help Microsoft investigate.
