Where do I find a Replacement for New Microsoft Outlook Calendar (Solved)
OK so I dont know if you are like me? But listen, I have used Microsoft desktop calendar for ages. I loved it. You can scroll down through the months. The desktop notification worked flawlessly it started with Windows #OBVS! And it was just an around good egg of an app!
Then they decide for some reason to just say NO! You will have to use the online version in Outlook! Or stare into your Google Calendar online? So clunky… I JUST WANT A CALANDAR ON MY PC!!! No choice! Seriously wtf? Microsoft had an app that worked locally! It was great! I do not want their clunky garbage online app. I know, I know(!) in a world where everybody is looking at their screen all day long they need to have a calendar that is easily shared across devices. But what if you do not want that? What if you work primarily at a desktop or perhaps rarely leave the home? OK enough ranting.
My quest for an alternative went to many places from Github to Sourceforge as I do not want to pay for an app… I want a free one. But I also do not want to risk my data and malware infiltrating my system either. There are many apps on the various appstores inc Microsofts own appstore and you can even run Amazon apps on your desktop. However, just how trustworthy are these? I mean would they take screenshots and mail them back to the developer or lead to phishing attacks? When you install many apps you give them too much permission from contacts to email addresses… What about an app that doesnt need your email to work at all? I mean you can use it but you dont need to?
So what is the solution? Well I wanted a full fledged Microsoft Desktop Calendar as was but maybe better, I wanted it for free, I wanted it to be trustworthy with an established reputation. I wanted the ‘possibility’ to use it online but preferably offline. I wanted to be able to mousewheel down through the months (cannot do that with Outlook you have to click each month what a mess). I wanted notifications that actually worked with the options to add my own sounds from the PC itself. plus amazing repeat and snooze notes and more. Microsoft outlook notifications are very hit and mis now and to me thats too unreliable. AND NO ADS, UPSELLING PESTER WINDOWS OR LIMITATIONS… You know one month after installing it you get a … Please pay this to continue using it after you have spent days putting in your data!!! NO! NO! NO!
So not asking much eh?
Thunderbird has been around for many many years, decades in fact. But although seen primarily as an email software it has a secret. The most amazing calendar. You can set it in your options to live in the system tray when minimised and start with windows just drop the shortcut into C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup you can pin it to your taskbar if desired but just double click it in your system tray (next to you clock see the up arrow).
Not only is Thunderbird is a free email client by Mozilla (the Firefox people). It is the open-source counterpart for Microsoft Outlook as mentioned above )Open Source means we can eamine the code for naughtiness!!!). It supports plugins and add-ons which load it with features that better almost any other calendar on the market and its FREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
And it works with Windows 11. I personally can see many revisiting this old friend due to this ‘NEW’ Outlook calendar debacle! One look at the Microsoft app store comments under various useless or expensive calendar options reveal the anger of the New Outlook calendar where people are desperately looking for a desktop alternative that doesnt go online. MS dropped the ball here forcing people into Office 365!
Platforms that support Thunderbird are also amazing: macOS, Windows, and Linux versions are available.
What are you waiting for? Download it here! You are very welcome!
Have ‘dating’!
Surfwidow