In November 2020, Microsoft revealed it would depreciate the Outlook REST API beta and Outlook REST API v2.0 endpoints. The company said this would take two years to follow the usual depreciation policy it uses. That two-year period is now coming to an end and Microsoft says it is delaying the depreciation.
Not just that, the company says the delay is indefinite as it has listened to customer feedback and will now continue with Outlook REST API.
Customers and partners told Microsoft they were not ready to say goodbye to the API and move to Microsoft Graph.
While Microsoft is putting an indefinite hold on the deprecation, the company is warning customers it will happen eventually. In fact, Microsoft says the Outlook REST API will go into the sunset in 2023 but does not provide a specific date. However, the company promises to provide a six-month warning for any deadline it chooses.
REST API
If you are unfamiliar with Outlook REST API, it is a developer tool that allows users to implement resources in apps that have Calendar, mailbox, Contacts, and push notifications related to Outlook. Microsoft sees this API as a legacy service and prefers customers to use Microsoft Graph. In fact, the company has this guide to help customers make the migration.
When Microsoft finally decides to remove the Outlook REST API, developers will no longer be able to use the endpoint for building apps that have API features. Moreover, any new apps that have the APU will be disabled. While there is a delay until next year, it is probably best to start the migration to Microsoft Graph of an alternative now.
Tip of the day: File History is a Windows back up feature that saves each version of files in the Documents, Pictures, Videos, Desktop, and Offline OneDrive folders. Though its name implies a primary focus on version control, you can actually use it as a fully-fledged backup tool for your important documents.
