💡 Our Technical Review in summary
#### Summary
Starting February 16, 2026, Microsoft is updating the diagnostic upload behavior for Outlook for Android and iOS. Currently, the ability to upload diagnostic logs to Microsoft Support is tied to the “Optional Connected Experiences” setting. This update decouples these functions, allowing users to upload troubleshooting data even if Optional Connected Experiences are disabled via administrative policy.
Starting February 16, 2026, Microsoft is updating the diagnostic upload behavior for Outlook for Android and iOS. Currently, the ability to upload diagnostic logs to Microsoft Support is tied to the “Optional Connected Experiences” setting. This update decouples these functions, allowing users to upload troubleshooting data even if Optional Connected Experiences are disabled via administrative policy.
#### Impact
- Troubleshooting Efficiency: Support teams will be able to collect necessary logs from mobile devices without requiring admins or users to temporarily toggle privacy settings.
- User Workflow: There is no change to the user interface or the process of submitting logs; however, the submission will no longer be blocked by privacy restrictions related to optional cloud-based features.
- Policy Enforcement: This change does not re-enable other Optional Connected Experiences (such as Giphy integration or location-based services). It specifically targets the diagnostic upload mechanism to ensure serviceability.
- Scope: This affects all organizations using Outlook for Android and iOS that have previously disabled Optional Connected Experiences for compliance or privacy reasons.
#### Action Required
- No Technical Action: There are no configuration changes required for IT Administrators to enable this feature; the update will be applied automatically by Microsoft.
- Inform Helpdesk Staff: Ensure that internal support and helpdesk teams are aware that diagnostic uploads will now work consistently, regardless of the tenant’s “Optional Connected Experiences” policy.
- Documentation Update: If your internal IT security or compliance documentation lists diagnostic uploads as “Disabled” due to current privacy policies, you may wish to update these records to reflect the new behavior starting February 2026.
Microsoft Official Update
Service: N/A
Category: stayInformed
Severity: normal
[Introduction]
We’re updating how diagnostic uploads work in Outlook for Android and iOS. Starting February 16, 2026, users will be able to upload diagnostics even if Optional Connected Experiences are disabled. This change ensures that support teams can collect necessary troubleshooting data without requiring additional settings.
[When this will happen:]
Starting February 16, 2026.
[How this affects your organization:]
- Who is affected: Organizations using Outlook for Android and iOS with Optional Connected Experiences disabled.
- What will happen:
- Users can upload diagnostics to Outlook Support regardless of Optional Connected Experiences settings.
- No changes to admin policies or user workflows beyond this diagnostic capability.
- No impact on other features or connected experiences.
[What you can do to prepare:]
- No action is required from admins or users.
- Review Optional Connected Experiences overview for context.
- Communicate this change to helpdesk staff if they handle Outlook mobile troubleshooting.
[Compliance considerations:]
No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.
