💡 Our Technical Review in summary
Summary
Microsoft has announced the retirement of the Context IQ feature within the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web, effective March 16, 2026. Context IQ currently allows users to surface suggested files and content snippets by typing the forward slash (“/”) character during email composition. This retirement is part of an effort to streamline the compose interface and eliminate redundancy with existing attachment and Editor workflows.
Impact
- User Experience: Users who rely on the “/” command to quickly insert files or data will no longer see suggestions triggered by this character after the retirement date.
- Workflow Redundancy: Standard methods for adding content remain unaffected. Users must transition to using the “Insert > Attach File” menu, dragging and dropping files, or pasting URLs directly into the message body.
- Feature Availability: Microsoft Editor capabilities (spelling, grammar, and style) remain fully available via the ribbon and the lower-right icon in the compose window.
- Storage and Compliance: There are no changes to file handling, attachment storage limits, or organizational compliance settings resulting from this update.
- Administration: No backend configuration changes or service-side adjustments are required from IT administrators.
Action Required
- Internal Documentation: Review and update internal “Quick Start” guides, Knowledge Base articles, or training materials that specifically mention using the “/” character for file suggestions in Outlook.
- User Communication: Inform power users who utilize the Context IQ shortcut about the upcoming change to prevent confusion when the feature is removed in March 2026.
- Training: Direct users toward alternative attachment workflows, such as the “Attach File” menu which provides similar “Suggested Files” functionality without the slash command.
- Usage Monitoring: While specific Context IQ metrics are not available, admins can monitor general Outlook usage via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center reports to assess overall engagement with the platform during this transition.
Microsoft Official Update
Service: N/A
Category: planForChange
Severity: normal
[Introduction]
We are retiring Context IQ in the new Outlook and Outlook on the web. This feature currently allows users to insert suggested files and other content by typing the “/” character while composing an email. We are retiring this capability to streamline the compose experience and reduce duplication with other supported attachment and editor workflows.
[When this will happen]
We will retire Context IQ from the new Outlook and Outlook on the web starting March 16, 2026.
[How this affects your organization]
Who is affected
- Users who compose email in the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web and currently use Context IQ’s “/” suggestions.
What will happen
- Context IQ suggestions invoked with “/” during email composition will be removed.
- Users will continue to add files and content using existing methods:
- Paste a file or URL directly into the message body.
- Drag and drop files into the compose window.
- Use Insert > Attach file to see suggested files, browse, and attach content.
- The Editor feature remains available via the button in the lower-right of the compose area and in the ribbon.
- There is no change to attachment storage, file handling, or Editor capabilities.
[What you can do to prepare]
No admin action is required.
To prepare for this change, we recommend the following:
- Inform your users about the retirement of Context IQ.
- Update internal training or documentation that references Context IQ or “/” suggestions.
- Share guidance on how to attach files using supported methods:
- Paste
- Drag and drop
- Insert > Attach file
- Direct users to these Microsoft Support resources:
- Add pictures or attach files to email in Outlook | Microsoft Support
- Check spelling before sending a message | Microsoft Support
If you track feature usage and want to identify which users interact with compose‑related features, you can use usage reporting available in the Microsoft 365 admin center (for example, Outlook usage reports). Dedicated Context IQ usage reporting is not available.
[Compliance considerations]
No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.
