MC1158908 – Support for Events from email in Outlook is changing—Schema.org markup required for reliable calendar extraction

Product:

Microsoft 365 suite, Outlook

Platform:

Online, World tenant

Status:

Change type:

Feature update, User impact, Admin impact, Retirement

Links:

Details:

Summary:
Outlook’s Events from email feature will retire legacy extraction by January 31, 2026. After that, only emails with Schema.org markup will support automatic event creation. Organizations should work with providers to adopt Schema.org for reliable calendar extraction and improved event accuracy.

Details:
[Introduction]
Outlook's Events from email feature helps users stay organized by automatically adding reservations such as flights, hotels, rental cars, and deliveries to their calendars. To improve reliability and ensure this feature continues to work smoothly, we strongly encourage all providers to adopt Schema.org markup in their transactional emails. This change aligns with industry standards and improves accuracy, consistency, and long-term support.
Until now, Outlook has relied on legacy extraction to support this feature. However:
Legacy extraction is fragile, and once templates fail, they cannot be fixed.
We are receiving increasing reports of incorrect or missing events.
It is technically impossible to make further improvements to the old stack.
By January 2026, the old extraction stack will no longer be supported.
Screenshot of Settings > Calendar > Events from email

[When this will happen:]
Legacy extraction will be retired on January 31, 2026. After this date, only emails using Schema.org markup will be supported for automatic event extraction.

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:

Created:
2025-09-25

updated:
2025-09-25

Task Type

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Docu to Check

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MS How does it affect me

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MS Preperations

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summary for non-techies**

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Direct effects for Operations**

Retirement of Legacy Extraction
After January 31, 2026, emails relying on legacy extraction will stop generating calendar events, leading to missed appointments and disorganization for users.
   - roles: End Users, Helpdesk Staff
   - references: https://schema.org/

Increased User Frustration
Users may experience frustration due to missing events in their calendars if providers do not adopt Schema.org markup in time.
   - roles: End Users, IT Support
   - references: https://schema.org/

Dependency on Providers
Organizations will need to rely on external providers to implement Schema.org markup, which may lead to delays and inconsistencies in event extraction.
   - roles: IT Administrators, Procurement Officers
   - references: https://schema.org/

Training and Communication Needs
Helpdesk staff will require training and communication regarding the changes to assist users effectively, leading to potential service disruptions if unprepared.
   - roles: Helpdesk Staff, IT Trainers
   - references: https://schema.org/

Engagement Metrics Impact
Without Schema.org markup, organizations may see a decrease in user engagement with calendar events, affecting productivity and scheduling.
   - roles: End Users, Business Analysts
   - references: https://schema.org/

Configutation Options**

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Potentional Risks**

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IT Security**

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explanation for non-techies**

Outlook's "Events from email" feature is undergoing a change that will affect how calendar events are automatically created from emails. Currently, this feature can automatically add details from emails about flights, hotel bookings, car rentals, and deliveries to a user's calendar. However, the method it uses, known as legacy extraction, is being phased out by January 31, 2026.

Think of legacy extraction like an old car that has served well over the years but is now starting to break down more frequently. It's becoming harder to fix, and it doesn't run as smoothly as it used to. Similarly, the current system for extracting event details from emails is becoming less reliable, with more reports of errors and missing events.

To address this, Outlook will shift to using Schema.org markup, a modern and standardized way of encoding data in emails. Imagine Schema.org markup as a new, more efficient vehicle that follows the latest road rules and provides a smoother ride. This markup is like a universal language that makes it easier for Outlook to understand and extract event details accurately from emails.

Organizations and service providers, such as airlines and hotels, will need to adopt this new markup in their emails to ensure that events continue to be automatically added to calendars. This change is expected to improve the accuracy and reliability of event creation, much like upgrading to a new car improves travel reliability and comfort.

For those who rely on Outlook's automatic event creation, it's important to work with email providers to implement Schema.org markup. This ensures that after January 2026, calendar events will still be generated automatically and accurately. Providers who have already made this switch report higher engagement and more reliable event extraction, akin to experiencing fewer breakdowns and smoother journeys with a new car.

Organizations should communicate this change to their helpdesk staff and work with their email providers to ensure a smooth transition. For assistance with this process, Microsoft offers support to help onboard providers to Schema.org markup.