(Updated) Microsoft Outlook: New user setting to include a comma in recipient's contact name

Microsoft Outlook will introduce a user setting to include a comma in a recipient's contact name. This rollout will occur from mid-March to mid-June 2025. Users can change the default setting in Outlook settings. No admin action is required, but organizations may need to inform users and update documentation.

Updated May 28, 2025: We have updated the timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

By default, Microsoft Outlook for the web and new Microsoft Outlook for Windows support separating recipients by using either a semicolon or a comma. After this rollout, users can choose if a comma should be used as a recipient separator or if it should be allowed as part of the contact's name. This change is helpful for organizations where contacts use the "Last name, First name" format.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 470020.

[When this will happen:]

Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out in mid-March 2025 (previously late February) and expect to complete by mid-April 2025 (previously late March).

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in mid-May 2025 (previously mid-April) and expect to complete by mid-June 2025 (previously mid-May).

[How this will affect your organization:]

This release only includes the user-level setting to change the separator behavior, so users will need to change this default themselves if they need to. The default will continue to enable the comma as a separator.

Users can change the default to allow commas as part of the contact's name in Outlook Settings > Mail > Compose and reply > Commas to separate recipients:

This change will be available by default.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before the rollout. Review your current configuration to determine the impact for your organization. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation.

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