Disable New Outlook from appearing in the Taskbar after OOBE (W11 24H2)

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zyr3344

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I'm modifying a Windows 11 24H2 (26100.1000) system image with NTLite, and as soon as I connect to the network while OOBE, outlook(new) appears in the taskbar, and it's important to note that it's not the Uschedule_OOBE that has been discussed in the forums before, and I've removed the uso component, which corresponds to the "Uschedule_OOBE" will naturally be removed and disabled, it's not really an installed app either, it's just a promotional app similar to the one installed by the Content Delivery Manager (click to download).
I know I can easily delete it once I'm in the system or disconnect from the network during the OOBE to stop it from appearing. But I'm wondering if I can stop it from appearing by modifying the image.
This thing didn't happen in 23H2, but there is a similar situation that the widget (Microsoft.Client.WebExperience) is automatically installed upon entering the system, unlike outlook in 24H2, the widget is a fully installed application and can't be prevented from being installed by disconnecting from the network during the OOBE, it will be installed sometime after connecting to the network, I've posted a question about this, but didn't get a valid answer, now I'm wondering if there is a valid solution for the new 24H2 situation, I've uploaded my preset.
Please note that the uups I converted do not include the uwp app and edge.
 

Attachments

I tested this by downloading 26100.1150 (Insider Preview ISO) and removing:
- Outlook for Windows app
- WindowsUpdateTasks / OutlookUpdate task

After installing the image, Taskbar has a pinned New Outlook icon. There is no actual Outlook app installed at this point, but it's a clickable link similar to pinned 3rd-party Suggested Apps that normally appear on the Start Menu.

The New Outlook isn't added by the DefaultLayout.xml or LayoutModifications.json files. If you install a cleaned up Start2.bin file to the Default User's profile, it still gets added.

Windows 11 x64-2024-07-15-08-37-42.png

To me, this indicates it's part of the new user provisioning process and probably can't be skipped until someone discovers a new 24H2 GPO or reg setting which blocks it.
 
zyr3344 Did you delete "Outlook PWA (Inbox App)" in NTL ?
I don't have this icon in the taskbar
 
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tistou77 said:
zyr3344 Did you delete "Outlook PWA (Inbox App)" in NTL ?
I don't have this icon in the taskbar
Click to expand...
NTLite didn't show Outlook PWA in my components list, I convert uup files without any uwp apps, so there are only Copilot (Inbox) and Start (Inbox) in the Metro apps. I think outlook (pwa) isn't the reason, because it isn't the same as Outlook (new). Do you have a outlook (pwa) in your components list? Is it a 24H2 version? If so, I will try a fully convert ISO with uwp apps and remove the outlook (pwa). In fact, I have know the reason why it appeared, but I only have a hack method on it. I think it will be the best solution if I can remove it with a clean method by NTLite.
And can you find flipgrid (pwa) in your components tab? I am troubled by this in another thread.
 
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Yes I have it, I use ISO 26100.1 as a "base"

NTL.PNG

The Outlook New icon is located in the "Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.OutlookForWindows_1.0.0.0_neutral__8wekyb3d8bbwe\assets" directory deleted with the OutlookForWindows component normally
This Outlook PWA probably has nothing to do with the icon, just Manifests linked to this "component", and deleted in the following ISOs, if you don't have it

Strange that you are the icon by removing this component, I don't have it after installation
 
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tistou77 said:
Yes I have it, I use ISO 26100.1 as a "base"

View attachment 12335

The Outlook New icon is located in the "Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.OutlookForWindows_1.0.0.0_neutral__8wekyb3d8bbwe\assets" directory deleted with the OutlookForWindows component normally (this Outlook PWA probably has nothing to do with the icon)

Strange that you are the icon by removing this component, I don't have it after installation
Click to expand...
You don't understand the existing form of this icon. It is actually a click-to-download shortcut similar to that installed by Content Delivery Manager(promote apps in Start Menu after OOBE). Its existence does not depend on the actual Outlook. However, removing Outlook may affect its appearance.
 
If you use UUP dump's config options, UWP apps can be skipped when the ISO is created. I removed the default Outlook app from the official Insider Preview, and the taskbar link was still created.

This is similar to how Teams was pinned when 21H2 was first released.
 
garlin said:
This is similar to how Teams was pinned when 21H2 was first released.
Click to expand...
I don't know much about 21H2. I only know the Outlook (new) shortcut in taskbar is created by Iris service in Client.CBS, we can stop it by hosts file or just remove some files, but I have not find a registry to disable it.
In fact, it is necessary for me to try again when I know that the complete ISO will show Outlook (pwa) in NTLite, because I can't find it in components tab but can find in winsxs.
 
For 21H2, Teams ("Chat") client wasn't part of the RTM ISO and was loaded during OOBE by a background update.

Stopping Teams automatic install in Windows 11

Working around Microsoft’s reprehensible conduct with the new consumer Teams client.
pebkac.io pebkac.io

Iris is the codename for the Spotlight feature of Client.CBS, so it's probably another Windows feature that's in charge.
 
zyr3344 said:
You don't understand the existing form of this icon. It is actually a click-to-download shortcut similar to that installed by Content Delivery Manager(promote apps in Start Menu after OOBE). Its existence does not depend on the actual Outlook. However, removing Outlook may affect its appearance.
Click to expand...
In the meantime, I don't have this icon in the taskbar after installation, which suits me very well
And just using NTL
 
garlin said:
Iris is the codename for the Spotlight feature of Client.CBS, so it's probably another Windows feature that's in charge.
Click to expand...
There is enough evidence to show that it is Iris. It obtains which app is displayed in the taskbar and the URL of the app icon by sending a request to "fd.api.iris.microsoft.com" in the OOBE stage. It also saves the raw data of the response in the system. If I destroy Iris Service, Outlook will not appear.
zyr3344 said:
In fact, I have know the reason why it appeared, but I only have a hack method on it.
Click to expand...
As I said before, I already know the culprit and know how to crack it.
zyr3344 said:
we can stop it by hosts file or just remove some files, but I have not find a registry to disable it.
Click to expand...
I'd like to do it in a gentler way if I can.
 
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garlin said:
fd.api.iris.microsoft.com is identified as a Spotlight endpoint:

However, blocking this hostname (from the HOSTS file) will break the desktop. Start Menu is still unprovisioned even after clearing the HOSTS file, and rebooting.

View attachment 12343
Click to expand...
I always remove the Content Delivery Manager and disable Spotlight. And I didn't connect to the internet in OOBE stage before. So for me, it hasn't changed much.My start menu has always had only settings and explorer pinned on it after OOBE.
Microsoft often binds two seemingly unrelated technologies together. Content Delivery Manager and Spotlight are typical examples. In the common previous understanding, CDM will drive Spotlight to update wallpaper. When it is removed, the promotion apps on the start menu and Spotlight will be affected. But in fact, Spotlight can also undertake the task of CDM. It will send a request unrelated to wallpaper to the server and receive the promotion task from Microsoft.
If you are interested in breaking it, you can try to remove "Irisservice.dll" and "Irisservice.winmd", and you can modify the appxmanifest.xml to remove the "Global.IrisService" application and related extension. I don't know if modifying xml will affect the result, I did it because I wanted to delete something else. Maybe this method won't ruin the start menu.
 
garlin said:
fd.api.iris.microsoft.com is identified as a Spotlight endpoint:

However, blocking this hostname (from the HOSTS file) will break the desktop. Start Menu is still unprovisioned even after clearing the HOSTS file, and rebooting.

View attachment 12343
Click to expand...
You can open these two url to read raw response data, it will directly return a json format data in chrome.
URL1 URL2
I think if you use the method of modifying the hosts file, no domain name can point to outlook (new) more accurately than fd.api.iris.microsoft.com. But I'm not sure, maybe I'm wrong.
 
Did anyone figure out how to stop this appearing on new accounts when they sign in for the first time? Windows 11 24H2 Build 26100.2033
 
ItzDan said:
Did anyone figure out how to stop this appearing on new accounts when they sign in for the first time? Windows 11 24H2 Build 26100.2033
Click to expand...

im sick so i cant test right now but its probably related to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband
or
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband\AuxilliaryPins
 
cristhian2k47 said:
im sick so i cant test right now but its probably related to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband
or
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband\AuxilliaryPins
Click to expand...
Tried this and it doesnt seem to work, iv set the keys to 0 and the outlook (new) remains :(
 
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