Outlook Desktop calendar Out of Office color indicator unexpectedly changed

Last Updated: June 4, 2024

ISSUE

When you add calendar items and set the Show As availability to “Out of Office” the color is unexpectedly changed which may make it difficult to distinguish between the other types of availability. The expected color is purple, but it is changed to light blue or another light color depending on the color of your calendar.

Before: Version 2402	After: Version 2403

This issue has been reported with retail perpetual versions of Outlook including Outlook 2016 and Outlook 2019 in Office Home and Business and Office Professional starting with Version 2403 (Build 17425.20138).

STATUS: FIXED

This issue is fixed in Version 2406 Build 17726.20000 that will go to Current Channel in late June 2024. The fix is available in the Beta Channel starting with Version 2406 Build 17726.20006.

WORKAROUND

If you need to work around the issue, you can set the registry key below:

Registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences
DWORD:DisableAestheticPatterns
Value:1

1. Select Start, then Run. Type regedit, and then select OK.

2. In the Registry Editor, locate the following key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences

3. Point to New, and then select DWORD Value.

4. Type DisableAestheticPatterns as the name of the new registry entry, and then press ENTER.

5. In the right pane, right-click DisableAestheticPatterns, and then select Modify.

6. In the **Edit DWORD Value **dialog box, type 1 in the Value data dialog box.

The registry key will appear as below after it is added:

Additional Resources

Add your out of office event to the Outlook calendar of others