Contextless Outlook add-in stays open when switching from Mail to a module extension add-in in OWA and new Outlook

[ottD]

When using a contextless Outlook task pane add-in, the task pane stays open when switching from Mail to a module extension add-in such as Booking or Viva Engage in OWA and new Outlook. This is confusing as the add-in not only takes away screen real estate of the module extension add-in but the user has also no context of the selected emails that the task pane add-in might interact with. In addition, this behaviour is inconsistent as switching from Mail to Calendar closes the add-in task pane.

Environment

• Platform: New Outlook on PC Desktop, OWA
• Host: Outlook
• Office version number: New Outlook:1.2024.625.000 (Client version is 20240628004.07), OWA
• Operating System: Windows 11, Version 23H2 (Build 22631.3880)
• Browser (if using Office on the web): Chrome Version 126.0.6478.127 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Expected behavior

I'd expect a contextless task pane add-in to close when switching to a module extension add-in, i.e. I would expect it to behave the same way as it currently does when switching from Mail to Calendar.

Current behavior

The current behaviour is that a contextless task pane add-in stays open when switching from Mail to a module extension add-in such as Viva Engage or Bookings but stays open when switching from Mail to Calendar.

Steps to reproduce

1. Run and sideload attached Repro add-in
2. In OWA or new Outlook, select an email and invoke the add-in task pane
3. Change email selection, the add-in stays open as expected as it is contextless
4. Switch to a module extension add-in such as Booking or Viva Engage using the left-hand navigation bar
5. Observe how the task pane add-in remains open despite the fact that the user is no longer in Mail and the email selection is no longer visible
6. Switch back to Mail and ensure that the add-in task pane is visible
7. Switch from Mail to Calendar and observe how the task pane gets closed automatically

Example add-in

Out-of-the-box Outlook add-in created with yo office and updated manifest to include SupportsNoItemContext: ReproAddin.zip

Useful logs

• [x ] Screenshots

Repro add-in task pane stays open when switching to module extension add-ins such as Booking or Viva Engage:

After closing the task pane add-in, the space on the right remains allocated:

Contextless add-in task pane should close when switching to module extension add-in:

[AlexJerabek]

Hi @ottD,

Thanks for reporting this. @exextoc, could you please investigate?

[kbrilla]

Preatty sure my issue is connected to this #4668

[neprasad-microsoft]

Hi @ottD Thanks for reporting this issue regarding pinned add-ins. It has been put on our backlog. We unfortunately have no timelines to share at this point Internal tracking id: Office: [4751127]