Change Outlook View Settings

Overview

Viewing your emails in Outlook is important. You can customize the layout, adjust the size of the panes, and edit fonts and font sizes. You can sort emails by sender, subject, or date and filter the types of emails you want to see. Experiment with different features, and tailor your view to make managing emails easier.

View Settings

Reading Pane

When you select a message in the message list, you can see the message in the Reading Pane and access many different types of file attachments. You can customize how the Reading Pane works and appears, or you can turn it off. 

Classic Outlook for Windows:

1. In the View tab, select Reading Pane
2. Select Right, Bottom, or Off

New Outlook for Windows:

1. In the View tab, select Layout
2. Select Reading pane
3. Select Show on the right, Show on the bottom, or Hide 

Outlook for MacOS:

1. In the View tab, select Reading Pane
2. Select Right, Below, or Hidden

Folder Pane 

The folder pane displays all folders in Outlook. If the folder pane is minimized, you won’t be able to see your folders. 

Classic Outlook for Windows:

1. In the View tab, click Folder Pane
2. Select Normal, Minimized, or Off 

New Outlook for Windows:

1. In the View tab, click Folder Pane
2. Select Show or Hide 

When minimized, expand the Folder Pane by clicking the > icon on the top left of the screen.

Outlook for MacOS:

1. In the View tab, click Sidebar to hide or show the folder pane

When minimized, expand the Folder Pane by clicking the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the top left of the screen.

Change font or font size 

Classic Outlook for Windows - Message List Fonts:

1. In the View tab, click View Settings
2. Click Other Settings
3. Select Column Font or Row Font
4. Select the font, font type, and size you want
5. Click OK three times to save your settings and apply changes

Classic Outlook for Windows - Reading Pane Fonts:

The reading pane does not allow you to change to default font or font size. however, you can zoom in or zoom out easily.

1. At the bottom right of the reading pane, click the percentage (usually 100%) to open zoom settings
2. Choose one of the default percentages or enter your own percentage
3. Check Remember my Preference to keep the same zoom level for all messages 

New Outlook for Windows - All Display Text:

1. Open Settings
2. From the navigation pane, select Mail, then Layout
3. Under Text size and spacing, select the size you want

Outlook for MacOS - All Display Text:

1. In the Outlook tab, click Settings
2. Click General
3. Click the plus + or minus - to increase or decrease the font size

Filter and Sort Messages

Classic Outlook for Windows:

1. Select the filter dropdown at the top of the message list
2. Select your preference from the filter and sorting options

New Outlook for Windows:

1. Select the filter icon (three horizontal lines) at the top of the message list
2. Select your preference from the filter and sorting options

Outlook for MacOS:

1. Select the filter icon (three horizontal lines) at the top of the message list
2. Select your preference from the filter and sorting options

Conversations

By default, when you add most account types to Outlook, your messages are displayed in Conversations. A conversation includes all messages in the same thread with the same subject line. 

Classic Outlook for Windows:

1. In the View tab, check or uncheck the Show as Conversations box
2. Select All mailboxes or This folder 

New Outlook for Windows:

1. Open Settings
2. From the navigation pane, select Mail, then Layout
3. Under Message organization, choose whether you want to show emails grouped by conversation or as individual messages

Outlook for MacOS:

1. In the View tab, click Show as Conversations to toggle on or off

Additional settings 

Outlook for Windows:

1. In the View tab, select View Settings 

Outlook for MacOS:

1. View more options in the View tab or in Settings under the Outlook tab