Adjusting View Settings & Reading Pane in Outlook
Microsoft Outlook Desktop & Web App · IT Services Knowledge Base
ℹ️ Overview
Outlook allows you to customise how your inbox looks and how emails are displayed, helping you work more efficiently. This article covers how to adjust your message list layout, change the reading pane position, customise conversation view, and configure the reading pane behaviour — in both Outlook Desktop and Outlook Web App (OWA).
1. Changing the Message List Layout
The message list is the panel that shows your list of emails. You can adjust how much information is shown for each email and how they are arranged.
Outlook Desktop
1
Click the View tab in the ribbon at the top of Outlook.
2
Click Change View to switch between preset layouts such as Compact, Single, or Preview.
3
To further customise, click View Settings from the View tab. From here you can adjust columns, sorting, grouping and filtering options. Click OK to apply.
Tip: Select Compact view for a denser inbox, or Preview to see the first line of each email without opening it.
Outlook Web App (OWA)
1
Click the Settings cog (⚙️) in the top-right corner.
2
Under Mail, select Layout.
3
Choose between Full or Compact message spacing, then click Save.
2. Changing the Reading Pane Position
The reading pane displays the content of a selected email without you needing to open it in a separate window. You can position it to the right, at the bottom, or turn it off entirely.
Outlook Desktop
1
Click the View tab in the ribbon.
2
Click Reading Pane and select one of the following options:
| Option |
Result |
| Right |
Reading pane appears to the right of your message list (default) |
| Bottom |
Reading pane appears below your message list |
| Off |
Reading pane is hidden — emails open in a separate window |
Outlook Web App (OWA)
1
Click the Settings cog (⚙️) in the top-right corner.
2
Under Mail, select Layout.
3
Under Reading pane, choose Show on the right, Show on the bottom, or Hide, then click Save.
3. Turning Conversation View On or Off
Conversation view groups emails with the same subject together as a thread, making it easier to follow a chain of replies. You can turn this on or off depending on your preference.
Outlook Desktop
1
Click the View tab in the ribbon.
2
Check or uncheck the Show as Conversations checkbox to toggle conversation view on or off. When prompted, choose whether to apply the change to This folder or All mailboxes.
Outlook Web App (OWA)
1
Click the Settings cog (⚙️) in the top-right corner.
2
Under Mail, select Layout.
3
Under Conversation view, select On or Off, then click Save.
4. Reading Pane Options (Desktop Only)
Outlook Desktop provides additional options to control how the reading pane behaves, such as whether emails are automatically marked as read when you view them.
1
Click the View tab in the ribbon.
2
Click Reading Pane, then select Reading Pane Options at the bottom of the menu.
3
Adjust the available options to suit your preference, then click OK:
| Option |
What it does |
| Mark items as read when viewed in the Reading Pane |
Automatically marks an email as read after you've viewed it for a set number of seconds |
| Mark item as read when selection changes |
Marks an email as read as soon as you click on a different email |
| Single key reading using spacebar |
Allows you to scroll through emails using the spacebar |
5. Resetting Your View to Default
If your inbox view looks unusual or you'd like to start fresh, you can reset it to the default settings.
1
Click the View tab in the ribbon.
2
Click Change View, then select Apply Current View to Other Mail Folders — or click Reset View to restore the current folder's default layout.
3
Click Yes to confirm the reset.
💡 Helpful Tips
- If you use a smaller screen, setting the reading pane to Bottom or turning it Off can give you more space to view your message list
- Turning off Mark as read when viewed is useful if you want to manually control which emails are marked as read
- View settings are saved per folder — changes to your inbox won't automatically apply to other folders like Sent Items
- In OWA, changes apply immediately after saving — no restart required
🆘 Need help?
If you are experiencing issues with your Outlook view or the steps above are not working as expected, please contact the IT Service Desk and reference "Outlook View Settings".