The default inbox view of Outlook consists of the folder, mail, and reading pane. But, if you are dealing with a rather small screen, then this view can get clustered for even your liking.
But thankfully, Outlook offers a flexible approach that allows you to change or customize your view layout. In addition to this, you can also edit out fonts, resize the screen, and do more to match your Outlook view according to your preferences.
So, without further ado, let’s jump right into learning about the different methods of how you can change your Outlook view.
How to Change Outlook View
Changing up your Outlook view is a relatively straightforward process. As mentioned above, the application lets you switch up and adjust the entire layout. Additionally, Within the Outlook View tab, the Change View option can come in extra handy to create, manage, and apply custom views to your layout.
So, let’s dive right into learning how you can make these view changes in more detail.
Change Layout
If you want to adjust the sizing of the layout pane (Folder, mail, Reading), you can hover over each of these sections. You can increase or decrease their sizing by adjusting the borders through your mouse cursor.
Alternatively, you can also switch out the Outlook view layout. You can customize each of the layout panes to match your preferences.
Here are some steps you can follow.
- Open up the Outlook application on your device.
- Navigate to the menu bar and click on the View tab.
- You will notice the three options in the Layout group: Folder, Reading, and the To-Do Bar.
- Folder pane: To customize how the Folder pane displays, click on the drop-down arrow. You can choose between normal, minimize, or temporarily disable it by selecting the Off option.
- Reading pane: From the reading pane, you can choose between Right, Bottom, or Off.
- To-do bar: By default, the To-do bar is not displayed. So you will have to add it to your screen manually. You can add a Calendar, People, or Task to the viewing screen. You also can completely remove this option by clicking on the Off option.
Configure Zoom Level
Sometimes, the text in your View layout might be too small for you. For this instance, you have the option to adjust and configure the Zoom level on your Outlook application. To do so, head over to the bottom-right corner of your screen.
Here, you will be able to see a zoom slider. By default, the zoom setting is usually set at 100%. If you want to increase the zoom level, move the slider to your right, and if you decrease it, move it to the left.

In this section, You can also switch between a Normal view. This mode allows you to see all the pinned panes. Alternatively, the Reading view will enable you to hide all pinned panes from your Outlook and can be found in the same section.
Change Font
Another great way to switch up your Outlook view is to switch your font text, style, and size. Depending upon which section you’ll like to change the font to, there are different steps you should apply. So, here are some step-by-step guides you can follow.
For Composing/Replying/Forwarding
- Open the Outlook application from your device.
- Navigate to the menu bar and click on File.
- From the bottom left corner, click on Options.
- Now, click on the Mail option from the left panel.
- Under the Compose Messages section, click on the Stationery and Fonts button.
- From the Font tab, you can change the font, style, size, and color.
- Click on the OK button to save changes.
- Again, click on the OK button to confirm your action.
For Message List
- Launch the Outlook application.
- Head over to the menu bar and click on the View tab.
- Here, click on the View Settings option.
- From the Advanced View Settings window, click on the Other Settings button.
- Under the Fonts section, you can change the font, style, and size of either the Row, Column, or Messaging Preview.
- Finally, click on the OK button twice from the pop windows to confirm your action.
How to Change Outlook View to Default
Sometimes, you might have accidentally clicked on a few settings. As a result, the Outlook view may have appeared different. Fortunately, you can easily switch to the default view by applying a simple command on your device.
Here are some steps you can follow.
- Exit out of the Outlook application.
- Use the shortcut Windows + R to open up the run command.
- In the Open field, type in
outlook.exe /cleanviews
. - Hit the enter key or click on the OK button.
- Now, your Outlook application will re-launch again, and you will see that the View Settings have been set to default
- Alternatively, you can also reset it by navigating to the View menu and clicking on the Reset View icon.
How to Create New View in Outlook
Outlook gives you the option to create a custom view which allows you to add your twist on how you want your view layout to appear on your application. To make the changes, here are some steps you can follow.
- Open up the Microsoft Outlook application.
- Head over to the View menu and click on the Change View option.
- Now, select Manage Views from the list of options.
- From the pop-up box, click on the New button.
- Give a name to your New Outlook view.
- From the type of view section, you can choose between a variety of options.
- Click on the OK button to save changes.
- Select your preferred settings from the Advanced View Settings option and click on the OK button.
- To see the changes immediately, click on the Apply View button.
How to Delete Custom View on Outlook
If you want to delete a custom view you made on Outlook, then here are some steps you can follow.
- Open the Outlook application.
- Head over to the menu bar and click on the View tab.
- Click on the Change View option and select the Manage Views option from the drop-down menu.
- Choose the Custom View you want to delete from the pop-up box.
- Now, click on the Delete button.
- From the pop-up, click on the Yes button to confirm your action.
- Finally, click on the OK button.
1 Comment
Thank you so much, this helped!