How to Change Conversation View in Outlook on Any Device

To change conversation view in Outlook, turn on or off the option that groups email by conversation. In classic Outlook for Windows, go to View > Show as Conversations; in new Outlook or Outlook on the web, open Settings > Mail > Layout and change the message-organization option. The exact controls vary by Outlook version, so first identify which app you are using.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Outlook account and mailbox whose messages you want to organize.
A current version of Outlook, Outlook on the web, or the Outlook mobile app. You do not need administrator access for the usual view setting.
A few minutes to check the target folder after changing the setting. Conversation view may be configured differently in different Outlook apps or folders.

Step-by-Step

Identify your Outlook version and open the right mailbox. On Windows, classic Outlook has a traditional ribbon with a View tab, while new Outlook has a simplified interface and a Settings gear. In a browser, you are using Outlook on the web or Outlook.com. On a Mac or phone, use the Outlook app for that device. Open the Inbox or other folder where you want to change how messages appear. If you have more than one account, check the account name before changing a setting.
In classic Outlook for Windows, open the View tab. Select the folder you want to adjust, then choose View on the ribbon. Find Show as Conversations in the Messages area. If you do not see it, maximize the Outlook window or look for a condensed ribbon; some commands are hidden when the window is narrow.
Turn conversation grouping on or off. Select Show as Conversations. If Outlook asks whether to apply the change to This folder or All mailboxes, choose the scope you intend. Selecting This folder changes only the folder you opened, such as Inbox. Choosing All mailboxes applies the view more broadly to folders in your Outlook profile. When grouping is on, related messages appear together under a conversation. To return to a separate row for each message, clear Show as Conversations for the relevant folder or scope.
Choose how conversations behave in classic Outlook, if needed. Use the small menu or arrow beside Show as Conversations to open Conversation Settings. Options can include showing messages from other folders, showing senders above the subject, always expanding the selected conversation, and using the classic indented view. Select only the options that help your workflow. For example, showing messages from other folders can make a thread easier to follow if you have moved earlier replies out of your Inbox. These options do not replace the main on/off control; they adjust the appearance or contents of grouped threads.
In new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web, open the layout settings. Select the Settings gear near the top of the window, then choose Mail and Layout. Find Message organization. Choose the option to show email grouped by conversation to group related messages, or the option to show each message separately to turn grouping off. Depending on the account or rollout, the wording may be slightly different. If a Save button appears, select it; otherwise, close Settings and allow the view to refresh.
On Outlook for Mac, use the View menu. Open the folder you want to adjust and select View from the menu bar. Choose Show as Conversations to toggle conversation grouping. If you do not see that command, check that you are in a mail folder and that Outlook is up to date. Mac versions and interface updates can place view options differently, so use Outlook’s Settings search or help search for “conversation” if the menu is not available. Changing a view on Mac may not change the view on another device.
On a phone or tablet, check Mail settings. In Outlook for iOS or Android, tap your profile picture or app menu, then the Settings gear. Open Mail and look for an email-organization or conversation-grouping control, such as Group emails by conversation. Turn it on to group threads or off to list messages individually. Mobile app labels and locations can change between releases. If the control is absent, update the app and check whether your account type supports that setting; you can still change the view in Outlook on the web or desktop.
Check the result in the folder you changed. Return to the Inbox or folder and look for a thread with several replies. With conversation view on, replies may be nested under the latest message or represented by a count or expand arrow. Select the arrow or conversation row to reveal its messages. With the setting off, each email should have its own row. Check another folder if you selected a folder-specific scope; its view may intentionally remain different.

Common Mistakes

Changing the wrong folder or account. Outlook can retain different views for different folders, and a profile may contain several accounts. Before toggling the setting, confirm the folder name and account. If you meant to change more than the Inbox, revisit the scope choice in classic Outlook or repeat the setting in the relevant folders or app.
Expecting the setting to synchronize everywhere. Outlook desktop, web, and mobile do not always share the same display preferences. A thread may be grouped on your computer but listed message by message on your phone. Set the view in each app where you need it rather than assuming one change updates all devices.
Assuming a missing reply means the conversation is broken. A reply can be in another folder, archived, or filtered from the current view. In classic Outlook, the setting to show messages from other folders can help reveal related items. Also check All Mail, Archive, Deleted Items, and any search results before concluding that messages are gone.
Confusing conversation view with sorting or the Reading Pane. Sorting controls the order of rows, and the Reading Pane controls where the selected email opens. Neither is the same as grouping related messages. If messages are still separate, change the conversation or message-organization control rather than just changing the sort order or pane position.
Expecting unrelated subject lines to join automatically. Outlook generally groups messages using conversation information and subject. A reply with a changed subject, a new message rather than a reply, or a message sent through a different system may not appear in the same thread. Conversation view does not merge every email about the same topic.

Tips

Use grouping when you follow long discussions. It keeps replies together and can make a busy Inbox easier to scan. Expand a conversation when you need to read the full exchange, and collapse it when you only need the latest message.
Use separate messages when you need a simple chronological list. This can be useful for auditing individual emails, comparing messages with similar subjects, or finding a particular sent item without opening a thread. It may also be easier when many unrelated messages share a subject such as “Update.”
Decide whether messages from other folders should appear. Showing related items from Sent Items or another folder can provide context, but it can also make a thread look larger than the Inbox alone. If a conversation displays unexpected messages, review the conversation options before moving or deleting anything.
Try the setting in one folder first. If you are unsure whether grouping suits you, change the Inbox only and use it for a day. You can then extend the setting or switch back without changing how every mailbox folder is displayed.
Use search to locate an email, not just its thread. Conversation grouping changes presentation, not whether a message exists. Search by sender, subject, or a distinctive phrase if a specific reply is difficult to find; then check which folder Outlook reports for the result.

Troubleshooting

The option is missing. Confirm that you are viewing Mail and have opened a message folder rather than Calendar, Contacts, or a settings page. In classic Outlook, select the View tab and look for a condensed or overflow ribbon. In new Outlook or the web, open Settings and inspect Mail > Layout. Updating Outlook may restore a control that has moved or was absent in an older build.

The setting appears to change but the list does not. Give Outlook a moment to refresh, then select another folder and return. Close and reopen the app if needed. In a browser, reload the page; if the problem continues, try a private browsing window or another supported browser to rule out a temporary display or extension issue. Do not delete messages or recreate the account just to change this view.

Only some folders are grouped. This is usually a scope issue, not a fault. In classic Outlook, return to View > Show as Conversations and apply the setting to the intended folder or all mailboxes. In other versions, review the selected folder and repeat the Mail layout setting if it is not applied to the folders you use.

A conversation is collapsed and looks like one email. Look for a small chevron, expansion arrow, or message count near the row and select it. In classic Outlook, the option to always expand the selected conversation can make the selected thread open automatically. If you prefer a flat list, turn grouping off instead.

Messages still do not appear together. Check whether they are genuine replies in the same email chain, whether the subject changed, and whether a message is in another folder. Search for the missing email directly. Outlook cannot reliably group unrelated messages just because they discuss the same subject, and some external mail systems handle conversation identifiers differently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing conversation view delete or move emails?
No. It changes how Outlook displays messages. It does not delete, move, or send mail. Moving or deleting an individual message remains a separate action, so check which message is selected before using those commands.

Can I turn conversation view off for just the Inbox?
In classic Outlook for Windows, yes: open the Inbox, use View > Show as Conversations, and apply the change to This folder. Other Outlook versions may apply the preference more broadly or use different controls, so check the folder after changing it.

Why does Outlook show a conversation in Sent Items or another folder?
Conversation view can include related messages stored outside the current folder, depending on the app and its settings. In classic Outlook, review Conversation Settings and the option for messages from other folders. Seeing an item in a thread does not mean it has been moved into the folder you are viewing.

Can I sort messages by date while using conversation view?
Yes. Sorting and conversation grouping are separate display choices. You can keep conversations grouped and still use the available sort controls to order the list, though the exact sort options depend on the Outlook version and folder.

Why do I see different conversation views on my computer and phone?
Outlook apps can maintain separate view preferences, and their controls differ. Set conversation grouping independently in each app where you want it. Also confirm that both apps are showing the same account and folder before comparing the results.

Will changing the subject of a reply keep it in the same conversation?
Not always. Outlook uses conversation information as well as message details, and a substantially changed subject or a new message can result in a separate thread. To keep an exchange together, use Reply or Reply All from the original email when appropriate rather than composing a new message.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.