Outlook Reading Pane: How to Change the View and Layout

To change your Outlook reading pane, open the mail view and choose a position: in classic Outlook for Windows, select View > Layout > Reading Pane, then choose Right, Bottom, or Off. New Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac have similar choices, although the menu names can vary slightly. The reading pane lets you preview a selected message beside or below your message list without opening it in a separate window.

Before you start, make sure you are in Mail rather than Calendar or another Outlook section. You do not need to install anything, and changing the pane’s position does not delete or move your messages. The instructions below cover the main Outlook versions so you can use the route that matches your app.

What You’ll Need

Access to Outlook and the mailbox whose layout you want to change.
A desktop browser for Outlook on the web, or the Outlook app for Windows or Mac. You may need to know whether your Windows app is classic Outlook or new Outlook because their menus differ.

Step-by-Step

Open your inbox or another mail folder. In Outlook, select Mail if necessary, then open the folder you want to view, such as Inbox. The reading pane is a mail layout setting, so you will not see its controls in Calendar. In most versions, the selection applies to the current mail view and may carry across folders or views depending on your app and account.
Choose the instructions for your version of Outlook.
Classic Outlook for Windows: Select the View tab on the ribbon. In the Layout group, select Reading Pane. Choose Right to place the preview beside the message list, Bottom to place it below the list, or Off to hide it. The change should appear immediately. If you do not see the Layout group, make sure the View tab is selected and that the Outlook window is wide enough to show the ribbon controls.

New Outlook for Windows: Select View, then Layout, and open Reading pane. Choose Right, Bottom, or Hide. Depending on the layout of your window, the control may appear within the View ribbon or its Layout menu. You can also select the Settings gear, open Mail > Layout, and find the reading pane options there. Select the position you want and close Settings; the layout updates without a separate save step.

Outlook on the web: Select the Settings gear near the top of the page. Open Mail > Layout, then find the Reading pane section. Choose the option to show the pane on the right, show it at the bottom, or hide it. If the settings panel offers a save button, select it; otherwise, the choice is applied automatically. Close the panel and check the inbox to confirm the change.

Outlook for Mac: Open the View menu in the macOS menu bar, then select Reading Pane. Choose Right, Bottom, or Off. Menu wording and placement can differ a little between classic Outlook for Mac and new Outlook for Mac, but look under View for the reading-pane position. If your version does not show that menu item, check Outlook’s View ribbon or its settings for a Layout or Reading Pane control.
Select a message to check the result. With the pane on the right or bottom, click an email in the message list. Its contents should appear in the preview area. If you chose Off or Hide, selecting a message will not display its contents in a pane; double-click or open the message to read it in a separate window or view.
Adjust the pane size if needed. When the pane is visible, point to the divider between it and the message list. Drag the divider left or right for a right-side pane, or up or down for a bottom pane. If the divider is hard to grab, move the pointer slowly along the boundary until it changes to a resize cursor. A narrow pane may make long subject lines or message text wrap, so adjust the divider until both the list and preview are usable.
Confirm whether the setting should apply elsewhere. Open another mail folder and check its layout. Outlook may retain a view arrangement for a particular folder or view, so do not assume every folder changed if one still looks different. Repeat the menu choice in that folder if needed. If you use more than one Outlook app or device, check each one separately; a layout preference may not synchronize across every version.

Common Mistakes

Looking for the setting in the wrong section. The reading pane is controlled from Mail or the View/Layout controls, not from Calendar. Switch to Mail and select a folder before searching the ribbon or settings.
Following instructions for a different Outlook app. Classic Outlook for Windows uses the View tab’s Layout group. New Outlook and the web version may put the same choice under View > Layout or Settings > Mail > Layout. If a named button is missing, identify the app before assuming the feature is unavailable.
Choosing Off when you only meant to move the pane. Off or Hide removes the preview area; it does not move it to another edge. Choose Right or Bottom to keep message previews visible.
Expecting the preview to open a full message window. The reading pane displays a message within the mail list view. To open a message separately, double-click it in classic Outlook or use the app’s open-message action.
Confusing the pane layout with read status. A message may be marked as read when you preview it, depending on your Outlook settings. Changing the pane’s position is separate from the option that controls when a message becomes read.

Tips

Use Right for a wide screen. A pane on the right keeps the message list and preview visible in columns. It is often a practical choice on a widescreen monitor, but a narrow Outlook window can leave too little room for the message text.
Try Bottom on a narrow display. A pane below the list uses the screen’s width for message content. It can be more comfortable when the window is narrow, although you may see fewer messages in the list at once.
Hide the pane when you want more list space. Off or Hide gives the message list more room. You can still read messages by opening them, then restore the preview later using the same menu.
Check the read-status options separately. If previewing messages marks them read sooner than you prefer, look for a reading-pane or mark-as-read setting in your version of Outlook. In classic Outlook for Windows, open View > Layout > Reading Pane > Options to review the available controls. Other versions may put related options in Settings > Mail.
Keep a layout that suits how you scan email. If you compare sender names and subjects before reading, prioritize a wider message list. If you read longer messages in the preview, give the pane more room. You can revisit the choice at any time; changing it is reversible.

Troubleshooting

The Reading Pane option is missing. Confirm you are in the Mail section and not viewing a pop-out message, Calendar, or another app. In classic Outlook for Windows, select the View tab and look in Layout. In new Outlook or the web version, check both View > Layout and Settings > Mail > Layout. If the window is narrow, maximize it or expand the ribbon because some controls may be tucked into a menu.
The pane does not appear after you select Right or Bottom. Select a message in the list; an empty pane can look like the change did not work. Check that you did not choose Off or Hide, then try the setting again. If the app still does not refresh, switch to another folder and back, or close and reopen Outlook. In a browser, refresh the page after confirming the setting was saved.
Only one folder has the new layout. Some Outlook views can retain folder-specific arrangements. Open the folder that looks different and repeat the reading pane selection there. Also check whether you changed a specific view rather than the layout used by the folder you are now viewing.
The message list or preview is too cramped. Drag the divider to give the area you use most more space. If you cannot resize it comfortably, maximize the Outlook window or switch from Right to Bottom. On a small screen, Hide can be easier than trying to fit both the list and a full preview.
Messages become read unexpectedly. Changing position does not itself guarantee a message stays unread. Review the mark-as-read behavior in your Outlook settings. If the app has a delay option, increase the delay or turn off marking items as read when viewed in the pane. The exact controls depend on the Outlook version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put the Outlook reading pane on the left?
Most current Outlook versions offer Right, Bottom, or Off/Hide rather than a left-side position. You can resize the pane, but a left placement may not be available in your version.

How do I turn the reading pane off?
Open the same Reading Pane menu used to change its position and select Off in classic Outlook or Hide in new Outlook or the web version. On Mac, choose Off from View > Reading Pane.

Does changing the reading pane delete or move email?
No. It changes how the message list and preview are arranged. It does not delete messages, move them to another folder, or change your account’s mail.

Will the setting change on all my devices?
Not necessarily. Outlook’s layout preferences can differ between classic Outlook, new Outlook, Outlook for Mac, and the web. Check the reading pane on each app or device where you want the same arrangement.

Why does selecting an email mark it as read?
Your reading-pane read-status setting may mark a message as read after you select it or leave it visible for a set time. Review the mark-as-read options for your Outlook version; this behavior is separate from choosing Right, Bottom, or Off.

Can I change the pane size as well as its position?
Usually, yes. Drag the divider between the message list and preview. Drag horizontally for a right-side pane and vertically for a bottom pane. If resizing is awkward, maximize the window or choose the other position.

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