How to Change Gmail View to Look Like Outlook on Desktop

To make Gmail look more like Outlook on a computer, turn on the right-side reading pane, choose Compact density, and show message snippets. You can also display useful labels in the left sidebar and turn off Conversation View if you prefer one email per row. These changes make Gmail’s inbox more familiar, although Gmail will still use its own labels and controls.

What You’ll Need

A web browser and access to your Gmail account. The instructions below are for Gmail on a desktop browser; the Gmail mobile app has a different layout and fewer matching controls.
A screen wide enough to show the message list and reading pane side by side. If the browser window is narrow, the right-side pane may be cramped or unavailable until you widen the window.

Step-by-Step

Open Gmail and expand the settings panel. Go to Gmail, sign in, and select the gear-shaped Settings icon near the top right. The Quick settings panel opens along the right side. You can make the main layout changes here without leaving your inbox. If you do not see the panel, maximize the browser window or zoom out one step.
Choose a compact message-list density. In Quick settings, find Density and select Compact. This reduces the vertical space between messages so more rows fit on screen, similar to a compact Outlook message list. If you rely on seeing attachment previews directly in the inbox, compare the options: Gmail’s density choices can change how much information fits in each row. Choose Comfortable instead if Compact feels too crowded or difficult to read.
Turn on the reading pane. In the same Quick settings panel, scroll to Reading pane. Choose Right of inbox to place the selected message beside the message list, which is the closest match to Outlook’s side-by-side reading layout. Gmail may take a moment to apply the change. Select a message in the inbox to see it in the pane; if you want the message to open in the full window instead, use the control to return to the full inbox view or turn the reading pane off.
Decide whether you want a preview below the list. Gmail also offers Below inbox in the Reading pane options. That puts the selected message underneath the list rather than beside it. It can work better on a smaller screen, but it leaves less room to see messages and content at once. Select No split if you decide that neither split layout suits your workflow. You can switch between these options whenever you like.
Show a short preview of each message. To display a line of message text after the subject, open Settings and choose See all settings. On the General tab, find the Snippets section, select Show snippets, then scroll to the bottom and select Save Changes. Gmail returns to the inbox. This preview can make it easier to scan messages as you would in Outlook, but it may reveal some email text to anyone looking at your screen.
Make the inbox show one row per email, if preferred. In See all settings on the General tab, locate Conversation View. Choose Conversation view off and select Save Changes at the bottom. Gmail will list messages separately rather than grouping replies into a single conversation. Outlook can also group messages, so this step is optional; leave Conversation View on if you prefer seeing a whole email thread together.
Put useful mail categories in the left sidebar. Select the gear icon, choose See all settings, and open the Labels tab. In the Labels list, set the labels you want to access quickly—such as Sent, Drafts, or your own project labels—to Show. System labels and custom labels are Gmail’s equivalent of some Outlook folders, but they are not identical: a Gmail label can be applied to a message without moving it out of the inbox. Return to the inbox and use the left sidebar to open a label.
Review the inbox type and check the finished layout. If the inbox is divided into categories or priority sections, return to Quick settings and look under Inbox type. Choose Default for a straightforward list rather than a specialized layout such as Unread first or Priority Inbox. Then select an email and confirm that the reading pane, snippets, and message rows look the way you want. If you changed General or Labels settings, remember that they take effect after selecting Save Changes.

Common Mistakes

Expecting Gmail to become a copy of Outlook. These settings make the inbox arrangement more familiar, but Gmail does not have Outlook’s exact folder system, ribbon, or message controls. Use labels and the reading pane as visual equivalents rather than expecting every feature to match.
Changing a setting without saving it. Quick settings choices usually apply as soon as you select them. Changes on the full Settings page—such as Snippets, Conversation View, and Labels—need Save Changes at the bottom. Leaving the page without saving can discard those choices.
Choosing Compact when you need large, easy-to-read rows. Compact displays more messages at once but may feel crowded, especially on a smaller screen. Try Comfortable if you find yourself misreading senders or subjects.
Turning off Conversation View and assuming mail has disappeared. Messages that were grouped into threads will be shown individually, so a long conversation may occupy several rows. Search for the sender or subject if the inbox looks different after the change.
Confusing labels with folders. Showing a label in the sidebar does not necessarily remove a message from the inbox. Gmail labels organize messages differently from Outlook folders, and a message can have more than one label.

Tips

Start with the reading pane. That is the most noticeable Outlook-like change. Adjust density and snippets afterward so you can tell which setting improves scanning and which makes the inbox too busy.
Try the right-side pane before changing habits. Select different messages in the list and observe how the preview updates. If you often read long emails, open one in its own view when the pane feels too narrow.
Keep the sidebar useful rather than crowded. Show only labels you use regularly. You can hide less-used labels without deleting them; they remain available through Gmail’s label controls and search.
Use the default inbox type for a familiar single list. Gmail’s category tabs and priority arrangements are helpful, but they divide the inbox in ways that may not resemble the Outlook view you want. You can switch back if you miss those sorting features.
Revisit the layout after changing screen size. A setup that works on a large monitor may feel cramped on a laptop. Consider the pane below the inbox, a less compact density, or no split when working in a narrow window.
Remember that settings are account-specific. If you use multiple Gmail accounts, check the layout after switching accounts. A change in one account may not give another account the same inbox arrangement.

Troubleshooting

The Reading pane option is missing. Make sure you are using Gmail in a desktop browser and open the full Quick settings panel from the gear icon. Widen the browser window and reload Gmail if needed. If you are using a managed work or school account, an administrator’s policies or a changed interface may limit what you can see.

The pane appears below the inbox, not beside it. Reopen Quick settings, scroll to Reading pane, and choose Right of inbox. If the right-side option is selected but the preview still looks stacked, widen the window and check the browser zoom. A narrow viewport can make a side-by-side layout difficult to display.

Snippets or separate message rows did not change. Go back to Settings > See all settings > General, verify the choice under Snippets or Conversation View, and select Save Changes at the bottom. If the setting is correct but the inbox looks unchanged, refresh Gmail. Be aware that turning Conversation View off changes how threads are displayed, not the messages themselves.

The left sidebar is missing a label. Open Settings > See all settings > Labels, find the label, and set its display choice to Show. If the label is not listed, confirm that it exists; showing a label does not create one. Also check whether the sidebar is collapsed and use its menu button to expand it.

The layout is still too crowded. Turn off snippets, choose Comfortable density, or switch the reading pane to Below inbox or No split. You can also close other browser panels and widen Gmail. These adjustments change what fits on screen, not how Gmail receives or stores messages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Gmail look exactly like Outlook?

No. Gmail can use a similar compact list, side reading pane, and message previews, but its labels, menus, and controls remain Gmail-specific. The steps create a familiar arrangement rather than a full Outlook replica.

Can I put Gmail’s reading pane on the right?

Yes. In Gmail on a desktop browser, open the gear-shaped Settings panel, find Reading pane, and choose Right of inbox. Widen the browser if the side-by-side view is cramped.

Will changing the view affect my emails?

No. Density, snippets, Conversation View, and reading-pane settings change how Gmail displays mail. Turning Conversation View off separates messages visually; it does not delete the messages or send them anywhere.

Can I use the same layout in the Gmail mobile app?

Not exactly. The mobile app has a smaller screen and does not offer the same desktop reading-pane arrangement. These steps apply to Gmail in a desktop web browser; the app’s display options are separate.

How do I undo the Outlook-like layout?

Return to Quick settings and choose your preferred density and reading-pane option, including No split. In full settings, restore snippets or Conversation View as needed, then select Save Changes. You can also change which labels appear in the sidebar.

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.