How to restore Default Outlook view

Dear Megan,

Good day!

Thank you for posting to Microsoft Community. We are glad to assist!

Based on your description regarding "How to restore Default Outlook view". To understand the situation and be able to offer you relevant suggestions, we would need a little more information from you. Kindly help us in providing the following information.

• May I know when this issue started to occur?

• May I double confirm that you reset view? To check this kindly go to View tab-->Reset View.

• May I double confirm that your folder Pane set to Normal, Reading Pane to Right? To check this kindly go to View-->in Layout Make sure that Folder Pane set to Normal-->Reading Pane set to Right and for To-Do bar make sure that calendar, People and Task are selected.

• May I know if you tried to reset outlook view settings? To Reset Outlook View Settings. Press Windows + R, type Outlook.exe  /cleanviews in the Run window, and click ‘OK‘ or press the ‘Enter’ key. Then, re-open your Outlook and check if there is any update.

  Note: between outlook.exe and / there is a space.

  

• May I please confirm that you get same behavior after creating new outlook profile? Create an Outlook profile - Microsoft Support please do not delete old profile to prevent the loss of your data.

• Would you mind providing the screenshot which shows the outlook version you are using? to check this kindly go to File-->Office Account

• Would you mind providing the screenshot of how your Outlook look or your current situation? (Please hide information such as email for the privacy of your data)

This requested information will help us to narrow down the scenario and find the right troubleshooting. We are looking forward to your response! Thanks for your precious time. Have a nice day!

Best regards,

Inema |Community Moderator

Hi Inema,

Please see responses to your questions below:

• May I know when this issue started to occur? Yesterday afternoon. I must have clicked a button that changed the view.

• May I double confirm that you reset view? To check this kindly go to View tab-->Reset View. Yes - still stuck in the current view.

• May I double confirm that your folder Pane set to Normal, Reading Pane to Right? To check this kindly go to View-->in Layout Make sure that Folder Pane set to Normal-->Reading Pane set to Right and for To-Do bar make sure that calendar, People and Task are selected. Yes - still stuck.

• May I know if you tried to reset outlook view settings? To Reset Outlook View Settings. Press Windows + R, type Outlook.exe  /cleanviews in the Run window, and click ‘OK‘ or press the ‘Enter’ key. Then, re-open your Outlook and check if there is any update. Tried this and did not fix it.

  Note: between outlook.exe and / there is a space.

  

• May I please confirm that you get same behavior after creating new outlook profile? Create an Outlook profile - Microsoft Support please do not delete old profile to prevent the loss of your data. No, when I added a different profile to my Outlook, it opened in the view I wanted. It just appears to be the current profile I'm using that is stuck in the condensed view.

• Would you mind providing the screenshot which shows the outlook version you are using? to check this kindly go to File-->Office Account

• Would you mind providing the screenshot of how your Outlook look or your current situation? (Please hide information such as email for the privacy of your data)

• 

Was there ever an answer to this question?

Hi, I had the same problem. To restore the standard view you need to go to: View -> View Settings -> Other Settings -> tick "Use compact layout in widths smaller than 125 characters".

Thank you SO much! I was having the same issue and your solution was the only one that worked!

Thank you, this was the setting that I needed.

Now the outlook inbox is looking great again and is easy to use.

View -> View Settings -> Other Settings -> tick "Use compact layout in widths smaller than 125 characters".

Only very stupid people answer questions with questions.

Just click view then click the 4 horizontal bars on the left of home.

YES! Thank you! I've been stuck in that setting for the last two weeks as well. This was the only answer that helped.

This is the solution that worked