Why Your Outlook Inbox View Changed (And How to Change It Back)

Finally, some answers so you can sleep at night

Has your Outlook inbox view suddenly changed, and are you struggling to figure out why and how to change it? It’s not uncommon for users to experience sudden changes in their Outlook inbox layout, making navigating your emails and calendar events more difficult.

The good news is that restoring your familiar Outlook inbox view is quite simple. Understanding why these changes happen in the first place can also help you prevent similar issues in the future. Here’s everything you need to know about why your Outlook inbox view has changed and how to fix it when it does.

Why Your Outlook Inbox View Changed

There are several reasons why your Outlook inbox view may have changed. It could be due to a corrupted user profile, an outdated Outlook app, or conflicting add-ins.

A corrupted Outlook user profile can cause Outlook to display an incorrect inbox view. In this case, creating a new Outlook profile might resolve the issue. Secondly, an outdated Outlook app may cause inconsistencies in the inbox view, so make sure you’re running the latest version of Office.

Conflicting add-ins or third-party applications could cause your inbox view to change. You can tryrunning Outlook in safe modeto see if the issue persists without these add-ins.

If all else fails, you may need to reinstall Office (including Outlook) to resolve any lingering issues.

Related:Learn how tochange the default browser in Outlookon both mobile and desktop.

Using the Reset View Button

In most cases, you can easily restore Outlook to its original state using theReset Viewbutton. This option resets your inbox view layout to the default settings for your Outlook profile, which should help you get back to your usual working environment.

Here’s how to use the Reset View button in Outlook.

Your Outlook inbox view should now be restored to its default state. If not, tryrestarting Outlookand move on to one of the steps below.

Reset Outlook Using the Run Box

If your Outlook inbox view has changed unexpectedly, you can easily change it back to normal by resetting Outlook using the Run dialog on Windows. This method helps to revert any custom view settings you may have applied, allowing you to return to the default view.

Follow the steps below to reset your Outlook inbox view using the Run box.

Outlook will now open with the default user interface, resetting your Outlook inbox view in the process.

Use Outlook in Safe Mode and Disable Add-Ins

Did your Outlook inbox view change after installing a third-party add-in? If so, you canuse Outlook in safe modeto disable any add-ins causing issues.

Safe mode allows you to open Outlook without loading any add-ins, helping you identify if they are indeed the source of the problem. To disable add-ins in Outlook using safe mode, follow these steps.

Once Outlook is running in safe mode, you can check if your inbox view has returned to normal. If it has, that indicates the issue is likely caused by an add-in. To disable add-ins in Outlook, follow these steps.

Create a New Outlook Profile

While it’s unlikely, if your Outlook user profile becomes corrupted, it could cause settings (such as your inbox view) to change. In this situation, it’s probably a good idea to create a new profile to reset Outlook’s settings and restore your inbox view to the default.

To create a new Outlook profile, follow these steps.

Once you restart Outlook, you’ll switch to your new profile, which should display the default inbox view.

Managing Your Outlook Profile

If your Outlook inbox view has changed, you can change it back by following the troubleshooting steps outlined above. However, there might be other issues you face in Outlook.

For instance, you may need to troubleshoot the problem ifOutlook isn’t opening properlyor ifOutlook is only opening in safe mode. In most cases, a quick restart will solve the problem, but in the most drastic situations, you may need to considerupdating or repairing your Office installation.

Ben Stockton is a freelance technology writer based in the United Kingdom. In a past life, Ben was a college lecturer in the UK, training teens and adults. Since leaving the classroom, Ben has taken his teaching experience and applied it to writing tech how-to guides and tutorials, specialising in Linux, Windows, and Android. He has a degree in History and a postgraduate qualification in Computing.Read Ben’s Full Bio

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Why Your Outlook Inbox View Changed (And How to Change It Back)#

Why Your Outlook Inbox View Changed#

Using the Reset View Button#

Reset Outlook Using the Run Box#

Use Outlook in Safe Mode and Disable Add-Ins#

Create a New Outlook Profile#

Managing Your Outlook Profile#