How to customize Outlook the way you want

This guide will show you how to change the view in Outlook and even how to get back to Outlook's classic view.

What can be customized in Outlook?

You can customize some aspects of Outlook, such as themes and text layout. Below, you'll find a summary of everything.

1. Themes

Outlook allows you to change the application's appearance using several themes, including Light and Dark Mode. You can also set a view to monitor your computer's general settings. There are also several color themes, like navy blue, orange, and green.

You can also choose different visual or topical themes.

2. Text size and page layout

When using Outlook, you can also change the size of your text. This works the same as increasing (or decreasing) the text size on a Mac. You can also choose from 3 different density settings:

1. Cozy
2. Compact
3. Roomy

Each density setting will also adjust the size of the desktop icons. You can also change the density on your smartphone, but it's in a different tab.

3. Sidebar settings

If you use Outlook on a desktop device, you can customize the sidebar settings. You can choose whether you want to see all of your email account folders and whether you want to allow folder reorganization.

When using Outlook on Windows or Mac, you can also check Hide On My Computer folders or turn this setting off. You cannot change these settings on your smartphone.

How to customize Outlook's interface on the desktop

Follow these steps to change the look of Outlook on your computer.

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1. Access Outlook settings. You will see a gear icon on Windows. If using a Mac, this feature is located in Outlook > Settings .
2. Click General when the pop-up window appears.
3. Adjust settings in any way you deem necessary. The example below has changed Outlook's color theme.

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You can also customize Outlook calendar on Windows if you want to adjust more Microsoft applications.

How to customize the look and feel of Outlook on mobile devices

Customizing Outlook on mobile devices is also very simple, but there are some differences compared to making changes on a computer. Here are the steps you should follow:

1. Select the profile icon in the top left corner.
2. When the sidebar appears, tap the Settings icon in the bottom left corner.
3. In Quick Settings , select Display & Appearance .
4. Customize the Outlook interface any way you feel necessary. You can change the app icon, color, etc. in the Theme tab . Meanwhile, Density is used to adjust the width of text and images on the screen.

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How to restore to old Outlook

You can change the view in Outlook and restore it to classic view on your computer with just a few taps.

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Follow these instructions to achieve your desired results.

1. Go to Outlook and select Outlook Legacy .
2. Then a pop-up window will appear. When the window appears, click Revert .
3. Outlook will exit and reopen. As can be seen below, the desktop application has now reverted to the old version of the application.

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If you want to switch back to the new Outlook view, click the On button next to Outlook Legacy . When you see the pop-up window, select Switch to Outlook to complete the process. Outlook will then restart again and you will see the new version again.

Changing views in Outlook is easy, regardless of whether you use the web or mobile version. Even though there are some changes, you can adjust everything you need within minutes. And if you want to switch to an older version of Outlook on your computer, it's easy to do.

Kareem Winters

Update 10 August 2024