Make Outlook look like Thunderbird?

1

For some strange and irrelevant reason, I am currently consigned to using Microsoft Outlook on Windows on some computer. Now, I'm used to Mozilla Thunderbird, which has a bunch of shortcomings and failures, but at least has a decent main mail window interface: Nice, lean and dense; and one line per message. To be more concrete, here's the layout I have configured on Thunderbird:

enter image description here

Is it possible - through configuration or other means - to make Outlook's main window interface be more like in Thunderbird, at least in the terms of the appearance of the main mail window?

einpoklum

Posted 2019-10-28T08:37:57.493

Reputation: 5 032

2Thunderbird has no single look. Please describe in more detail what you’re expecting in terms of overall window layout, list entries and maybe button positions. Also, which version of Outlook are you using? – Daniel B – 2019-10-28T08:42:53.137

It's unlikely outlook to have a "thunderbird look" option. Other solution would be an add in, but that's off topic being software recommendation. – Máté Juhász – 2019-10-28T08:53:14.180

@DanielB: See edit. – einpoklum – 2019-10-28T09:57:52.217

1@MátéJuhász: If the way to achieve something is installing an add-in, that's actually on-topic for an answer IMHO. – einpoklum – 2019-10-28T09:58:36.333

Answers

1

If you're using Outlook 2016 or something close to it:

  1. In the ribbon's "View" tab, select "Reading Pane → Bottom" (or Off if you like). This will automatically switch the message list to a more traditional single-line view.
  2. In the same "View" tab, select "Message Preview → Off".

  3. Optionally, click "View Settings → Other Settings" to disable grouping by date and hide grid lines between messages.

    (You'll also find an option there which re-enables the compact message list if the window is too narrow; you can disable it and select "Always use single-line layout".)

  4. Click "Change View → Apply Current View to Other Mail Folders" to make the settings global. (Note that some settings, such as message previews, are global on their own.)

  5. Optionally, double-click any ribbon tab title to collapse the ribbon.

Screenshot of the resulting layout

user1686

Posted 2019-10-28T08:37:57.493

Reputation: 283 655

Can I also disable the categorization by date, i.e. the header lines saying "Date: Today", "Date: Yesterday" and so on? – einpoklum – 2019-10-28T10:03:21.817

1Yes, in the same "View Settings → Other Settings" next to the grid lines option. – user1686 – 2019-10-28T10:04:12.500

... and can I make these changes, including the gridlines, apply to other mail folders? universally? – einpoklum – 2019-10-28T10:09:41.383

1That's (probably) in the "Change View" dropdown. You might have to edit an existing predefined view. – user1686 – 2019-10-28T10:13:11.040

Asked: 2019-10-28T08:37:57.493

Viewed: 751 times

Active: 2019-10-29T02:49:31.363