MS Outlook - The reading pane divider has moved nearly to the top

Question

MS Outlook - The reading pane divider has moved nearly to the top

Gerd Goebel 20

I am using MS Office H&B 2021 Mac with Mac OS Tahoe 26.01. My Outlook is Version 16.102.2 (25102623)

Since the last MS office update the reading pane divider separating the e-mails and the reading pane has moved nearly to the top of the main page, leaving me just 3 lines of e-mails, and a very large space for the e-mail contents.

This has happened with the last MS update.

Before the update I had the reading pane divider in the middle of the main screen, showing about 10 e-mails on the top, then the divider and below the test of the e-mail.

Is this a know issue and is the an option or setting that I can set to get my divider back into the middle of the main screen?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Gerd

Gerd Goebel 20 Reputation points

2025-12-11T19:48:29.15+00:00

There is no Reset View Settings in my Office version.
Gerd Goebel 20 Reputation points

2025-12-11T20:47:19.21+00:00

All but the Archive folders show 3 e-mails on the top, then the divider and then the reading pane below.

For the Archive folder the divider is about in the middle of the screen.

I checked for an update option in all the menu items but there is none. However, I probably see the automatic update starting about once a month. I also checked for an update option in Word, but again, there is none. I seem to remember that a manual update option was in the Help menu.

I also switched to new outlook and back to legacy but this did not fix my problem.
Gerd Goebel 20 Reputation points

2025-12-11T21:26:23.3733333+00:00

I had to download the auto-updater option from the MS web-site. After running the update my inbox works as before with the divider to the reading pane being in the middle again.

2 answers

Your answer

Gerd Goebel 20 Reputation points

2025-12-11T19:48:29.15+00:00

There is no Reset View Settings in my Office version.
Gerd Goebel 20 Reputation points

2025-12-11T20:47:19.21+00:00

All but the Archive folders show 3 e-mails on the top, then the divider and then the reading pane below.

For the Archive folder the divider is about in the middle of the screen.

I checked for an update option in all the menu items but there is none. However, I probably see the automatic update starting about once a month. I also checked for an update option in Word, but again, there is none. I seem to remember that a manual update option was in the Help menu.

I also switched to new outlook and back to legacy but this did not fix my problem.
Gerd Goebel 20 Reputation points

2025-12-11T21:26:23.3733333+00:00

I had to download the auto-updater option from the MS web-site. After running the update my inbox works as before with the divider to the reading pane being in the middle again.

Answer 1

It seems that the issue you're experiencing with the reading pane divider in Outlook for Mac may be related to the recent update you mentioned. Unfortunately, the context provided does not contain specific information about adjusting the reading pane divider or addressing layout issues in Outlook for Mac.

However, you can try the following general troubleshooting steps:

Restart Outlook: Sometimes, simply restarting the application can resolve layout issues.
Reset View Settings: You can reset the view settings in Outlook to see if that helps restore the divider to its previous position. This can usually be done from the View menu.
Check for Further Updates: Ensure that you have the latest updates installed, as Microsoft may release fixes for known issues in subsequent updates.
Contact Support: If the issue persists, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for assistance, as they may have more specific solutions for your version and setup.

If you find that this is a widespread issue, it may be worth checking online forums or the Microsoft support site for any announcements regarding this behavior after the recent update.

Answer 2

Hi, thanks for posting here in Microsoft community, it looks like the recent update changed the layout behavior in Outlook for Mac, and unfortunately, the usual Reset View Settings option is not available in your version.

You might try restarting Outlook or checking for any pending updates, as Microsoft often releases quick fixes for UI issues

Have you noticed if this happens only in one folder like Inbox or across all folders in Outlook? That detail can help narrow down whether it’s a global layout issue or folder specific.

Let me know how it goes

Chard

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MS Outlook - The reading pane divider has moved nearly to the top

2 answers

Your answer