I’m frustrated with the recent change in Outlook that sets a large minimum width for the folder pane, which includes the number of items in each folder. This takes up valuable space in my mail and reading panes, which are the most used areas of the screen. I’m not alone in my frustration - 561 people have expressed their annoyance with this change on various complaint threads. Not a single person has praised this restriction.
I’ve found five separate complaints about this issue, and none of them have received a satisfactory response. Some MVPs have promised that the issue would be resolved, but it’s been 3.5 years and nothing has changed. I’m asking if someone can update us on when this restriction will be removed, allowing us to customize the folder pane width as we see fit.
It’s understandable that the recent change in Outlook folder pane width is causing frustration for many users, including yourself. Currently, there seems to be no native option within Outlook Web to adjust the folder pane width beyond its default limit. Here are some points to consider:
Folder Pane Adjustment in Desktop Outlook:
Although the web version does not allow adjustment, the desktop version of Outlook can be adjusted by going to View > Layout > Folder Pane and ensuring Normal is selected, allowing you to manually adjust the folder pane width.
Workarounds for Outlook Web:
Zooming out using Ctrl + - (minus) can help fit more folder names, but the width will still be limited.
Another option is to hide the Reading Pane to free up space, but this isn’t a perfect solution and doesn’t directly address the width issue.
Community Feedback:
You are not alone in your frustration. Many users have expressed similar concerns and requested that Microsoft restore the flexibility to adjust the folder pane width.
Given the ongoing dissatisfaction from multiple users, it’s likely that Microsoft will address this issue. However, there is no clear timeline for the resolution. Keep an eye on updates, and you may want to provide feedback or join the existing complaint threads to keep the pressure on for change.