My emails don't show when I've responded

Question

I received a new computer and am using old outlook. I'm struggling with how close the emails are together and I can't figure out how to see if i've responded to an email

Answer 1

Hi @Gove, Heather, 

Good day, I hope you are doing well. 

I understand how confusing it can be to switch to a new computer and suddenly have Outlook look and behave differently, especially when you are trying to quickly manage a busy inbox. In Classic Outlook, the message list can look very “tight” after moving to a new PC because the folder view, preview lines, or fonts are set to a more compact layout.  

To resolve the issue, I would recommend trying the following steps: 

1. Increase font size and adjust message view  

• Select View, then Change View, then choose Single or Preview. 

 

• If you want larger text, select View, then View Settings. 

• Select Other Settings, and adjust Row Font and Column Font.    

 

 

2. Add message indicator 

• In the same folder, stay in Single or Preview view.  
• Select View, then View Settings, then Columns, and add the Icon field so replied messages show the reply indicator.  

 

3. Enable Show as Conversations 

• Select View, then turn on Show as Conversations. 

 

• Choose This folder (or All mailboxes) when prompted. 
• Use the small triangle next to the subject to expand or collapse the conversation thread. 

 

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow the steps above and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can continue working together to resolve the issue.  

Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out so I can continue to support you. If you found the response useful, please consider marking it as accepted, as this may help other community members who are looking for similar guidance.  

I look forward to continuing the conversation.

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Answer 2

In classic Outlook for Windows, whether replies are visible and how “close together” messages appear is controlled by how the message list is displayed and whether messages are grouped by conversation.

To make it easier to see which emails have been replied to and to see related messages together:

1. Turn on conversation view (groups related messages together)
   • In classic Outlook, use the View controls for the message list (for your version, see the guidance in Change how the message list is displayed in Outlook).
   • Enable grouping “by conversation” so all messages with the same subject appear together. This makes it easier to see your reply directly under the original message.
2. Adjust how tightly messages are shown
   • In the same message list/reading layout settings, choose a layout that gives more spacing between messages if they feel too close together.
3. Check for reply/forward indicators
   • In the message list, Outlook shows small icons indicating whether a message has been replied to or forwarded. With conversation view enabled and enough column width, these indicators are easier to see.

If the layout still feels uncomfortable, use the layout options described in the same article to change the reading pane and message list format until replies and original messages are clearly visible.

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References:

• Change how the message list is displayed in Outlook