Outlook Web Back and Forward Arrows Reversed.

Question

So I went into my outlook account, on the website, after a few days hiatus, and the next and previous message email arrows are reversed.

The previous gives me the next message and the next message gives me the previous message.

Just want to know if anyone else is currently experiencing this or just me.

Answer 1

Hi LMan17-3728

I understand you’re experiencing an issue in Outlook.com on the web where the Previous/Next message arrows feel “reversed” (Previous opens the next message and Next opens the previous message). I’m happy to help. Under Filter/Sort, is your Inbox currently sorted by Date as Newest on top or Oldest on top?

Meanwhile, please follow these steps:

1) Reset the message list sort order (Outlook on the web)

• In your message list, select Filter at the top of the message pane.
• Choose a sorting option (for example Date) and set your preferred direction (Newest on top vs Oldest on top).
• Re-test the Previous/Next arrows.

2) Confirm your layout / Reading Pane settings (controls can move depending on layout)

If the navigation controls aren’t where you expect (or the reading experience looks different), check your mailbox layout settings:

• Select Settings (gear icon) > Mail > Layout.
• Under Reading pane, choose your preferred option (for example Right, Bottom, Fill screen, or Popout only) and then test navigation again.
• Reference: Change the look of your mailbox in Outlook.com and Outlook on the web - Microsoft Support

Please tell me how it goes. If the problem persists, please don’t hesitate to reply to this thread and I will be happy to help. Have a lovely day!  

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Answer 2

This behavior is a known issue in Outlook.com where the email navigation arrows can be missing or moved, which can make navigation feel reversed or inconsistent.

Use these workarounds in Outlook on the web (Outlook.com):

1. Check the toolbar ribbon for the up and down navigation arrows; they may have moved location.
2. Use the Reading Pane so that selecting a message in the list shows its contents without relying on the arrows. You can then click directly on the next/previous email in the list.
3. Avoid double-clicking to open messages in a separate window; single-clicking keeps the inbox visible and makes moving between messages easier.

If the issue persists, monitor the Outlook.com support page for updates, as this is treated as a service-side issue rather than something that can be fixed via local settings.

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References:

• Fixes or workarounds for recent issues on Outlook.com