keeping inbox collapsed upon opening

Edna Monroe 0 Reputation points
2026-07-28T14:42:22.42+00:00

how do I keep inbox collapsed upon opening............................................................................................................................................

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business
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  1. Chris Duong 10,620 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-07-28T15:38:28.93+00:00

    Hi Edna

    Good day. Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum. 

    Currently, New Outlook does not have the same option as Classic Outlook to keep Inbox groups or categories collapsed by default. You are not alone in this. Many users have also been looking for a way to keep their Inbox or grouped messages collapsed in New Outlook. 

    I completely understand your concern. This would be a very useful feature, especially for users who manage a large number of emails, categories, folders, or shared mailboxes. Keeping the Inbox collapsed by default can help reduce clutter and make the mailbox easier to navigate. 

    In the meantime, as a temporary workaround, you can manually collapse the groups or folders after opening New Outlook. Alternatively, if this behavior is important for your workflow, you may consider switching back to Classic Outlook, where more advanced view settings are available. 

    As a forum moderator, I hope you understand that I don’t have the ability to modify or escalate product issues directly. However, I strongly recommend adding your feedback and supporting this existing request in the Feedback Portal:  

    • Expand and Collapse All Categories · Community. Other users are also supporting this request, which shows that this feature is important to the community.  
    • Or if you prefer, you can also create a completely new feedback item to describe your specific scenario in more detail. This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered for future improvements. 

    Additionally, since many other users have expressed similar concerns but may not know where to submit feedback, if my response has helped you better understand the situation and guided you toward a possible next step, please mark it as 'Yes'. Your action will help pin this post to the top, making it easier for others in the community who are experiencing the same issue to find your feedback and support it.    

    I hope this information helps clarify the current behavior in New Outlook. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to share them in the comment below. I'm very happy to help.  

    Thank you again for your patience and understanding. 


    Note: Follow the steps in our documentation to enable email notifications if you want to receive email notifications related to this topic.  

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