Sometimes people tell me: “My Outlook message preview is broken ,I only see a couple of tiny letters” or “The preview lines look too small and useless.”
Good news: most of the time, it’s not a serious issue. It’s just a few View settings fighting each other.
This guide is for Classic Outlook for Windows (the one with the Ribbon tabs like File, Home, Send/Receive, Folder, View).
What is “Message Preview” (and why it matters)?
In the Outlook inbox list, each email usually shows:
Sender + subject
A short snippet of the email body underneath (that snippet is Message Preview)
This is different from the Reading Pane, which opens the full email on the right side.
When Message Preview is set too low (or when spacing settings are wrong), the preview can look like it’s only showing a couple of small characters.
My Recommended “Best View” Setup (Quick Fix)
Open Outlook and go to:
1) Set the View to “Single”
Click the View tab
Select Change View
Choose Single
This gives a clean layout that works well with message preview.
2) Disable “Use Tighter Spacing”
Still in the View tab:
Click Use Tighter Spacing so it is OFF
Tighter spacing can make the message list look cramped and can reduce how readable the preview feels.
3) Set Folder Pane to Normal
Go to:
View tab → Folder Pane → Normal
This keeps the left navigation clean and stable (especially for users who keep switching mailboxes/folders).
4) Set Reading Pane to the Right
Go to:
View tab → Reading Pane → Right
This is the layout most users prefer, and it pairs nicely with message preview.
The Key Setting: Increase Message Preview Lines
Now the most important part:
In the View tab, find Message Preview
Set it to:
2 Lines (good), or
3 Lines (best, if your Outlook shows it)
If you only see Off / 1 Line / 2 Lines, choose 2 Lines. Some Outlook versions show 3 Lines further down.
Why I like 3 lines: it’s the sweet spot — users can understand the email quickly without even opening it.
If It Still Doesn’t Change (Common Reasons + Fixes)
A) Reset the View (fast and safe)
Sometimes the view is stuck or customized too much.
View tab → Reset View
After resetting, repeat the steps above (Single view, tighter spacing off, message preview 2–3 lines).
B) Outlook Views are “Per Folder”
This one catches people out: Outlook doesn’t always apply the same view to every folder automatically.
So if it looks fixed in Inbox but not in Sent Items, you didn’t do anything wrong — it’s just Outlook being Outlook.
Tip: Once you set the view the way you like, you can apply it across folders:
View tab → Change View → Apply Current View to Other Mail Folders (wording can vary slightly)
C) Last Resort (for stubborn/corrupted views): Clean Views
If someone has a completely messed-up message list and nothing responds, you can reset all custom views.
Close Outlook
Press Windows + R
Type:
outlook.exe /cleanviews
Press Enter
This resets the views back to default. (After that, re-apply the recommended settings.)
Final Checklist (My Go-To Setup)
If you want the “best result” view, this is the exact combo I use:
Change View: Single
Use Tighter Spacing: OFF
Folder Pane: Normal
Reading Pane: Right
Message Preview: 2 Lines or 3 Lines
Wrap-up
Message Preview is one of those small Outlook settings that makes a big difference. Once it’s set to 2–3 lines, users waste less time opening emails just to figure out what they are