How can I get Outlook 2003 to default the reading pane off, and to stop grouping?

You can actually stop it from "show in groups" for all folders.

Go to view -> arrange by -> current view -> define view ->

create a new view (and uncheck the arrange in groups)

Apply View and it should take off "show in groups"

If it doesn't, try to apply view again.

Somehow it didn't do it the first time on mine, and then it did it. Whatever. Despite what Microsoft says, it CAN be done.

I found this but haven't tried it yet.

outlook.exe /nopreview

Starts Outlook with the Reading Pane off and removes the option from the View menu.

http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/commandlines.htm

I tried Justin's tip and it didn't work for me at first, but then I realized that I had to

(1) define the view (in the Custom View Organizer, specifying that the view could be used on "All Mail and Post Folders", then Selecting "Group By", then removing the check in the "automatically Group" box), then

(2) go to the INBOX (where all my mail is stored in sub-folders), do a VIEW/ARRANGE BY/CURRENT VIEW/DEFINE VIEWS, select the view I'd defined previously, and apply it.

(3) It worked like a charm - I guess that applying a view to a high-level folder affects all subsidiary folders.

Thanks, Justin. What a relief to get rid of all that grouping garbage...

I just tried your last part, Jason, but I don't see any option to 'Apply' the view settings after selecting my modified view. I'm given a checkbox in the context menu, and when I click it the settings apply for the current folder but not for any subordinate folders. Am I missing something?

You're right, this grouping crap is annoying. You'd think M$ would give the option of

Thanks,
Kerr

I only had to change the Grouping option in the Inbox.

It may be because I am connected to an Exchange Server? Not real sure.

Travis

Hi there,

Apologies for the lack of email address. I found that Justin's tip above worked *provided* that I then applied that new view to my Inbox. Once I did that it also applied it to *all* other mail folders in my .PST file, not just to sub-folders of the Inbox. So it doesn't just work on Exchange ...

Cheers,

Steve

I've tried this with outlook 2003 (running in cached exchange mode if that makes a difference) and when i modify the view, then apply it to my inbox, it applies only to my inbox and not to subfolders. no matter what I do, i can't make it change globally -- any tips?

thanks,
Wes

Just trying to figure this out. I was having the same problems as you all. I use a PST as default delivery and was having to set all the folders views individually. Some of the instructions here are correct but it looks like changing the default view becomes impossible if you've used custom views. You need to clean the views with a switch for outlook.
OUTLOOK.EXE /cleanviews
This will reset the view to the defaults again.
Then go to View --> Arrange by --> Current view --> Define views Change the setting there.
Note not on current view. After you've made the change and hit ok click apply view and this should make the change for all folders.

Found this info here http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=101747
Hope this helps.

Ion

Hey All,
Just noticed that this has a little bit of a delayed reaction on the pst don't know if it just takes a while to run through all the folders or if you need to access them once first to update the view. but if you leave the folder and reneter it the view should take no other changes needed.

Ion

Wouldn't it be easier to do the following:

1. To go back to the default settings start outlook with the /cleanviews

2. Go to View -> Arrange By -> Current View -> Define Views

Now for each view that is a table type (or for each view you would like to change), click on "Modify"

Click on "Group By"

Uncheck "Automatically group according to arrangement"

Click on "Ok", Click on "Ok"
Once you're done with all the views
Click on "Close"

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