Change in outlook webmail

Arun B 0 Reputation points
2026-09-21T07:37:05.8133333+00:00

A recent update to Outlook on the web changed how conversation threads are displayed. Previously, each email in a thread appeared as an individual, clickable card/tab. This allowed me to easily view and jump between specific messages—including my own responses—without leaving the inbox.

Now, older parts of the thread are merged into a single continuous body of text. This makes tracking down specific messages and replies much harder. Under the old layout, opening a received email allowed me to view my reply inline; now, I have to open my Sent folder to check what I sent, breaking the conversation's flow.

I’ve already tried tweaking the settings under Settings > Mail > Layout (including enabling "Show emails from Sent items in conversation view" and changing the message order), but none of these options bring back the separate, expandable tabs for individual messages.

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Settings
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  1. Hornblower409 16,200 Reputation points
    2026-09-22T20:43:02.1233333+00:00

    @Arun B said

    A recent update to Outlook on the web changed how conversation threads are displayed. Previously, each email in a thread appeared as an individual, clickable card/tab

    Not sure I follow. For me using Outlook Web https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/ with a outlook.com account, Conversations seem to be the same as they always were. e.g.

    User's image

    Now, older parts of the thread are merged into a single continuous body of text.

    That sounds kind of like Classic Outlook "Conversation Cleanup". You also running Classic Outlook?
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/use-conversation-clean-up-to-delete-redundant-messages-in-outlook

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-21T07:37:28.6166667+00:00

    That older card-style conversation layout is not available to restore in Outlook on the web based on the available settings in the provided material.

    Supported options in Outlook on the web are limited to message organization choices such as:

    • Group messages by conversation
    • Group messages by branches within conversations
    • Do not group messages

    These are found under:

    • Settings > Mail > Reading Pane or
    • Settings > Mail > Layout > Message organization

    What is supported:

    1. Keep conversation view on if the goal is to see related mail together.
    2. Try switching between:
      • Group messages by conversation
      • Group messages by branches within conversations to see which is easier to scan.
    3. If the merged thread view is the main problem, use Do not group messages. This will show messages individually, but it also stops the threaded conversation experience.

    For the specific issue of seeing sent replies inline the way classic Outlook can, the provided material indicates that Outlook on the web does not have the classic Outlook option equivalent to Show Messages from Other Folders. In classic Outlook for Windows, that setting exists under View > Conversation Settings and controls whether Sent Items and other folders appear in the conversation. The newer web experience does not expose that same toggle.

    So for Outlook on the web, the practical outcome is:

    • the previous separate expandable message-card experience cannot be restored through the documented conversation settings provided here
    • the available workaround is to change Message organization to Do not group messages if individual message access is more important than threaded view
    • if conversation view remains enabled, related messages can still be shown as part of the conversation, but not in the older classic-style layout

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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