How to stop Outlook from jumping to older emails every time I click on unread email?

Anonymous
2024-12-30T22:40:28+00:00

I started encountering this problem recently. I didn't make any changes that should have prompted this newfound issue. When I click on an unread email (I sort my emails by date, the newest at the top), Outlook will frequently automatically scroll down in my Inbox to older emails (usually to yesterday's or last week's emails). It also happens when I click on an older email after reading a new email. It doesn't do this every time, but I would say it does it more times than not. I searched to see if anyone else had encountered this problem and found a couple of posts. I followed Microsoft's instructions (disabling add-ins, repairing the application, restarting, updating, etc.), and nothing has fixed this issue. This is a super annoying glitch, and I'm tired of constantly scrolling back up in my inbox every time I go through my newer emails.

If it helps or matters, I use Microsoft 365 Apps for Business, Version 2411, Build 16.0.18227.20082. I do not like the new Outlook, so I am using the classic version on my desktop (not web-based). My computer is a Lenovo ThinkPad with Windows 11 Pro, 24H2 version.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-01-03T18:16:25+00:00

    I’m having the same issue as everyone else, and nothing I’ve tried has worked. I switched to the new Outlook, but it was horrendous, so I went back to the old version. Following along here in hopes they fix this soon or someone finds a solution!

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-01-29T20:30:07+00:00

    Hi all,

    Just wanted to update that an Outlook Escalation Engineer has raised a hotfix bug for this issue. We do not have an ETA yet for a fix, but I will post back when we get it. I drafted a Known Issue article to formally track the issue, Classic Outlook jumps in the message list when clicking an email or scrolling - Microsoft Support.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-12-31T06:11:40+00:00

    Dear Amanda Paull,

    Good day!

    Thank you for posting to the Microsoft Community. We are glad to assist.

    First of all, we are so sorry for their issue and we will support to solve it.

    Based on your post regarding "How to stop Outlook from jumping to older emails every time I click on unread email?". The issue you're encountering could be related to several factors, such as view settings, cache, or even specific add-ins, despite your previous troubleshooting.

    In the meantime, please try the following troubleshooting:

    Reset the Current View

    • Go to the View tab in the ribbon.
    • Click on Reset View to restore the default view settings. This can resolve issues caused by unintended customizations.

    Clear Outlook's Cache

    • Close Outlook.
    • Navigate to the cache folder: C:\Users<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook.
    • Delete the cache files (e.g., .OST files for cached accounts).
      Outlook will recreate the cache when restarted.

    Turn Off Conversation View

    • If conversation view is enabled, it might be causing the jump.
    • Go to the View tab, click on Show as Conversations, and disable it.

    Repair or Recreate the Outlook Profile

    Repair:

    • Open Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
    • Select your profile and click Repair.

    Recreate

    • In the same Mail settings, create a new profile and set it as default.

    5. Check for Windows Display Scaling Issues

    • If the display scaling is set higher than 100%, it can cause erratic behavior in Outlook.
    • Right-click on your desktop and select Display Settings.
    • Adjust the scaling under "Scale and layout" to 100%, then test Outlook.

    6. Disable Reading Pane Animations

    • Go to File > Options > Advanced.
    • Under Outlook panes, uncheck Use animations when expanding conversations and groups.

    7. Run Outlook in Safe Mode

    • Press Win + R, type outlook.exe /safe, and hit Enter.
    • If the issue doesn't occur in Safe Mode, an add-in or extension might be causing the problem.

    8. Reinstall Microsoft 365 Apps

    • Uninstall Microsoft 365 from the Control Panel.
    • Restart your PC.
    • Reinstall the apps from your Microsoft 365 portal.

    If you still need further help, then please kindly share with me the above feedback after you tried it, and I will do my best to do more research and testing to help you further, thank you.

    Thank you in advance for your understanding. Your patience and cooperation will be greatly appreciated. I hope for all the best!

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-01-07T06:53:52+00:00

    I'm experiencing this issue on my new work laptop (Dell). It was working fine on my previous work laptop (HP).

    The only change is the Grammarly add-in. On my old work laptop it was an Outlook add-in but on my new laptop it's called Grammarly for Windows and can be used in any app. I just closed the application and it seems the issue with Outlook jumping to older emails is resolved. I'll test throughout the day and come back with more concrete results.

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-01-07T23:37:00+00:00

    Nothing to do with Grammarly for me as I do not use it

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