stopping Outlook 365 (new) to open the next email after deleting an email

Question

stopping Outlook 365 (new) to open the next email after deleting an email

I VDG 20

hi, how stopping Outlook 365 (new) to open the next email after deleting an email ?

I clicked on Settings/Mail/Layout but I can't click on the return to the message list box (in grey, it seems not available even if in the list).

Thank you

Nyaloah 0 Reputation points

2026-06-15T11:06:12.3866667+00:00

I would like to note, the previous version of Outlook (I believe it was just called Mail), users could keep the reading pane on the right while messages are on the left and still have the option to not load the next or previous email when moving or deleting one. I'm pretty sure you could click in a blank space in the message pane, and it would close the reading pane. THIS OPTION NEEDS TO COME BACK. I don't know what I find more annoying, losing the option we once had or having to close the **** ads because every update turns them back because they break workarounds.

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Dear @I VDG,

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

Based on your description, I understand that you're trying to stop Outlook 365 (new) from automatically opening the next email after you delete a message, but the option to Return to the message list in Settings > Mail > Layout appears to be unavailable or grayed out.

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by this issue.

Regarding this situation, I have tested on my end and I have found the way for the option 'Return to the message list' to be available, please kindly try the following steps to help with your situation:

Go to New Outlook Settings > Mail > Layout
Scroll down to Reading pane
In 'How do you want your reading pane to be laid out' > Choose the option to Fill screen (other options wouldn't make 'Return to the message list' available to choose)
Then you would be able to choose 'Return to the message list'
Your reading pane in New Outlook would look like this:
When you delete an email, it will return to the message list like this:

I hope this aligns with what you need!

Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going!

Thank you for your time and patience.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

I VDG 20 Reputation points

2026-01-05T10:02:45.9566667+00:00

@Anonymous thank you so much, it works at I was expecting !!!!
Anonymous

2026-01-05T10:05:27.0933333+00:00

Dear @I VDG,

Thank you for your valuable feedback! I'm glad that it works like how you want it.

Wishing you a wonderful day ahead!

1 additional answer

Your answer

Nyaloah 0 Reputation points

2026-06-15T11:06:12.3866667+00:00

I would like to note, the previous version of Outlook (I believe it was just called Mail), users could keep the reading pane on the right while messages are on the left and still have the option to not load the next or previous email when moving or deleting one. I'm pretty sure you could click in a blank space in the message pane, and it would close the reading pane. THIS OPTION NEEDS TO COME BACK. I don't know what I find more annoying, losing the option we once had or having to close the **** ads because every update turns them back because they break workarounds.
I VDG 20 Reputation points

2026-01-05T10:02:45.9566667+00:00

@Anonymous thank you so much, it works at I was expecting !!!!
Anonymous

2026-01-05T10:05:27.0933333+00:00

Dear @I VDG,

Thank you for your valuable feedback! I'm glad that it works like how you want it.

Wishing you a wonderful day ahead!

Answer 1

To stop Outlook 365 from automatically opening the next email after you delete an email, you can adjust your settings in the Outlook application. However, it appears that you are encountering an issue with the settings being grayed out and not selectable. This could be due to a few reasons, such as the version of Outlook you are using or specific configurations in your settings.

Here are some steps you can try:

Check for Updates: Ensure that your Outlook is updated to the latest version, as updates can fix bugs and improve functionality.
Restart Outlook: Sometimes, simply restarting the application can resolve temporary glitches.
Reset View Settings: You can try resetting your view settings to see if that enables the options you need.
Contact Support: If the issue persists, consider reaching out to Microsoft support for assistance, as they may provide specific solutions based on your configuration.

Unfortunately, without the ability to access the specific settings you mentioned, it may be challenging to provide a direct solution.

References:

User email settings in Microsoft 365