• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Outlook Tips

Learning Microsoft Outlook One Tip At A Time

Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginner's Guide Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]

  • Home
  • Tips Archive
  • How to...
  • Beginner
  • Outlook.com

How to Reset the View on Outlook folders

Many times users are told to "reset the view" to fix problems with the display in Outlook but they don't know how to do this. There are two ways top do this.

Outlook 2010 and up: look on the views ribbon for the Reset Views button to rest a single view or use the /cleanviews switch to reset all views.

Reset All Views in All Folders

First, you can reset the views for the entire mailbox. When you open Outlook using the /cleanviews switch you will wipe out all custom views and return all default views to "factory default". Sometimes its necessary, but sometimes just resetting the view for the current folder will work. If you aren't using custom views, you can use the /cleanviews switch without worry.

The /cleanviews switch will wipe out all custom views and return all default views to "factory default".

To use this method, close Outlook. Go to Start menu > Run (or Windows key + R) and type Outlook.exe /cleanviews then click OK.

Use Cleanviews switch to reset all views

Reset a View on a Specific Folder

The second method is less intrusive – it just resets the view on a specific folder or class of folders.

Outlook 2010 and Up

Outlook 2010 and up: look on the View tab for the Reset View button.
Reset View and other view-management commands are on the View ribbon

A Reset button is also on the View Settings dialog (formerly the Current view dialog, below), which can be opened from the View ribbon, View Settings button or by right clicking on the field names visible in a view and selecting View Settings (Method 3, below).

You can expand the Change View menu and select Manage Views (formerly the Define Views dialog, below), then select the View by name to reset the view globally or select <Current view settings> to reset the view on the current folder only.

Create new views, edit views, or delete custom views using the Manage Views dialog.

Outlook 2007 and Older

There are 4 different ways to do this. Each version of Outlook supports these methods but the View menus are slightly different between versions–Microsoft moved the Customize and Define views commands to different locations on the View menu for each version. (The screenshots are from Outlook 2007. Accessing the Custom View Menu has screenshots from Outlook 2003. )

Step 1: Open the Customize View or Define Views Dialog

  1. Browse the View menu to find the Customize command
    Choose Custom on the Views menu
  2. Browse the View menu to find the Define views command
    Browse the View menu to find Define views.
  3. Click or Right click on the field names in a view and choose Custom (or Customize, if using a one line view).
    Browse to Custom on the View menu
  4. Browse the View Selector on the Advanced toolbar for Define views. If the Advanced toolbar is not visible, go to View, Toolbars, and select it.
    Use the View selector on the Advanced toolbar.

Step 2: Click Reset button

Once you open the customize or define views dialog, click on the Reset button to reset the view.

With the Customize View dialog, hit Reset button to reset the view on this folder only.
Reset the view (or the the view) using the Custom view dialog

When using the Define Views dialog, select the view by name to reset it on all folders that use that name or choose <Current view settings> to reset it on the current folder only.
Use the define views dialog to reset the view in all folders using that view


Define Views or Customize Views?

What is the difference between Define Views and Customize views?

Define views brings up the view selector, so you can see all views associated with the folder. You can use this menu to make new views, delete views or reset any view. When you reset the view by selecting the name the view is reset on every folder that uses that view. Selecting <Current view settings> resets just the view in the current folder and creates a "one-off view" – a folder-specific view of the same name as the master view, but its not the exact same view as used by other folders. This view is specific to the folder and changes made to the view in other folders will not affect this folder. Using the /cleanviews switch cleans out all of these "one-off views".

Customize brings up the customize dialog and it affects only the view used in current folder.

Which is better?

If you made a change to a view – like changing the sort order – resetting the Current view is usually OK.

If you are having problems with a view, use Define Views and reset the view by name. This will restore the original view in all folders that are not "one-offed". Also use the Define views dialog if you need to delete views or want to edit a view and have it apply to all folders that use that view.

If resetting the current view or the default view doesn't fix your problem, you need to use /cleanviews.

You can avoid many view problems by not causing one-offed views. If you need to customize a view, copy the current view (in Define views) and customize the copy and apply it to the folder.

Accessing the Custom View Menu has additional information and screenshots from Outlook 2003.

Published May 16, 2011. Last updated on May 5, 2017.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • Print
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Pocket
  • Pinterest

Related posts:

Define View dialogCreate a Custom View in Microsoft Outlook If you show the Advanced toolbar (View, Toolbars) you can easily change views on Outlookโ€™s folders. You can even save new views byTip 577: Custom Views Disable the Group By View in Outlook Tip 139: Applying a View to All Folders
Subscribe
Notify of
39 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Outlook Tips by Email

Search OutlookTips

Training and one-on-one assistance

Do you need help setting up Outlook or want some one-on-one training? I'm available for hire. See Training and one-on-one assistance for fees and to check availability.

Popular Posts this Week

  • Where is File tab in Outlook?
    Where is File tab in Outlook?
  • Understanding Tasks and To-Do List
    Understanding Tasks and To-Do List
  • Icons found in the Inbox, Message Headers, and Toolbars
    Icons found in the Inbox, Message Headers, and Toolbars
  • How to Find Folder Paths in Outlook Mailboxes
    How to Find Folder Paths in Outlook Mailboxes
  • How to bulk move Outlook folders
    How to bulk move Outlook folders
  • How to Reset the View on Outlook folders
    How to Reset the View on Outlook folders
  • Change or cancel meetings without sending update messages
    Change or cancel meetings without sending update messages
  • "Who created the appointment?"
    "Who created the appointment?"
  • Prevent Accidentally Sending an Email Message
    Prevent Accidentally Sending an Email Message
  • Setting a fixed Column Width in Outlook
    Setting a fixed Column Width in Outlook

All-Time Most Popular Posts

  • Windows 7 and Vista Start Search field
    How to start Outlook in safe mode
  • outlook.com icon
    Delete a message stuck in Outlook's Outbox
  • How to use Outlook's Command line switches
  • Use Cleanviews switch to reset all views
    How to Reset the View on Outlook folders
  • Where are my Outlook Files?
  • Folder paths
    How to Find Folder Paths in Outlook Mailboxes
  • How to use Scanpst.exe to repair Outlook data files
  • Outlook's Missing Holidays
  • Icons found in the Inbox, Message Headers, and Toolbars
  • open an outlook data file
    Open an existing personal data file (*.pst) in Outlook
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Footer

Recent Posts

  • Outlook on the web Quick Actions moved to the right
  • Automatically sign out of Outlook.com
  • Quick Actions in Outlook
  • Outlook Autocomplete Bug
  • Outlook on the web Address Book sort order

Recent Bug List

Microsoft keeps a running list of issues affecting recently released updates at Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in Outlook for Windows.

Office Update History

Update history for supported Office versions is at Update history for Office

Resources

Ask questions and share your knowledge in Outlook Forums.

Translate

You Might Like

Where is File tab in Outlook?
Using Two-factor authentication
Where are my Outlook Files?
How to use Outlook's Command line switches

© 2003–2023 ยท Outlook Tips

wpDiscuz
You are going to send email to

Move Comment