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

Outlook Tips

Learning Microsoft Outlook One Tip At A Time

Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]

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

Edit the Subject in Outlook Email Messages

I use Outlook 2010 and 2013 mostly, where I used the Other Actions button "Edit message" command to annotate messages I have received. (For example, to change a subject like "A question for you" to something more specific, to more easily find it again.)

In Outlook 2016, I can still use the "Edit message" command, but it no longer lets me change the Subject, only the message body. Is this ability gone, or have I overlooked something?

Outlook 2016 (and Outlook 2013) have a compact header option which reduces the amount of space it wastes on smaller screens and the default is on compact.

The compact header doesn’t support editing the subject field. Fortunately, all you need to do is expand the header to get it into its Edit mode. (This setting is persistent – it will stay expanded until you click the caret again.)

Outlook's compact header

To expand and collapse the header, click the caret on the lower right part of header area. After it's expanded, click in the subject field and begin typing. You can select text to type over it or backspace to delete it.

Expand the header to edit the subject

When you use Conversation view, you'll see the original subject in the Conversation group name. The edited subject will display in the reading pane or opened message.
conversation groups use the original subject

You don’t need to go into Edit mode to edit the subject in any version of Outlook. Just open a message begin typing in the subject field. You will need to open the message – the Subject field in not editable in the Reading Pane.

More Information

Editing the Subject Line in Outlook

Published January 20, 2016. Last updated on August 7, 2016.

Share this:

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

Related posts:

Tip 1087: Find Messages from Sender Tip 942: How to Rotate Photos Attached to an Outlook Email Message and Save the Changes Tip 565: Edit the Subject Tip 193: Filter Messages with Blank Subject Lines
Subscribe
Notify of
6 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Primary Sidebar

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.

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
  • backstage page
    Where is File tab in Outlook?
  • Icons found in the Inbox, Message Headers, and Toolbars

Footer

Recent Posts

  • Log into multiple Outlook on the web accounts
  • Keeping Hackers out of Microsoft accounts
  • Microsoft Account Closure Email
  • Outlook on the web Quick Actions moved to the right
  • Automatically sign out of Outlook.com

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.

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

© 2003–2025 · Outlook Tips

wpDiscuz
You are going to send email to

Move Comment