Click Reply on an email in Outlook 2013 and it doesn’t open a new window. Instead it uses the new inline feature to compose the email in the reading pane itself. If (like me) you don’t like it, here’s what you can do to turn it off and get Outlook to open a new window.
But first…
Why I DON’T like Inline replies
If your replies don’t require much thought and are simple responses of a few words then inline replies may be OK.
Most of my emails are not like that… I am responding to requests for information or providing information. They require a little bit more thought and I like to see it in a separate window. Office 2013’s flat colour schemes don’t help much either in keeping the different areas of work separated.
Having the reply in its own window stops me from trying to multi-task or look at the next email instead of focusing on one thing at a time.
I find I do much better work (and much faster) this way.
How to turn off Inline Replies
To turn off Inline replies in Outlook 2013:
- Click File
- Click Options
- Click the Mail tab
- Scroll down to the Replies and Forwards section
- Tick the check box Open replies and forwards in a new window
- Click OK
Do you have any other settings that you have changed to get the most out of Outlook 2013?
Let us know by leaving a comment in the blog.
