How to fix Outlook not showing email preview text or message previews in the reading pane

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix Outlook not showing email preview text or message previews in the reading pane. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

When the Outlook reading pane stops showing message preview text — or appears entirely blank — it is usually caused by corrupted view settings, a faulty add-in, an outdated Outlook client, or a damaged Outlook data file. The steps below walk you through the most effective fixes, ordered from quickest to most involved.

Quick Fix Steps

Try these first. They resolve the majority of preview pane issues without requiring a restart or data file rebuild.

1. Restart Outlook in normal mode. Close Outlook completely, wait 10 seconds, then reopen it. Check if the reading pane displays preview text again.
2. Toggle the Reading Pane off and on. Go to the View tab, click Reading Pane, select Off, then repeat and select Right or Bottom.
3. Switch the reading pane location. If it is currently set to Right, change it to Bottom, then back again. This forces Outlook to redraw the pane.
4. Reset the current view. On the View tab, click Reset View, then confirm. This restores the default column and preview settings for the current folder.
5. Check the Message Preview setting. On the View tab, click Message Previews and ensure it is set to 1 Line, 2 Lines, or 3 Lines — not Off.

Detailed Instructions

Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration

Outlook uses your computer's graphics hardware to render the reading pane. A driver conflict can cause the pane to appear blank or fail to render message bodies.

1. In Outlook, go to File > Options.
2. Select Advanced from the left-hand menu.
3. Scroll to the Display section.
4. Tick the checkbox for Disable hardware graphics acceleration.
5. Click OK, then restart Outlook.

Run Outlook in Safe Mode

Safe Mode loads Outlook without add-ins or custom toolbar settings. If the reading pane works in Safe Mode, an add-in is causing the problem.

1. Close Outlook completely.
2. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog (Windows) or use Spotlight on macOS.
3. Type outlook.exe /safe and press Enter.
4. Check the reading pane. If previews display correctly, proceed to disable add-ins as described below.

Disable Problematic Add-ins

1. In Outlook, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
2. At the bottom of the window, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins from the dropdown and click Go.
3. Untick all add-ins, then click OK.
4. Restart Outlook and check the reading pane.
5. If the issue is resolved, re-enable add-ins one at a time, restarting Outlook after each, until you identify the culprit.

Repair the Outlook Data File

A corrupted .ost or .pst file can prevent message content from rendering in the reading pane. Outlook includes a built-in repair tool.

1. Close Outlook.
2. Open Control Panel > Mail > Data Files (Windows) or use the Microsoft Database Utility on macOS.
3. Note the file path of your .ost or .pst file.
4. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\ (or the equivalent path for your Office version).
5. Double-click SCANPST.EXE to launch the Inbox Repair Tool.
6. Click Browse, select your data file, and click Start.
7. If errors are found, click Repair. This may take several minutes for large mailboxes.
8. Restart Outlook and verify the reading pane.

Update Outlook and Office

Microsoft regularly releases fixes for rendering and display issues. An outdated client may be the root cause.

1. In Outlook, go to File > Office Account (or Account on macOS).
2. Click Update Options > Update Now.
3. Allow the update to complete, then restart Outlook.

Create a New Outlook Profile

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, a corrupted Outlook profile may be responsible. Creating a new profile is a reliable last resort.

1. Close Outlook.
2. Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles (Windows). On macOS, use Outlook > Settings > Accounts and remove the account, then re-add it.
3. Click Add, enter a name for the new profile, and follow the prompts to add your email account.
4. Set the new profile as the default by selecting Always use this profile and choosing it from the dropdown.
5. Restart Outlook and test the reading pane.

Troubleshooting Specific Scenarios

Reading pane is blank for all emails

If the reading pane is entirely blank regardless of which email you select, the issue is almost always graphics acceleration, an add-in, or a corrupted view. Work through the steps in the order presented above.

Reading pane is blank only for certain emails

If only specific messages fail to render, the email content itself may be the problem. Messages with complex HTML, embedded video, or malformed code can fail to display. Try opening the message in a separate window by double-clicking it. If it renders there, the reading pane view is the issue. If it still fails, the message content is corrupted or unsupported.

Preview text missing from message list but reading pane works

This is almost always the Message Previews setting. Navigate to the View tab, click Message Previews, and select 1 Line, 2 Lines, or 3 Lines.

If the setting is already enabled and preview text is still missing, reset the view for that folder: go to the View tab, click Reset View, and confirm.

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