How to Enable Conversation View in New Outlook With Inline Replies

When you switch to the new Outlook for Windows, the default reading layout shows each email as a separate item. This makes it hard to follow long email threads because replies are scattered across your inbox. Conversation view groups all messages in a thread under one subject line so you can read the entire discussion in order. Inline replies let you type your response directly in the reading pane without opening a new window. This article shows you how to turn on conversation view with inline replies in the new Outlook.

How Conversation View and Inline Replies Work in New Outlook

Conversation view, also called thread view, collects all messages that share the same subject line into one row in the message list. When you click that row, the reading pane shows each individual message in the thread in chronological order. This feature is built into the new Outlook and does not require any additional add-ins or third-party tools.

Inline replies extend the reading pane so you can type a response at the bottom of the conversation. The reply box appears below the last message in the thread. When you send the reply, it stays inside the same conversation. This eliminates the need to open a separate compose window and keeps the entire exchange in one place.

Both features are turned off by default in the new Outlook. You must enable them manually from the View ribbon and the Mail settings panel. The steps work identically in Outlook for Microsoft 365 and the free new Outlook for Windows app.

Steps to Enable Conversation View and Inline Replies

Complete the instructions in order. The first section turns on conversation view. The second section activates inline replies. You can use one feature without the other, but they work best together.

Turn On Conversation View

1. Open the View ribbon
   In the new Outlook, click the View tab at the top of the window. This ribbon contains all layout and sorting options for the message list.
2. Check the Show as Conversations box
   In the Messages group, locate Show as Conversations. Click the checkbox next to it. A checkmark appears and the message list immediately reorganizes. All emails with the same subject collapse into a single row with a triangle icon on the left.
3. Choose a conversation scope
   A pop-up dialog asks All folders or This folder. Select All folders to apply conversation view to your inbox, sent items, deleted items, and all subfolders. Click OK.
4. Expand a conversation
   Click the triangle icon next to any conversation row. The individual messages appear indented below the subject line. Click any message to read it in the reading pane.
5. Adjust conversation sort order (optional)
   Click View > Conversation Settings. Select Newest on top to show the most recent reply first inside the thread. Select Oldest on top to show the original message first. The default is Newest on top.

Enable Inline Replies in the Reading Pane

1. Open Mail settings
   Click File > Options > Mail. Alternatively, click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner, select Mail from the left pane, then scroll to Reading Pane.
2. Find the Inline Replies toggle
   In the Reading Pane section, locate Show inline replies. The toggle is labeled Show inline replies in the reading pane.
3. Turn on the toggle
   Click the toggle switch so it turns blue and shows On. No restart is required.
4. Test inline replies
   Open any conversation in the reading pane. Scroll to the bottom. A text box appears with the placeholder Reply all. Type your message and click the Send icon or press Ctrl+Enter.
5. Switch between inline and full compose (optional)
   Click the Pop-out icon in the top-right corner of the inline reply box to open the full compose window. This is useful when you need formatting tools or attachments.

Common Issues and Limitations

Conversation View Is Grayed Out or Unavailable

The Show as Conversations checkbox is grayed out when you are using a shared mailbox or a group mailbox in the new Outlook. Microsoft restricts conversation view for shared mailboxes in the current version. Switch to the classic Outlook or use the Arrange by Date option as a workaround.

Inline Reply Box Does Not Appear

The inline reply box only shows when you select a conversation that has at least two messages. If you click a single email that is not grouped in a thread, the reading pane shows the message body without a reply box. Click the conversation row that contains multiple messages to see the inline reply area.

Sent Replies Break the Thread

When you send an inline reply, the new message appears in the Sent Items folder but may not stay grouped in the conversation. This happens if the recipient replies from a different email address or if the subject line changes. To keep the thread intact, avoid editing the subject line before sending.

Conversation View Hides Individual Message Flags

When conversation view is enabled, flags and categories appear on the conversation row instead of individual messages. To see flags for a specific message, expand the conversation and click the message. The flag icon then appears in the reading pane header.

Item	Conversation View On	Conversation View Off
Message list layout	One row per thread	One row per individual email
Reading pane behavior	Shows all messages in thread	Shows only the selected email
Inline reply availability	Reply box at bottom of thread	No inline reply box
Flagging and categories	Applied to conversation row	Applied to individual email
Sort order options	Newest or oldest on top per thread	Date received across all items

You can now manage your inbox with conversation view and inline replies active. Try adjusting the conversation sort order to Oldest on top if you prefer reading threads from the original message forward. For power users, press Ctrl+Q to mark a conversation as read without expanding it.