New Outlook vs Classic Outlook Link Previews: Where to Find It

Many business users rely on link previews in Outlook to quickly see a summary of a shared web page without opening the link. In Classic Outlook, the link preview feature is built into the compose window and inserts a rich card with an image, title, and description. The new Outlook for Windows, however, handles link previews differently and the feature is located in a different place. This article explains exactly where to find link previews in both versions of Outlook and how to insert or disable them.

Link previews are generated automatically when you paste a URL into an email message in most Outlook versions. The difference lies in the settings and the control you have over the preview behavior. In Classic Outlook, you can turn off link previews through the Options dialog. In new Outlook, the toggle is in the Settings panel under Mail. This guide covers the exact steps for both interfaces.

If you have switched from Classic Outlook to the new Outlook and cannot find the link preview setting, you are not alone. The menu structure changed significantly. This article walks you through the exact location in each version so you can enable, disable, or manage link previews with confidence.

How Link Previews Work in Classic Outlook vs New Outlook

Link previews in Outlook are generated by the Microsoft 365 service when you paste a URL into the message body. The service fetches metadata from the target webpage, including the Open Graph title, description, and image. This data is then rendered as a rich card in the email. The preview appears only in the compose window and is sent as part of the message to recipients who use Outlook or other email clients that support rich cards.

In Classic Outlook, the feature is tied to the Windows Desktop version and uses a local add-in called “Link Preview.” The add-in is enabled by default. In new Outlook, the feature is part of the cloud-based service and does not rely on a local add-in. This difference affects where the setting is located and how you control it.

Both versions support inserting a link preview manually by clicking an Insert Link button. In Classic Outlook, this button is on the Insert tab in the Links group. In new Outlook, the Insert Link button is on the Message tab in the Include group. The manual method gives you more control over which links get a preview.

Steps to Find and Manage Link Previews in Classic Outlook

Disable Link Previews Entirely in Classic Outlook

1. Open Outlook Options
   Click File in the top-left corner, then click Options at the bottom of the left pane.
2. Navigate to Mail Settings
   In the Outlook Options dialog, click Mail in the left navigation panel.
3. Locate the Link Preview Section
   Scroll down to the Link Preview section. It is near the bottom of the Mail options list.
4. Uncheck the Option
   Uncheck Show link previews. This disables automatic preview generation for all new messages you compose.
5. Save and Restart
   Click OK to save. Restart Outlook for the change to take effect.

Remove a Single Link Preview in Classic Outlook

1. Right-click the Preview Card
   After pasting a URL and the preview appears, right-click directly on the preview card area.
2. Select Remove Preview
   From the context menu, click Remove Preview. The link remains in the message but the rich card disappears.

Steps to Find and Manage Link Previews in New Outlook

Disable Link Previews Entirely in New Outlook

1. Open Outlook Settings
   Click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of the new Outlook window.
2. Go to Mail Settings
   In the Settings panel, click Mail in the left navigation list.
3. Find Compose and Reply
   Under the Mail section, click Compose and Reply.
4. Toggle Off Link Preview
   Scroll to the Link Preview section. Toggle the switch Show link previews to Off.
5. Close Settings
   Close the Settings panel. The change saves automatically. No restart is required.

Insert a Link Preview Manually in New Outlook

1. Place Cursor Where You Want the Preview
   In the compose window, click where you want the preview card to appear.
2. Click Insert Link
   On the Message tab, in the Include group, click Insert Link. Alternatively, press Ctrl+K.
3. Enter the URL
   In the dialog that opens, paste or type the full URL. Click OK. The preview card appears immediately.

Common Issues When Link Previews Do Not Appear

Link Preview Does Not Generate in Classic Outlook

If you paste a URL and no preview appears, the Link Preview add-in may be disabled. Go to File > Options > Add-ins. At the bottom, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins and click Go. Check if the Link Preview add-in is listed and enabled. If it is missing, repair your Office installation from Settings > Apps > Microsoft 365 > Modify > Quick Repair.

Link Preview Does Not Generate in New Outlook

In new Outlook, previews rely on the Microsoft 365 service. If previews do not appear, check your internet connection. Also verify that the URL points to a public webpage. Internal SharePoint or local network links may not generate previews. The feature also requires the recipient to have an email client that supports rich cards.

Link Preview Shows Wrong Image or Title

The preview data comes from the webpage’s Open Graph tags. If the page has incorrect or missing OG tags, Outlook may show a generic or incorrect preview. You cannot edit the preview from within Outlook. To fix it, the webpage owner must update the OG tags on the server. As a workaround, remove the preview manually and insert a link without a preview.

Classic Outlook vs New Outlook: Link Preview Feature Comparison

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Setting location	File > Options > Mail > Link Preview	Settings > Mail > Compose and Reply > Link Preview
Disable method	Uncheck a checkbox	Toggle a switch
Restart required	Yes	No
Manual insert button	Insert tab > Links group > Link	Message tab > Include group > Insert Link
Keyboard shortcut	Ctrl+K	Ctrl+K
Local add-in dependency	Yes (Link Preview COM add-in)	No (cloud service)
Preview removal per link	Right-click > Remove Preview	Right-click > Remove Preview

Now you know exactly where to find the link preview settings in both Classic Outlook and the new Outlook. You can disable the feature entirely or remove individual previews when they are not needed. If you frequently work with shared links, try using the manual Insert Link method to control exactly which URLs get a rich preview. For advanced users, consider adding a keyboard shortcut to quickly toggle the Link Preview add-in in Classic Outlook using a macro.