Volume 29 Issue 2

Today's Highlights »

• Previous and Next Item Commands
• Fixed: “Cannot move the items" bug
• Change your Email Display Name

Previous and Next Item Commands

A user wanted to add the Previous Item and Next Item buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar in the main Outlook explorer and wondered why he couldn’t find the Previous and Next buttons so he could use them to move up and down the message list. He can add the buttons to use when he has a message open but not to use in the message list.

The Previous Item and Next Item commands are not available for the main Outlook window in current versions of classic Outlook. When you are in the message list, you can use the space bar (and Shift+ space bar) or the arrow keys to move between messages. You can also scroll with the mouse, although you will need to click to a message to display the message in the reading pane.

Note, using the space bar to move between message may also scroll the message in the reading pane.

You can add the Previous Item and Next Item to the Quick Access Toolbar in an open message, select each button from the QAT overflow.

If you want add the commands to the ribbon, open Options > Customize ribbon and find the Previous Item and Next Item commands under All Commands and add to a ribbon.

If you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts to navigate between messages, you can use the following keys:
• To move to the previous message, press Ctrl + , (comma).
• To move to the next message, press Ctrl + . (period).

Note, these keyboard shortcuts work in any open items, including appointments, contacts, or tasks, not just your email.

Fixed: “Cannot move the items" bug

Thanks to a bug, Outlook users were unable to move mail to other folders, receiving an error when they tried to move messages: "Cannot move the items".

As of January 8 2024, it should be fixed for all users. Anyone who still has the error message when they try to move messages in classic Outlook needs to check for updates. You may also need to reboot the computer.

This fix may cause Outlook to start slowly if you are using a Microsoft 365 Exchange account (including outlook.com). If this is a problem for you, first toggle "Shared Calendar Improvements" off and on.

Open File > Account Settings > Account Settings. Double click on your Exchange account to open the account’s settings. Click More Settings button, then Advanced tab. Uncheck "Turn on shared calendar improvements" to toggle it off then click again to toggle it back on. Click OK to close the dialog.

If that doesn't help, you can set a registry key as a workaround until Microsoft fixes it.
Open the registry editor and browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Office > 16.0 > Outlook > Options > Calendar
DWORD: RestUpdatesForCalendar
Value: 1

Microsoft's article: Outlook error "Cannot move the items" when moving items to other folders

Change your Email Display Name

When you add an email account to classic Outlook as POP or IMAP, it defaults to using your email address as the display name when you send email.

To change this:
1. Open File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
2. Double click on the account.
3. Change the Your name field to change the display name recipients see.

The Account name field is how the account displays in Account settings and in the From field when you are composing messages. This is used only in Outlook, recipients will not see the Account name.

Microsoft Exchange accounts, including outlook.com accounts, get the display name from the account. Outlook.com users can update their display name at https://account.microsoft.com/profile/.

Only the email administrators can change the display name for Microsoft Exchange business accounts.

New & Updated Outlook Support Articles

Outlook error "Cannot move the items" when moving items to other folders

Outlook starts up slowly and hangs at splash screen when REST to MAPI is unexpectedly toggled