• Outlook User
  • New Outlook app
  • Outlook.com
  • Outlook Mac
  • Outlook & iCloud
  • Developer
  • Microsoft 365 Admin
    • Common Problems
    • Microsoft 365
    • Outlook BCM
    • Utilities & Addins

Changing Outlook.com color schemes

Slipstick Systems

› Microsoft 365 › Outlook on the Web › Changing Outlook.com color schemes

Last reviewed on November 24, 2015     5 Comments

Applies to: Office 365 Exchange, Outlook on the web, Outlook.com

While the move to Office 365 hosting is great for anyone who uses Outlook to read their mail, many Outlook.com web access users are not happy with the new layout or with the new color scheme.

The layout of my Hotmail account was changed and I don't like the new layout at all. It didn't need changing. The new colors are awful and it's difficult to tell when you have an unread email in your inbox. It doesn't stand out like it used to.

While Outlook.com users can't go back to the old web interface, both Outlook.com and Office 365 users can change the theme if the default colors are hard to see.

To change the theme, click on the Gear icon (in the nav bar, to the left of the user picture or the person icon) and choose Change Theme.

click the gear icon then change theme

In the theme pane, click on the squares to show a live preview of the selected theme. When you find a theme with colors you like, click OK at the top of the panel to apply that theme to Outlook on the web.
save outlook on the web theme

Changing Outlook.com color schemes was last modified: November 24th, 2015 by Diane Poremsky

Related Posts:

  • Changing Outlook's Business Card layout
  • Calendars aren’t printing in color
  • Some Outlook 2007 users are having problems printing calendars with th
    Printing Calendars with Color Categories
  • Make 'Today' stand out more in the calendar

About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

Subscribe
Notify of
5 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

dagan (@guest_214516)
December 24, 2019 7:11 am
#214516

the theme need to be more themeable / adjustable.
I want the email content color to be bright
And the list of addressed emails will be dark colored

0
0
Reply
Tomaž (@guest_208480)
September 1, 2017 6:36 am
#208480

I wish I could set a kind of theme like in Gmail are. Something that goes over whole screen, a photo.

6
0
Reply
Anna (@guest_204801)
February 21, 2017 8:26 pm
#204801

I just want to change the print colour, not have a new theme. Why can't I do this now ? It's not that important if I'm stuck with purple for headings etc, but I'd like a change.

0
0
Reply
Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  Anna
February 22, 2017 7:38 am
#204808

The header should print in black, that is the color outlook uses and it is not configurable. Does only Outlook print it in purple?

0
0
Reply
Jackie (@guest_195204)
December 9, 2015 11:16 pm
#195204

Thanks. Changing the theme definitely helped make the text more visible.

0
0
Reply

Visit Slipstick Forums.
What's New at Slipstick.com

Latest EMO: Vol. 30 Issue 19

Subscribe to Exchange Messaging Outlook






Support Services

Do you need help setting up Outlook, moving your email to a new computer, migrating or configuring Office 365, or just need some one-on-one assistance?

Our Sponsors

CompanionLink
ReliefJet
  • Popular
  • Latest
  • Week Month All
  • Jetpack plugin with Stats module needs to be enabled.
  • Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell
  • Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook
  • Google Workspace and Outlook with POP Mail
  • Import EML Files into New Outlook
  • Opening PST files in New Outlook
  • New Outlook: Show To, CC, BCC in Replies
  • Insert Word Document into Email using VBA
  • Delete Empty Folders using PowerShell
  • Warn Before Deleting a Contact
  • Classic Outlook is NOT Going Away in 2026
Ajax spinner

Recent Bugs List

Microsoft keeps a running list of issues affecting recently released updates at Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in classic Outlook (Windows).

For new Outlook for Windows: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in new Outlook for Windows .

Outlook for Mac Recent issues: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in Outlook for Mac

Outlook.com Recent issues: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues on Outlook.com

Office Update History

Update history for supported Office versions is at Update history for Office

Outlook Suggestions and Feedback

Outlook Feedback covers Outlook as an email client, including Outlook Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows clients, as well as the browser extension (PWA) and Outlook on the web.

Outlook (new) Feedback. Use this for feedback and suggestions for Outlook (new).

Use Outlook.com Feedback for suggestions or feedback about Outlook.com accounts.

Other Microsoft 365 applications and services




New Outlook Articles

Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell

Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook

Google Workspace and Outlook with POP Mail

Import EML Files into New Outlook

Opening PST files in New Outlook

New Outlook: Show To, CC, BCC in Replies

Insert Word Document into Email using VBA

Delete Empty Folders using PowerShell

Warn Before Deleting a Contact

Classic Outlook is NOT Going Away in 2026

Newest Code Samples

Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell

Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook

Insert Word Document into Email using VBA

Warn Before Deleting a Contact

Use PowerShell to Delete Attachments

Remove RE:, FWD:, and Other Prefixes from Subject Line

Change the Mailing Address Using PowerShell

Categorize @Mentioned Messages

Send an Email When You Open Outlook

Delete Old Calendar Events using VBA

Repair PST

Convert an OST to PST

Repair damaged PST file

Repair large PST File

Remove password from PST

Merge Two Data Files

Sync & Share Outlook Data

  • Share Calendar & Contacts
  • Synchronize two computers
  • Sync Calendar and Contacts Using Outlook.com
  • Sync Outlook & Android Devices
  • Sync Google Calendar with Outlook
  • Access Folders in Other Users Mailboxes

Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]

Make a donation

Mail Tools

Sending and Retrieval Tools

Mass Mail Tools

Compose Tools

Duplicate Remover Tools

Mail Tools for Outlook

Online Services

Calendar Tools

Schedule Management

Calendar Printing Tools

Calendar Reminder Tools

Calendar Dates & Data

Time and Billing Tools

Meeting Productivity Tools

Duplicate Remover Tools

Productivity

Productivity Tools

Automatic Message Processing Tools

Special Function Automatic Processing Tools

Housekeeping and Message Management

Task Tools

Project and Business Management Tools

Choosing the Folder to Save a Sent Message In

Run Rules on messages after reading

Help & Suggestions

Submit Outlook Feature Requests

Slipstick Support Services

Buy Microsoft 365 Office Software and Services

Visit Slipstick Forums.

What's New at Slipstick.com

Home | Outlook User | Exchange Administrator | Office 365 | Outlook.com | Outlook Developer
Outlook for Mac | Common Problems | Utilities & Addins | Tutorials
Outlook & iCloud Issues | Outlook Apps
EMO Archives | About Slipstick | Slipstick Forums
Submit New or Updated Outlook and Exchange Server Utilities

Send comments using our Feedback page
Copyright © 2025 Slipstick Systems. All rights reserved.
Slipstick Systems is not affiliated with Microsoft Corporation.

wpDiscuz

Sign up for Exchange Messaging Outlook

Our weekly Outlook & Exchange newsletter (bi-weekly during the summer)






Please note: If you subscribed to Exchange Messaging Outlook before August 2019, please re-subscribe.

Never see this message again.

You are going to send email to

Move Comment