An Outlook 2016 user had a problem with the navigation pane randomly disappearing.
I recently noticed that occasionally when Outlook is launched, the left navigation panel (folder panel) becomes hidden. The only way to make it visible is by setting View, Folder Pane to Normal. I tried both "outlook /resetnavpane" and "outlook /cleanviews" commands but those didn't work.
If any switch could fix it, it would be /resetnavpane, as resetnavpane resets the navigation pane to Outlook's default. The /cleanviews switch resets the views on folders to the defaults, removing all customizations and custom views. It would not affect the navigation pane.
Now back to the problem of the navigation pane disappearing. We don't have a lot of information on it at the moment but Microsoft is investigating and have a repro. I initially thought it might be related to hi-resolution monitors as hi-res seems to cause a number of problems in Outlook, but not only is a small group of users affected, they have a wide assortment of machines.
At this time the only solution is to turn the pane back on from the View tab, Folder Pane button. You can try using the keyboard shortcut Alt+F1 to cycle through on, off, and minimized, but some of the affected users said it didn't work.
Startup Macro
This macro turns the navigation pane on each time you start Outlook. It has a 1 second delay to give the Outlook window time to open. If that is not long enough on your computer, increase the number a second or two at a time unti lthe window opens.
Private Sub Application_Startup()
TurnonNav
End Sub
Sub TurnonNav()
Dim myOlExp As Outlook.Explorer
Dim myTime
myTime = Now + TimeValue("00:00:01")
Do Until myTime < Now
DoEvents
Loop
Set myOlExp = Application.ActiveExplorer
myOlExp.ShowPane olNavigationPane, True
End Sub
How to use the macro
First: You will need macro security set to low during testing.
To check your macro security in Outlook 2010 or 2013, go to File, Options, Trust Center and open Trust Center Settings, and change the Macro Settings. In Outlook 2007 and older, it’s at Tools, Macro Security. If Outlook tells you it needs to be restarted, close and reopen Outlook. Note: after you test the macro and see that it works, you can either leave macro security set to low or sign the macro.
Now open the VBA Editor by pressing Alt+F11 on your keyboard.
To use the macro code in ThisOutlookSession:
- Expand Project1 and double click on ThisOutlookSession.
- Copy then paste the macro into ThisOutlookSession. (Click within the code, Select All using Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C to copy, Ctrl+V to paste.)
Application_Startup macros run when Outlook starts. If you are using an Application_Startup macro you can test the macro without restarting Outlook by clicking in the first line of the Application_Startup macro then clicking the Run button on the toolbar or pressing F8.
More information as well as screenshots are at How to use the VBA Editor.
Leon says
HI,
Does anyone know how to stop my top menu bar & dock to stop disappearing when I am on Mac outlook. It only appears when I put my pointer either at the top or bottom but when I move my pointer it disappears. I want it to always be there showing when I am on Mac outlook.
I must of clicked something in a sub-category in the top menu and now it does not show in outlook.
Can someone please help me???
Diane Poremsky says
Full screen is the only way to hide them only in outlook that I am aware of.
https://www.screencast.com/t/MHWMzrxVgnQ
Leon says
Can someone please help me. I was on my outlook screen on my Apple computer and I accidentally pressed on the top pane the windows icon and then I went down and clicked the zoom icon and now my top outlook pane on the top of my screen and the dock pane and the bottom of my screen have disappeared and it only comes back when I move my pointer to either the top of my screen or the bottom of my screen but it disappears again when I take my pointer away from the top or bottom. I want both panes on the top & bottom to stay when I am on outlook Mac like I had it before. What can I do to change this?
Diane Poremsky says
Look on the view - I think you turns off the ribbon but I'll need to double check on my mac to see what you might have disabled in the bottom.
The other menus that might have something are tools and window...
Leon says
Hi Diane,
Thanks for your response, sorry but I have checked on view and tools & window and I cannot find anything that will change my outlook settings back to what I had it. Can you check on your mac as you said you would and please let me know?
Thanks
Leon.
Diane Poremsky says
I'm not 100% sure what you mean by top pane- and bottom of the screen. I assume you mean the ribbon, but not 100% sure. If you can get a screenshot or picture, that would be good. A screenshot of my outlook is below.
Do you see tabs -Home, organize, tools? click or double click on them. or use the view menu to show the ribbon.
Leon says
Hi Diane,
Yes I mean the ribbon that is automatically on the top of the screen that shows the apple sign and the bottom that is the dock.
When I go onto outlook those top & bottom ribbons are not there but when I move my pointer to the top it brings the top ribbon down and when I move my pointer off it it goes away. I want it to be there all the time like I had it before.
Diane Poremsky says
Oh... now I understand - the menu bar and dock are autohiding. This is because outlook is maximized. The green dot on the left toggles maximize off and on - ESC should get you out of maximize mode too.
Diane Poremsky says
Screenshot -
Leon says
Hi Diane,
I pressed the esc button on my keyboard but outlook still autohides the top menu bar & the dock. Before when I would open outlook the menu bar and dock would still be visible but now it autohides and I can only see it if I put my pointer on the menu bar or the dock and as soon as I move my pointer away it autohides it?
I clicked on the green dot but that does not change anything unfortunately.
Diane Poremsky says
What bout contrl+command+f - does that shrink it? (I thought it did the same as the green dot)
Leon says
Hi Diane,
Yes it does shrink the outlook page but I want the top menu pane and the bottom dock to stay permanently on the screen when you open outlook.
At the moment it autohides unless you put your pointer on that section and then it autohides again when you move your pointer away from that section which I do not want to happen.
Diane Poremsky says
When you are not in full screen, the menu and dock should not autohide. Do they only autohide when you use outlook? You can have the dock always autohide - right click on the dock and choose turn hiding off.
You can hide the menu bar in system preferences, in Dock and Menu bar. (Dock Preferences when you right click on the dock.)
Leon says
Only when I am using outlook the menu & dock disapear for some reason but before it was always there when I used outlook and that's the way I want it, to be there always when I am using outlook.
Diane Poremsky says
The only time I can hide the menu and dock only in outlook is going to full screen -either the green button, the keyboard shortcut, or the command on the view menu -
Leon says
Hi Diane,
I don't want to hide the menu and dock when I am in outlook, is there any way of changing the settings so that the menu and dock are always there when I am in outlook?
Diane Poremsky says
They should be the same in all apps - either always showing or always hidden, based on the options in the system preferences > dock and meu bar - the exception is if the app is full screen, then the dock and menu are hidden, even if hide is disabled in system preferences.
William Read says
Before I found this, I had resorted to adding Mail, Contacts and Calendar buttons to the Quick Access toolbar, which does save space
Doug Ransom says
I am experiencing this too. The alt-F1 trick seems to work.
John says
Awesome solution. And the only one that works. Thank you so much !
Michael Feldman says
I am having this issue every other day. I will try this fix, and appreciate you validating that its actually "a thing" and not a rabbit hole to nowhere! Thanks
mzmarie says
This solution also worked for me after a year of pain. Concisely and accurately explained such that an inexpert user (me) could easily do. Thank you!
Rubens F. says
Thank you so much for developing and posting this workaround. It is the only one which worked among many I have tried !
Thomas Scott-Morey says
Can't someone develop a Application_Startup () macro code that would do this upon opening Outlook? Come on, coders.
Diane Poremsky says
Try this - it works here with the nav bar off. If it';s not consistant with 1 second delay, increase the value.
Private Sub Application_Startup()
TurnonNav
End Sub
Sub TurnonNav()
Dim myTime
myTime = Now + TimeValue("00:00:01")
Do Until myTime < Now DoEvents Loop Dim myOlExp As Outlook.Explorer Set myOlExp = Application.ActiveExplorer myOlExp.ShowPane olNavigationPane, True End Sub
tom says
same issue with a mac running outlook 2016!
Diane Poremsky says
Which build are you using?