Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 Outlook 2024 Outlook 2021 Outlook 2019 Outlook 2016

In Outlook, by default, the The Next Item icon. Next item and The Previous Item icon. Previous item commands are on the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in an open email message. Use those options to move to the next message or previous message in your list of messages. 

If you don't see the Quick Access Toolbar when you open an email message, you can quickly turn it on and start navigating through your messages. Read on for the details.

(When you're using the Reading Pane, these commands are not available. Instead, you use the spacebar to navigate through a list of messages. See Move through messages in the Reading Pane below for details.)

Keyboard shortcuts

Next item: Ctrl+. (period)

Previous item: Ctrl+(comma)

To turn on the Quick Access Toolbar

  1. Open an email message in a standalone window.

  2. At the right end of the ribbon, select the arrow symbol, then select Show Quick Access Toolbar.

  3. The toolbar then appears towards the left side, either immediately above or below the ribbon.

Use the The Next Item icon. Next and The Previous Item icon. Previous options on the QAT to navigate through your email items.

If you don't see the commands on the Quick Access Toolbar

  1. Select  Customize Quick Access Toolbar.

  2. On the menu, select Next Item to turn on that option on the QAT. A checkmark appears next to that menu option to indicate it is turned on.

  3. Repeat step 2 for the Previous Item option, if you like.

If Next Item and Previous Item aren't visible on the Customize Quick Access Toolbar menu

  1. Select More Commands near the bottom of the menu.

  2. In the dialog box, under Choose commands from, select All Commands.

  3. In the long list box below All Commands, scroll to Next Item. Select it and click Add >>.

  4. Repeat step 3 for Previous Item.

To turn on the Quick Access Toolbar

  1. Open an email message in a standalone window.

  2. At the right end of the ribbon, select the arrow symbol, then select Show Quick Access Toolbar.

  3. The toolbar then appears towards the left side, either immediately above or below the ribbon.

Use the The Next Item icon. Next and The Previous Item icon. Previous options on the QAT to navigate through your email items.

If you don't see the commands on the Quick Access Toolbar

  1. Select  Button image Customize Quick Access Toolbar.

  2. On the menu, select Next Item to turn on that option on the QAT. A checkmark appears next to that menu option to indicate it is turned on.

  3. Repeat step 2 for the Previous Item option, if you like.

If "Next Item" and "Previous Item" aren't visible on the "Customize" menu

  1. Select More Commands near the bottom of the menu.

  2. In the dialog box, under Choose commands from, select All Commands.

  3. In the long list box below All Commands, scroll to Next Item. Select it and click Add >>.

  4. Repeat step 3 for Previous Item.

The commands are now added to the Quick Access toolbar so that you can use them to navigate through your email items. 

Open the next message after deleting one

By default, when you delete an open email message, Outlook returns you to the current email folder. You can change this setting so that Outlook opens the next message in your list: 

  1. Select File > Options.

  2. Select the Mail tab.

  3. Scroll to the end. Under Other, select the After moving or deleting an open item list and select open the next item.

  4. Select OK

Move through messages in the Reading Pane

Single key reading using the space bar lets you move quickly through your messages in the Reading Pane. Each time that you press the space bar, the Reading Pane content scrolls down one page. At the end of the item, pressing the space bar opens the next item from your message list.

Single key reading is turned on by default, but you can turn it on or off at any time:

  1. On the View tab, in the Layout group, select Reading Pane, and then select Options.

  2. Select or clear the Single key reading using space bar check box.

    Reading Pane Options

See Also

Move the Quick Access Toolbar

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