Outlook is undoubtedly one of the best apps for handling emails, tasks, contacts and calendars. But some configurations, unfortunately, turned on by default, can make the app somewhat problematic, and opening emails automatically is one of them.
It makes your emails vulnerable, as anyone who can access your computer can see them.
However, by following the steps I’ve provided here, you can easily stop your emails from automatically opening in Outlook. Let’s begin!
How to Prevent Outlook from Automatically Opening Emails
To avoid opening emails automatically in Outlook, set it to return to the current folder after deleting an item rather than opening the next or previous email. Also, turn off the Reading Pane so emails don’t open when you select them and only open when double-clicked.
Follow the instructions below to disable Outlook from opening emails automatically.
Here are the steps to prevent Outlook from automatically opening emails:
1. Set Outlook to Return to the Current Folder
When you remove an item from Outlook, it automatically opens the next or the previous item, depending on your selection. But you can change this behavior and prevent items from opening automatically.
Here’s how to set Outlook to return to the current folder:
- Launch Outlook on your computer.
- Select File > Options.
- Move to the Mail tab.
- Expand the dropdown for the After moving or deleting an open item option and select return to the current folder.
- Click OK.
Here’s a complete guide on how to automatically forward emails in Outlook.
2. Turn Off the Reading Pane
The Reading Pane is where emails open, and disabling it will stop them from opening automatically. To view them, you need to double-click on an item, which will open in a new window.
Here’s the process of turning off the Reading pane in Outlook:
- Open Outlook and go to the View tab.
- Click on the Reading Pane from the Layout section and select Off.
Along with stopping emails from viewing automatically, you can also keep them as unread. Go to the following section, where I’ve explained how you can do that.
Follow our guide on how to print emails from Outlook.
How to Stop Outlook from Automatically Marking Emails as Read
Sometimes an accidental click on an email can put it in the Reading Pane and labels it as read. However, Outlook offers an opportunity to prevent emails from being marked as Read automatically through the Options available in the Reading Pane section.
Below I’ve provided the steps that will keep your emails unread even when you view them in the Reading Pane.
Here are the steps to stop Outlook from automatically marking emails as read:
- Open Outlook on your device.
- Go to the View tab from the top bar.
- Click on the Reading Pane and choose Options.
- Uncheck Mark items as read when viewed in the Reading Pane and Mark item as read when selection changes.
- Click on the OK button.
Here’s a complete guide on how to create an Outlook rule to manage email.
How to Stop Outlook from Opening Automatically on Startup
Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook and Teams are set to start automatically by default when Windows boots up. Fortunately, Windows provides multiple ways to turn off startup apps.
So, along with stopping emails from opening automatically, you can also stop Outlook from launching automatically on Windows startup.
Here’s how to stop Outlook from opening automatically on startup:
- Click on the Windows icon and select Settings.
- Choose Apps.
- Select Startup from the left menu.
- Toggle off Microsoft Outlook.
You can also use the Task Manager to prevent Outlook from opening when Windows boots up.
Here’s the process to stop Outlook from opening automatically using Task Manager:
- Right-click on the taskbar, select Task Manager or press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on the keyboard.
- Click on More details to expand the Task Manager.
- Proceed to the Startup tab.
- Choose Outlook and click on the Disable button.
Check out the easiest way to Outlook not marking emails as replied.
FAQs
How do I stop Outlook from opening when I click on an email link?
Follow the steps below to stop Outlook from opening when you click on an email link:
- Go to outlook.live.com.
- Click on the Gear icon and select View all Outlook settings.
- Select Mail > Layout > Link preview.
- Uncheck Preview links in email.
- Click Save.
How do I stop emails from automatically reading?
Follow the instructions below to stop emails from automatically reading:
- Open Outlook.
- Go to the View tab.
- Click on the Reading Pane and select Off.
How do I stop Outlook from opening automatically in Windows 10?
To stop Outlook from opening automatically in Windows 10, click on the Windows icon, select Settings > Apps > Startup > toggle off Outlook.
Final Thoughts
Although opening emails automatically is a convenient feature because it saves time, it can make your emails more fragile because anyone with access to your computer can read them.
But the methods I’ve described in this article will prevent emails from opening automatically and have provided instructions on how to stop Outlook from auto-starting when Windows boots up.
Leave a comment below if you have any problems with the Outlook app, and I’ll take you through the solution.
