Clever Clogs tip # 708
21 July 2022

Last updated 15 February 2023 - added instructions how to bring back classic view


New location for the Outlook shortcut buttons - you cannot escape it! (Microsoft 365) *

Back in April I wrote a tip about the fact that Microsoft was about to move Email, Calendar, Contacts and Tasks to a different spot... they will no longer appear horizontally at the bottom, but vertically next to the Folder Pane. (See tip_698.php if you missed it.)

Well, today I spotted the following:

So you might as well switch it on and get used to it. Remember, the old keyboard shortcuts still work:

CTRL + 1 : Switch to Email
CTRL + 2 : Switch to Calendar
CTRL + 3 : Switch to Contacts
CTRL + 4 : Switch to Tasks

And using the new setup for a while (before switching it off because of training sessions) I have totally fallen in love with Microsoft To Do: CTRL + 5.

Related tips

  1. Coming soon in Outlook: tip_698.php
  2. Quickly jump between the various Outlook components: tip_259.php
  3. Top ten Microsoft Outlook shortcuts: tip_538.php
  4. A is for Appointments: tip_650.php

This week's CleverClogsTipTime on LinkedIn, in case you missed it

  1. Did You Know? Shift+Ctrl+Alt+Win+L Opens LinkedIn on Windows
  2. Add a rule to your Automatic Replies

K.

PS I know I'll get lots of "out of office messages" as soon as I hit the Send button, but did you know it takes one tree a lot of effort to offset out of office replies? Anyone who's given up on Automatic Replies?

Update 2023-02-15
When Microsoft announced the new location for the Outlook shortcut buttons, we were led to believe you couldn't bring it back to "normal". Hence "you cannot escape it" in my tip's title back in July 2022. Well, it turns out it is possible. So if your Mail, Calendar, People and Tasks buttons are no longer shown horizontally at the bottom of the Folder Pane but vertically, and you preferred the old view ... you can set it back.

Here's how:

  1. On the File tab, click Options.
  2. Click Advanced (or type the letter a twice).
  3. In the Outlook Options dialog box, under Outlook panes untick the Show Apps in Outlook check box.


* Unless stated otherwise this tip is written for Microsoft 365 desktop apps and Windows 10 users, but might also be useful in Office 2010, 2013 and 2016.