Understanding Outlook Navigation Pane
With Outlook generally now defaulting to using the email account address for the name of the associated Outlook data file for the account, a frequent misconception is that the Outlook Navigation Pane represents the email accounts configured for the profile, which is incorrect.
The Outlook Nav Pane has one entry for every <data file> configured in the profile. Data files can be those associated with a given mail account as well as any stand-alone PST files added to the profile.
For example, the following profile has some 30+ data files configured in the profile which is a combination of those associated with specific email account and stand-alone PST data files which would look something like the following under the data files in Account Settings
Each data file that shows in the above list will have a corresponding entry in the Outlook <Navigation Pane> similar to
Re-ordering the Nav Pane list
When a lot of entries exist in the Nav Pane, you may want to re-order the sequence in which the data files appear (i.e. all email account files first etc). This can easily be done by highlighting the data file you want to move up or down and dragging to to the location in the Nav Pane where you want this file to reside. Once you start to drag a folder, a black line will appear which will help guide you to where you want to drop the file.
Filtering what folders appear
Typically the folders that appear within a given store defaults to email folders. Which folders appear is determined by the option at the bottom of the Navigation Pane. Those options appear in either a Large or Compact view
Compact View
Large View
Changing Nav Pane display options
Changing between large or compact view along with the number if items that appear is done by clicking the on the three dots –> select Navigation Options which results in
Keyboard Shortcuts
The following keyboard shortcuts accomplish the same as selecting one of the above Nav options
- CTRL+1 = Email
- CTRL+2 = Calendar
- CTRL+3 = Contacts
- CTRL+4 = Tasks
- CTRL+5 = Notes
- CTRL+6 = Full Folder List
Renaming OST File names
OST file names will reflect the email address of the account to which it’s associated. Renaming these files for the NavPane cannot be done from inside Outlook. See How to change Outlook Nav Pane names
Category: Understanding Outlook
