This page covers how to return to the Classic Outlook Navigation Bar.

In early 2023, Microsoft has pushed a new update that installs automatically on your computer. After the most recent Automatic Outlook Update you might have noticed when you reopened Outlook, the Navigation Bar has moved to the left side of the screen. If you would like to disable this new "feature" you can do so with the steps below.

Disable Show Apps in Outlook

Open Outlook.
Select File in the top left and choose Options.
Select Advanced from the Options Menu.
Disable the "Show Apps in Outlook" and click Ok.

Restart Outlook and when it is reopened your Navigation Bar will be restored to the Original Position.

Instructional Guide to Disabling Show Apps in Outlook

Are too many apps cluttering up your Outlook view? Read our guide on how to disable show apps quickly and easily in two simple steps!

Many Outlook users dislike the clutter that Outlook throws at them on their screen. If you'd like to reclaim some space and simplify your view, follow our step-by-step guide to quickly and easily disable Show Apps in Outlook.

Find the Show Apps option in Outlook

To begin, open Outlook and select the File tab at the top left of the window. In the right-hand side panel that appears, scroll down to choose Options. On the next page, select Customize Ribbon on the left-hand side and then tick the box next to Developer in Main Tabs. Select OK once it’s enabled. Now you’re ready to disable Show Apps!

Disable Show Apps by changing the option to "Disabled"

In Outlook, access the Developer tab again by repeating the steps above. On the Developer tab click on the Show Apps option to open a menu. Finally, change the setting from enabled to disabled and select OK. That’s it! Once you’ve changed this option all of your apps will be removed from Outlook.

Confirm the settings and click "OK"

Now that you’ve disabled the Show Apps option your apps will be removed from Outlook. To confirm the changes, click on OK at the bottom of the window. Once you’ve clicked OK all of your apps will have been successfully disabled and should no longer be visible in Outlook.

Check the Outlook View to see that Show Apps is switched off

To ensure that Show Apps is disabled, go to the Outlook Home tab and check for any apps you had previously enabled. If all of your apps have been removed from view, you’ve successfully disabled Show Apps in Outlook. If any of them remain, click on Options and adjust the settings further until only your desired apps are visible.

My main focus in daily work is my business. Every day I have to answer emails, keep up with accounting, and ensure my bills and business costs are paid.
Why, then, do App vendors think I need to be entertained by changes to my Apps? Do they think I am bored? Instead of 1099s and Taxes in January, I want to change all my habits where I click to accommodate moving a screen function that has not moved in decades.
Starting in December 2022, Microsoft Outlook is moving the App Navigation bar from the lower left area where it has been for 20 years, to a prominent position on the upper left. To make space for it, the file name section has been narrowed. And yes, you do not have a choice but to handle this change.
Why? To improve the "Outlook experience" and make it more comparable to Office.com, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 applications. They included links to the new Microsoft 365 apps, such as To-Do, and the existing Office apps. While the top two buttons are fixed and respond to Ctrl-1 and Ctrl-2, the remaining buttons are movable.
To be fair, I hate this change because I am accustomed to how Outlook works. It has never been a great UI and has some supremely awkward elements - like showing me the edit screen when I only want to view my Contact information. But after 20 years of daily use, I barely look at the screen any more. Any change they make feels abrupt and disorderly.
No wonder people think Windows XP is better than Windows 10, and seek to use Outlook without a subscription. At least, unlike the Ribbon, Microsoft has made the App Bar settings control that you can turn off.
For a more technical view, please visit our friends at Slipstick.