Show Views to the Navigation Pane. View-> Arrange By-> Show Views in Navigation Pane. View Monthly Calendars in the Calendar Navigation. When you disable the TaskPad (View-> TaskPad) when in the Calendar Navigation the monthly calendars will show up in the Navigation Pane instead of above the TaskPad. While in the reading pane of Outlook 2016 click Format > Increase Font Size or press commandâ+ on your keyboard. This should increase the font size of the message content in the Reading Pane.
Reference (currently unsolved):
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_outlook-mso_mac/messages-list-is-blank-when-reading-pane-set-to/8dfe6a3a-de79-476c-95a7-e428e5eb60b9?auth=1
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_outlook-mso_mac/messages-list-is-blank-when-reading-pane-set-to/8dfe6a3a-de79-476c-95a7-e428e5eb60b9?auth=1
The Quick Fix
rename the folder ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.outlook
Background
I decided to try contribute a solution that I could not find anywhere else.
This issue had occurred before on the user's Mac, where previously I had restored his view to defaults which did resolve the issue the first time, unfortunately the second time I was not so lucky.
Symptoms / Description
Outlook 2016 for Mac - when reading pane is set to right, the column to the left that contains a list of messages will appear blank, that is, the headings for groups will be present and the list items are blank that would normally give you the message's subject, sender and message preview.
The problem was not evident in a second account that existed prior to troubleshooting (same Outlook profile).
Only the message list column is blank, the content of the messages is still visible in the reading pane.
Troubleshooting Attempted and finally the Solution
![Disable reading pane outlook Disable reading pane outlook](http://s14635.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/outlook2016_folderpaneoff.jpg)
- Tried resetting view to defaults - Result = Fail, same issue.
- Cleared Cache - Result = Fail, same issue.
- Created a new Outlook profile - Result = Fail, same issue.
- Created a new Outlook profile and set up a different e-mail account - Result = Fail, same issue.
- Logged onto the Mac using a different user, set up a profile in Outlook - Success! No issue present here, which helped me conclude the problematic file must be isolated to the user's profile.
- I hunted down every Outlook related preference file I could find, already knowing the GroupContainers folder contained data pertinent to the databases per Outlook identity, long story short I eventually found the culprit by renaming the folder
~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.outlook
There is most likely a more efficient method, e.g. just renaming a specific .plist file within this folder. However, Outlook promptly recreates this folder after launching.
I was presented with the colorful / classic choice when opening Outlook and the profile and data were still intact after completing this selection. The added bonus is that items in the list were no longer blanked out.