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How To Change The Theme Of The Classic Outlook: A Clear Step‑by‑Step Guide

Changing the theme in classic Outlook is a quick way to make your inbox easier on your eyes and more personal to use. Depending on which “classic” Outlook you’re talking about—desktop app, Outlook on the web in classic view, or older Office versions—the steps look slightly different, but the basic idea is the same: you pick a color scheme and sometimes a background that Outlook uses for menus, ribbons, and message windows.

This guide walks through how themes work in classic Outlook, how to change them in the most common versions, and which factors affect what you actually see on your screen.

What “Theme” Means In Classic Outlook

When Outlook talks about a theme, it usually refers to:

  • The overall color of the window (title bar, ribbon, menus, sidebars)
  • Sometimes the background of message windows and reading pane
  • In Outlook on the web, optional illustrated or pattern backgrounds

In classic Outlook for Windows (the traditional desktop app that installs with Microsoft Office), the theme is mostly:

  • Color scheme: Colorful, Dark Gray, Black, White (names can vary across versions)
  • Office-wide setting: Outlook shares its theme with Word, Excel, and other Office apps

In Outlook on the web (classic layout), the theme changes:

  • Top navigation bar and left sidebar color
  • Highlight color for buttons and selected items
  • Optional graphic or gradient backgrounds

In older Outlook versions, themes were sometimes called “Color Scheme” or tied more directly to the Windows theme.

How To Change The Theme In Classic Outlook (Desktop App)

These steps apply to the classic Outlook for Windows desktop app that comes with Microsoft 365 or older Office suites (Office 2019/2016/2013). The wording can vary slightly, but the path is similar.

1. Open the Outlook Options

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Click File in the top-left corner.
  3. In the left menu, click Options.
  4. The Outlook Options window will open.

2. Choose Your Office Theme

In the General section (usually selected by default):

  1. Look for the section called Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office.
  2. Find the dropdown labeled Office Theme (older versions might say Office Background plus Office Theme).

You’ll typically see options like:

  • Colorful – Uses each app’s accent color (Outlook often appears blue).
  • Dark Gray – A darker, high-contrast theme that reduces brightness.
  • Black – A full dark mode experience in newer Outlook versions.
  • White – A bright, clean look with mostly white backgrounds.
  1. Select the theme you want from the dropdown.
  2. Optionally, pick an Office Background (a subtle pattern in the title bar). This is cosmetic only.
  3. Click OK to apply the changes.

Outlook should switch themes immediately, and other Office apps will usually follow the same setting.

How To Change Theme In Classic Outlook On The Web

If you’re using Outlook on the web (often reached via Outlook.com or Office 365 webmail) and you still see a classic-style layout, you can change the theme from the settings panel.

1. Open Settings

  1. Sign in to Outlook on the web in your browser.
  2. In the top-right corner, click the gear icon (Settings).

You’ll see a quick settings panel slide out from the right.

2. Pick A Theme

  1. Near the top of this panel, look for a Theme section.
  2. You’ll see a grid of colors and sometimes patterned themes (waves, illustrations, gradients, etc.).
  3. Click on a theme to preview it instantly.
  4. The page colors and highlights will change right away as you click through different options.

If your version shows a “View all Outlook settings” link at the bottom:

  1. Click View all Outlook settings.
  2. Go to General > Appearance (or General > Theme, depending on version).
  3. Choose a theme from the full list, then confirm to apply it.

The change affects Outlook on the web in your account, usually across browsers on any device where you sign in.

How To Change Theme In Older Outlook Versions

If you’re on an older “classic” Outlook (such as Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2007), the theme options look a bit different.

Outlook 2013 / 2016 / 2019 (Earlier iterations)

The process is very similar to newer versions, but labels may vary slightly:

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Click File > Options.
  3. Under General, find Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office.
  4. Choose a Color Scheme (in older builds) or Office Theme:
    • Options might include Light Gray, Dark Gray, and White.
  5. Click OK.

Outlook 2010

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Go to File > Options.
  3. In General, look for Color scheme.
  4. Pick from options like Blue, Silver, or Black.
  5. Click OK.

Outlook 2007

The theming is simpler and more tied to the old Office 2007 ribbon style:

  1. Click the Office button (round Office logo at top-left).
  2. Click Editor Options (through Word) or tweak via Display Options.
  3. In many cases, colors are limited, and some visual style comes from the Windows theme itself.

On very old systems, you may find that Outlook’s “theme” mostly mirrors whatever Windows is using.

Theme Options Depend On Your Setup: Key Variables

Not everyone sees the exact same theme choices in classic Outlook. What’s available and how it looks can change based on several factors:

1. Outlook Version and License

  • Microsoft 365 desktop apps generally have more theme options (including a true Black dark mode).
  • Perpetual versions (Office 2016/2019) might have fewer.
  • Very old Outlook versions (2010/2007) only offer a couple of basic color schemes.

2. Operating System and Display Settings

Your OS can influence the overall look:

  • On Windows, High Contrast or Windows dark mode settings can interact with Outlook’s theme.
  • Scaling settings (like 125% or 150% display scaling) can make some themes look more comfortable or cramped.
  • On older Windows versions, Outlook may lean more heavily on the system’s own color scheme.

3. Light Mode vs Dark Mode Behavior

In newer “classic” Outlook builds:

  • Choosing Black turns on a near-full dark mode, especially in the reading pane.
  • There is often a “Switch Background” or sun/moon icon in the reading pane to toggle a single message between light and dark while keeping the rest of the app dark.
  • Some users prefer Dark Gray instead of Black to keep contrast high but not too stark.

4. Screen Type and Environment

The same theme can feel very different depending on:

  • Monitor brightness and panel type (IPS vs VA vs TN, etc.).
  • If you’re using multiple monitors, the theme may look slightly different across displays with different calibration.
  • Your lighting environment (bright office vs dim room) affects whether dark themes or light themes reduce eye strain.

5. Accessibility and Comfort Needs

Personal comfort plays a big role:

  • Users with light sensitivity often prefer Dark Gray or Black.
  • Users with low vision or certain visual conditions might find high contrast or specific background/text combinations easier to read.
  • Fonts and zoom level (e.g., zooming the reading pane to 110–120%) can interact with themes to make email more or less comfortable to read.

How Different Types Of Users Experience Outlook Themes

The theme you choose can feel very different depending on how you work and what you care about.

Visual Comfort‑Focused Users

  • Often gravitate toward Dark Gray or Black themes.
  • Use dark themes to reduce glare and eye strain, especially in low-light environments.
  • May also reduce monitor brightness and increase message zoom for easier reading.

Aesthetic or Branding‑Focused Users

  • Prefer Colorful or bright themes that:
    • Match the Outlook blue or other Office app colors.
    • Make the interface feel more lively and distinct.
  • May choose specific web Outlook themes with patterns for visual personality.

Accessibility‑Focused Users

  • Look for combinations that increase contrast between text and background.
  • Sometimes pair Outlook’s theme with Windows High Contrast or OS accessibility modes.
  • Might avoid heavily patterned themes in Outlook on the web if they distract from text legibility.

Multi‑App, Multi‑Device Users

  • Care about how the Office theme looks across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
  • Prefer a theme that remains readable on:
    • A laptop screen,
    • An external monitor, and maybe
    • Remote desktop sessions.
  • Often choose more neutral themes (like White or Dark Gray) that hold up in different environments.

Why There’s No Single “Best” Classic Outlook Theme

The theme controls in classic Outlook are relatively simple, but how “good” a theme feels depends heavily on:

  • The Outlook version and Office build you’re on
  • Your Windows theme, display settings, and monitor quality
  • Whether you work mainly in bright or dim environments
  • How sensitive your eyes are to bright backgrounds or low contrast
  • Whether you care more about comfort, appearance, or consistency across devices

Knowing how to change the theme—via File > Options > General > Office Theme on the desktop, or the gear icon > Theme in Outlook on the web—gets you most of the way there. The missing piece is how those options feel with your actual hardware, lighting, and visual comfort needs, which only show up once you try them on your own setup.