Outlook and Outlook Express incorporate a “Preview Pane” as part of the Inbox (and other mail folders). This pane reads/decodes, runs any scripts, and downloads any images incorporated in HTML e-mail, as soon as it is selected. The problem is, there is always an e-mail selected. The first e-mail in the folder is automatically selected and presented in the preview pane as soon as the inbox is opened and/or whenever new mail messages are downloaded. Advertisers and viruses take advantage of this “feature” by purposely forward-dating and backdating e-mail to force their messages to the top of the inbox.

Turning off the Preview Pane in Outlook takes just a few simple steps. Open your inbox and then select Preview Pane from the View menu to toggle it off. This setting is specific to each folder, but is off by default in all folders except the Inbox.

Turning off the Preview Pane in Outlook Express takes only one more step. Once you have opened your inbox, select Layout... from the View menu. This brings up a dialog box where you can uncheck Show preview pane. Unlike Outlook, in Outlook Express this setting is global across all folders.