---
title: "Save Time with Single-Key Reading"
url: https://lookeen.com/blog/save-time-with-single-key-reading-2
lang: en
description: "With single-key reading, you can easily scroll through your emails one by one using the spacebar. We'll show you how!"
author: "Ben Golling"
published: 2016-07-19T14:35:13+00:00
modified: 2026-11-11T05:43:25+00:00
---

# Save Time with Single-Key Reading

Microsoft Outlook is a great email program and can be a big help in your daily work if you know how to use it. If you work with Outlook every day, you should also be able to use the features that save you time and increase your productivity. There are many ways to save time in Outlook. For example, do you use [Outlook search parameters for more precise searching](https://lookeen.com/blog/the-most-important-outlook-search-parameters-for-a-more-precise-search)? A lesser-known trick helps you scroll through your emails quickly and efficiently: Single-Key Reading. This article addresses the question of what lies behind Single-Key Reading and how exactly you can benefit from it.

Save time thanks to single-key reading

[Do you want to optimize your search experience with Outlook? Use an even faster tool!](https://lookeen.com/solutions/outlook-search/outlook-search)

## What is single-key reading?

Single-key reading refers to a simple yet effective method for quickly scrolling through emails using the spacebar. By enabling this option, you can not only scroll through emails one by one (which could also be done with the mouse wheel), but also continue reading without opening a new email. You might guess: if you have to read many emails or search for a specific paragraph every day, every saved click is welcome.

With single-key reading, you only open one email, scroll through it to the end using the spacebar, and then immediately continue with the next email in the corresponding list. And all without having to switch from your keyboard to the computer mouse.

## How to enable single-key reading in Outlook

Scroll through emails easily with the mouse button and automatically open the next email as soon as you reach the end? Here is how to enable single-key reading in Outlook 2007-2016:

**Outlook 2007**

Click on Tools and open Options

Once the Options dialog box appears, click the **“Other”** tab. Below that, you will find **“Change Reading Pane”**

Enable **“Single-key reading with spacebar”** and confirm your setting twice with **“OK”**

**Outlook 2010, 2013 and 2016**

![Outlook single-key reading](https://lookeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Sparen-Sie-Zeit-dank-dem-Einzeltastenlesen.jpg)

Go to **“File”** and select **“Options”**

In the Outlook Options, you must click on the **“Mail”** section on the left side

Under **“Outlook Areas”**, you must click on **“Reading Pane”**

In the **“Reading Pane”** window, you must now check the box next to **“Single-key reading with spacebar”**

Confirm your selection with **“OK”**