[iMore Question]

We just upgraded to Yosemite (OS 10.10.2) with our new MACs and alas, my old letterbox doesn't work, nor, apparently does WideMail. Perhaps Apple actually fixed this and I just can't find how to get the right-hand preview pane with the classic three-column-view. Help please - this is a huge deal for the visual management of email on a large monitor. Regards, Rachel

[kch50428]

In Mail, in the upper left corner... you should see "mailboxes"... tapping that toggles the mailbox column... then I have a column with message subjects... and next to that, to the right - the message viewer...

[Scooterkiewicz]

Rachel, I have the big 27" Mac as well and cannot get the preview pane on the right using classic view for mail. Did this ever get resolved for you? If so I would TRULY appreciate knowing how to get it changed. Thanks much! Sue

[Scooterkiewicz]

Keith I tried to toggle the mailboxes as you suggested, but the message preview is still at the bottom of mail. How can I stay in classic view and preview messages to the right? I've got the big 27" mac and it's so difficult to preview messages on the bottom. Thanks much! Sue

[alanrenatus]

Hi, I want this too.
In Yosemite the terminal command below did the trick. In El Capitan the same command only toggles classic view on and off, putting the message preview pane at the bottom.
There must be a way of getting preview on the right with the message list in classic form with columns and font interchangeability in El Cap.
Help - anyone?
Alan

Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.mail RichMessageList -bool FALSE

To change back replace FALSE with TRUE

[octothorpe88]

Yes. Me too. I've been using that terminal .plist fix ever since Lion and would very much like it back. If anyone here finds a solution somewhere, please post here, thanks!

The standard 3-column view in Mail doesn't do much for me:

- it's hard to see unread messages at a glance because they're not bolded
- font choice is not available at all -- only choice is "System Font Regular 12"
- date and additional info is not organized into columns, which are easier to quickly scan

In short, standard 3-column view is a mess. It doesn't sound like a huge deal, but when you think about how much you use Mail, you might as well have it right instead of fighting the interface.

[Camrat]

I share the same frustration. Recently posted on the Apple Discussion forums. Feel free to add "me too" comments... Maybe more will see

[James Nawrocki]

1) go to preferences
2) In viewing uncheck classic view
3) exit preferences
4) In your mail then click on 'Mailboxes' button and toggle until it appears on the right again.


After a few hours of clicking, finally figured it out.

[octothorpe88]

1) go to preferences
2) In viewing uncheck classic view
3) exit preferences
4) In your mail then click on 'Mailboxes' button and toggle until it appears on the right again.


After a few hours of clicking, finally figured it out.

Not sure what you mean. Unchecking "classic view" just brings Mail back to the standard 3-column view. Clicking on "Mailboxes" just shows and hides the mailbox list on the left. Unless I'm really missing something here, you're just toggling a couple of the standard features of Mail.

What we are all trying to do is show the messages list the compact way that Classic View does, but with a 3-column layout. Basically, it's a hybrid of the two views, and it used to be possible to hack by altering Mail's preferences, but that no longer works in El Capitan.

[Musik3ro]

If you click on one of the messages, it will preview in the rightmost pane.

[octothorpe88]

Maybe read the question before posting? Obviously the preview comes up if you click the message but that's not even remotely what this is about.

[Becky Nielsen]

Did somebody figured out the problem?? Apple support are to stupid to help you!! I want the standard preview format after accidently changing it to classis I can't go back to what i had.

Best,
Becky