Unable to resize images in Outlook? Try these workarounds

Update 26/09/24 09:11 am (IST): Some users report that the previous workarounds no longer work. If you’re stuck in the same situation, the only other option right now would be to try inserting an image using the “Insert” > “Pictures” menu option, instead of pasting the image. Some users claim that this brings up the resizing feature when you click on the image.

Original article published on July 29, 2024, follows:

Outlook users are facing a frustrating issue where they are unable to resize images within emails. This problem, affecting the Outlook for Web and Windows client, has left many scratching their heads and searching for solutions.

Traditionally, users could simply click on an inserted image and drag its corners to resize it. However, recent updates seem to have removed this functionality, causing widespread confusion and inconvenience.

One user complained, “Outlook isn’t letting me resize an image. Used to click on the pasted image and drag the corner to size. Why make updates that make things more difficult?” This sentiment echoes across various online platforms, including Reddit and Microsoft’s support forums.

While Microsoft has yet to address this problem officially, resourceful users have discovered some workarounds:

1. The “drag and select” method: Without highlighting the image, quickly click and drag your mouse from outside the image to inside. This action should make the corner sizing handles reappear, allowing you to resize as before.
2. The double-click trick: Simply double-click somewhere in the email body outside the image. This action also brings up the corner sizing handles, providing an even easier solution.
3. Right-click options: For those who prefer preset sizes, right-clicking on the image offers options like “Best fit,” “Small,” “Medium,” and “Full size.”

I’ve tried all these workarounds on the web version of Outlook, and they work just fine. While I couldn’t confirm the same on the Outlook client for Windows, user reports suggest that these workarounds should do the trick there too.

For those who might be confused, we’re talking about the display size of the image, not the file size. The new version of Outlook doesn’t let you change the file size of images, as noted by Microsoft.

These temporary fixes offer some relief, but many users are calling for Microsoft to reinstate the original, intuitive resizing feature. As one frustrated user put it, “I don’t know what happened?”

While we await an official response or update from Microsoft, these workarounds should help Outlook users continue to manage image sizes in their emails effectively.