Outlook 2007 Reply/Formarding Format

[RickB]

I am receiving HTML and RTF formatted e-mails. Whenever I reply or forward
them, Outlook 2007 automatically changes them to Plain Text. How can I set
up Outlook 2007 to reply or forward using my formatting option (HTML) without
having to change every single e-mail every single time.

For the "ettiqute police," I am NOT asking to change from a Plain Text
message to HTML. I am asking to be able to use my own formatting to forward.

Thanks,
RickB

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

I'm not quite sure I understand the problem - do you want to change all
replies to html (even plain text) or does outlook convert all incoming
messages to plain text format?

When you reply or forward, outlook uses the same format as the original
message - if the sender uses HTML, outlook replies using HTML. If the sender
used plain text, outlook uses plain text for the reply. Outlook won't
convert an HTML message to plain text when you hit reply. It also cannot
convert a plain text message to HTML at the time of the reply - you'll need
to do it yourself.

http://www.outlook-tips.net/archives/2007/20070802.htm





** Please include your Outlook version, Account type, and Windows Version
when requesting assistance **

 

[DM]

This is an interesting article for me as well.

You said, "Outlook won't convert an HTML message to plain text when you hit
reply." At work, for security reasons, the administrator has the exchange
set to automatically convert all incoming emails to plain text to prevent
hidden html and scripts from starting when a message is opened and virus the
LAN and so on. Then when we open, the gray banner above the from field says
message converted from html or to plain text. We all have been taught if we
want to view in html to click the gray banner and select the appropriate
task.

Could this be done on a private home PC or do you have to do this at an
Exchange Server level?

 

[RickB]

Hi Diane,

I receive an HTML e-mail. I click "Reply," and it converts the e-mail to
Plain Text.

My prefered format is HTML and my outgoing e-mails are HTML.

How can I automatically make HTML e-mails when I hit "Reply?"

Thanks,
RickB

 

[Brian Tillman]

This is an interesting article for me as well.

You said, "Outlook won't convert an HTML message to plain text when
you hit reply." At work, for security reasons, the administrator has
the exchange set to automatically convert all incoming emails to
plain text to prevent hidden html and scripts from starting when a
message is opened and virus the LAN and so on. Then when we open, the
gray banner above the from field says message converted from html or
to plain text. We all have been taught if we want to view in html to
click the gray banner and select the appropriate task.

Could this be done on a private home PC or do you have to do this at
an Exchange Server level?

It can be done for a home installation of Outlook 2002 through 2007.

 

[DM]

Thanks!

Do you have the article reference for this or steps to do it? I wouldn't
know what to type into the search form or know what to look for if I did a
general search. But I can follow instructions.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Do you have the article reference for this or steps to do it? I
wouldn't know what to type into the search form or know what to look
for if I did a general search. But I can follow instructions.

For Outlook 2003/2007, click Tools>Options>E-mail Options and simply check
the box to enable it. For Outlook 2002 SR1, see this:
http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/plain_text.htm

 

[DM]

Thanks!

I'll try it over the weekend. I have 02 SP3, will that matter? Interesting
background on this article's plain text tips. Since it doesn't really
convert to plain text and, I guess, only show in plain text, does all the
hidden html still activate allowing us to live in a false sense of security?

 

[Brian Tillman]

I'll try it over the weekend. I have 02 SP3, will that matter? Interesting
background on this article's plain text tips. Since it
doesn't really convert to plain text and, I guess, only show in plain
text, does all the hidden html still activate allowing us to live in
a false sense of security?

None of the HTML "activates". The Preview Pane in an up-to-date Outlook
2002 is quite safe, especially if all messages are shown in plain text.