how do I change the default mail format for message replies?

C

Chris

I know how to change the format of individual replies. How can I change the
default mail format to HTML for all replies?
 
D

Diane Poremsky [MVP]

Manually, on each message as you reply. Outlook does not support changing it
via an option because it's rude to change the format on replies - if the
sender uses a specific format, it's very likely they have a reason, such as
they don't like the larger message sizes of HTML (if they pay by the minute,
such as when using a cell phone modem) or they use a client that can't
handle HTML.



--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/
 
V

Viking FBM

I receive messages in Rich text format and Outlook defaults the
formatl to plain text on replies. This renders my sig's and everything else
in them useless. If it replied to HTML as HTML or Rich Text as Rich Text, I
would not have a problem. Taking that into consideration, your answer makes
no sense.

Diane Poremsky said:
Manually, on each message as you reply. Outlook does not support changing it
via an option because it's rude to change the format on replies - if the
sender uses a specific format, it's very likely they have a reason, such as
they don't like the larger message sizes of HTML (if they pay by the minute,
such as when using a cell phone modem) or they use a client that can't
handle HTML.



--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/


Chris said:
I know how to change the format of individual replies. How can I change
the
default mail format to HTML for all replies?
 
M

mjedge808

I don't consider it necessarily "rude" to change the format. Sometimes it's
needed. My issue is that sometimes I have a text email with active
hyperlinks that I need to forward. When I try to forward it, the links
become inactive. If I could set all my forwards to be HTML or Rich Text,
those links would remain active. Which is what I need. This is also the
case in some replies, where a previous link needs to be active.

Is there a way to set up that all replies/forwards are a specific format?

Diane Poremsky said:
Manually, on each message as you reply. Outlook does not support changing it
via an option because it's rude to change the format on replies - if the
sender uses a specific format, it's very likely they have a reason, such as
they don't like the larger message sizes of HTML (if they pay by the minute,
such as when using a cell phone modem) or they use a client that can't
handle HTML.



--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/


Chris said:
I know how to change the format of individual replies. How can I change
the
default mail format to HTML for all replies?
 
B

Brian Tillman

mjedge808 said:
I don't consider it necessarily "rude" to change the format.
Sometimes it's needed. My issue is that sometimes I have a text
email with active hyperlinks that I need to forward.

Text mail does not contain active hyperlinks. It cannot. If you see a
hyperlink that appears active it is because Outlook is being kind to you,
scanning your plain text message and making active anything that it thinks
is a hyperlink. It is something happening on your user interface only. The
message itself doesn't contain active links.
When I try to
forward it, the links become inactive. If I could set all my
forwards to be HTML or Rich Text, those links would remain active.
Which is what I need. This is also the case in some replies, where a
previous link needs to be active.

Outlook always uses the format of the original message when replying or
forwarding. It's really a simple matter to train yourself to click the
Format button and choose the format you want each time.
 
F

FLINT

Brian,
I disagree with you completely, and apparently more than a few others do
as well. We want to be able to set Outlook to Forward & Reply in HTML.
 
C

Cindy

I agree with the two users who are irritated with Outlook changing things to
plain text. I start an email in HTML to send to a group of people who I
blind cc so as to protect privacy but send it also to myself in the main TO
box. When it comes back to me it is in plain text! I sent it in HTML so why
is it going to everybody in plain text. I want to keep the formating I
originally used! It can't even keep it to send my self a copy. WHY?

Viking FBM said:
I receive messages in Rich text format and Outlook defaults the
formatl to plain text on replies. This renders my sig's and everything else
in them useless. If it replied to HTML as HTML or Rich Text as Rich Text, I
would not have a problem. Taking that into consideration, your answer makes
no sense.

Diane Poremsky said:
Manually, on each message as you reply. Outlook does not support changing it
via an option because it's rude to change the format on replies - if the
sender uses a specific format, it's very likely they have a reason, such as
they don't like the larger message sizes of HTML (if they pay by the minute,
such as when using a cell phone modem) or they use a client that can't
handle HTML.



--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/


Chris said:
I know how to change the format of individual replies. How can I change
the
default mail format to HTML for all replies?
 
M

MG

Ok my sent items appear in the format I sent them, however they switch to
plain text when they get copied to Archive Folders. I've looked to change as
its annoying when you wish to re-send something a few weeks old in a
different format.
 
B

Brian Tillman

MG said:
Ok my sent items appear in the format I sent them, however they
switch to plain text when they get copied to Archive Folders. I've
looked to change as its annoying when you wish to re-send something a
few weeks old in a different format.

Please open your own thread. Include details like Outlook version.
 
M

MS Pat C

Dear Brian Tillman,
I would like to kindly point out that you have attacked your customer base
when they are turning to you in frustration for answers - and when they are
giving Microsoft wonderful opportunities to listen for future upgrades to
Outlook to meet the customers' needs. This is my first exposure to your
customer service level and your personal work ethic. The specific responses
that will be linked with your name "Brian Tillman" and Microsoft are--
calling the customer "untrainable" and then responding that "no one here will
care if the customer (and therefore all customers) switch to Mac" when the
customer was offended by your "untrainable" remark. In the future, I would
like to suggest that you keep in mind that you do not represent your own
opinions and that you are a representative of a company and their brand. All
interface with customers- even technical advice- is customer service and
should be delivered always with respect. (Stay above the frustration level of
the customer.)
 
G

Gordon

FLINT said:
Brian,
I disagree with you completely, and apparently more than a few others
do
as well. We want to be able to set Outlook to Forward & Reply in HTML.

Apart from the fact that it is discourteous to reply in a format different
from the mail you have received, have you not thought that the sender may be
using a particular format for very good reasons, and wouldn't be best
pleased if you responded in a format that they don't want?
 
B

Brian Tillman

MS Pat C said:
I would like to kindly point out that you have attacked your customer
base when they are turning to you in frustration for answers - and
when they are giving Microsoft wonderful opportunities to listen for
future upgrades to Outlook to meet the customers' needs.

You seem to be under the mistaken assumption that I have a "customer base"
and work for Microsoft.
This is my first exposure to your customer service level and your personal
work
ethic.

You can imply nothing about my work ethic by what I post here. I don't get
paid to post here.
The specific responses that will be linked with your name
"Brian Tillman" and Microsoft are-- calling the customer
"untrainable" and then responding that "no one here will care if the
customer (and therefore all customers) switch to Mac" when the
customer was offended by your "untrainable" remark.

You seem to be reading messages I never posted. Nowhere did I state anyone
was untrainable. Did you even see the question mark in the sentence? I was
asking if the person considered himself untrainable. I had said it is easy
to train oneself to make choices allowed by the software and the person
responded that he disagreed that it was easy to train himself. Ergo, he
must consider himself untrainable, but I decided I had to ask. I don't make
assumptions about people, unlike, apparently, you.
In the future, I
would like to suggest that you keep in mind that you do not represent
your own opinions and that you are a representative of a company and
their brand.

Wrong. Everything I post here is my own opinion. Perhaps you don't
understand what newsgroups are. They're peer-to-peer venues. While
Microsoft employees do occasionally post here, you'll always see "[MSFT]"
after their names. Most of the rest of us are just people who use Outlook
every day.
 
H

heather

Well, I also find it irritating; as plain text adds all sorts of extra
carriage returns, removes hyperlinks etc; but I just change them all back to
HTML manually...and if people don't like it, tough. And most people who send
emails in plain text do not do so because of some supposed courtesy, but
because they don't know how to change email format to HTML (or for that
matter, even have the vaguest understanding of the concept).
 
M

Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Seeing as how one has to MANUALLY change the settings for the default
Outlook message format TO plain text, it is rather naive to presume that
users who choose plain text have no idea what they are doing.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


After furious head scratching, heather asked:

| Well, I also find it irritating; as plain text adds all sorts of extra
| carriage returns, removes hyperlinks etc; but I just change them all
| back to HTML manually...and if people don't like it, tough. And most
| people who send emails in plain text do not do so because of some
| supposed courtesy, but because they don't know how to change email
| format to HTML (or for that matter, even have the vaguest
| understanding of the concept).
|
| "Gordon" wrote:
|
|| ||| Brian,
||| I disagree with you completely, and apparently more than a few
||| others do
||| as well. We want to be able to set Outlook to Forward & Reply in
||| HTML.
|||
||
|| Apart from the fact that it is discourteous to reply in a format
|| different from the mail you have received, have you not thought that
|| the sender may be using a particular format for very good reasons,
|| and wouldn't be best pleased if you responded in a format that they
|| don't want?
 
M

Meh

This discussion is crap...it is clear that Microsoft did not code the feature
and it takes money to add it now... unless your paying for the change (which
is how microsoft works by the way) it is not going to happen. Most business
people work off high speed internet. Do not use the "rude excuse for your
failure to code" It just cost money. Two truths in life...POWER and MONEY!
Everything roots back to them...everything! So do not fall into the bull@#$%
trap!
 
V

Vampire

Hi Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook] /Diane Poremsky [MVP],

Can we have any workaround for this issue such as using Outlook Macro/VB
script to change to HTML whenever i Forward/Reply to a text mail.

Please reply..if possible kindly post the code also..

Thanks in advance!!
 
M

Meh

I have not found the format to be an issue yet in the last 10 years and that
is a great deal of emails.
 

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