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Read Outlook Messages using Plain Text

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› Outlook › Email › Read Outlook Messages using Plain Text

Last reviewed on July 31, 2019     1 Comment

Applies to: Outlook (classic), Outlook 2010, Outlook 365 (Win)

You have two options if you want to use plain text formatting for all messages you send, including Replies and Forwards: read all mail using plain text or convert the message to plain text format before hitting reply.

Unlike other utilities and macros, such as the Convert to Plain Text macro, the message is not actually converted to plain text, it's just not rendered as HTML. If you want to read it in HTML format, click in the Infobar to restore the HTML format.

Convert plain text to HTML on the flyWhen Read-as-plain text is enabled in Outlook, the Infobar will say if the message was converted to plain text. You can easily switch individual messages to HTML by clicking in the Infobar and displaying the message as HTML.

Enable Read as Plain Text in Outlook 2010 and newer

To enable Read all standard mail in plain text setting in Outlook 2010 and newer versions, open File, Options, Trust Center dialog box. Select E-mail Security.

Read as plain text setting

Enable Read as Plain Text in Outlook 2007

To enable Read all standard mail in plain text settings in Outlook 2007, go to Tools, Trust Center, Email Security. In Outlook 2003, look for the option in Tools, Options, Email Options.

Read all messages in plain text using Outlook 2010

 

Change format to plain text

If you prefer to change the messages to plain text when you reply, open the message, go into Edit Message mode then switch to plain text format before hitting Reply.

Enable Edit message mode

Run a Script Rule

Note: converting a message to plain text will destroy the HTML part. you will not be able to convert it back to HTML later. Reading all messages in plain text will allow you to switch messages back to HTML.

To use, press Alt+F11 to open the VBA editor. Expand Project1 to locate ThisOutlookSession and paste the following code into the right side of the screen. Save and close the VB Editor.

Create a rule in Outlook with conditions that apply to the affected messages and select the Run a Script as the action. Select the script and complete the rule.

Sub ConvertToPlain(oMail As MailItem)
    Dim strID As String
    Dim objMail As Outlook.MailItem
    
    strID = oMail.EntryID
    Set objMail = Application.Session.GetItemFromID(strID)
    objMail.BodyFormat = olFormatPlain
    objMail.Save
    
    Set objMail = Nothing
End Sub

Read Outlook Messages using Plain Text was last modified: July 31st, 2019 by Diane Poremsky

Related Posts:

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About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

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Spencer (@guest_204177)
January 29, 2017 10:06 am
#204177

Recently Outlook 2010 began deleting parts of some incoming msgs., primarily html portions of a msg. and attachments. At first I thought the sender had omitted the info, then noticed that the msg. on my phone was ok but the one in Outlook is abbreviated. Outlook also displays/converts the msg. to plain text - it was originally html.

As always, TIA for your many helpful suggestions & assistance w/ Outlook.

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