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To Change the Look of Outlook Replies

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› Outlook › Email › To Change the Look of Outlook Replies

Last reviewed on December 22, 2015     43 Comments

All versions of Outlook allow you to change the font used for the text you insert when your reply into a message. (You can't change the font in a plain text message, of course, but can choose the font to use to display plain text messages.)

When your font looks tiny, its usually caused by the zoom setting. See Adjusting Outlook's Zoom Setting for more information.

Outlook does not offer a way to always use your desired message format (plain text or HTML), however, you can use VBA to force Outlook to always use your format for replies. While we strongly discourage this practice (especially if you are converting plain text messages to HTML), you can do so using the code listed at Always reply using the same message format

Note: When email addresses and hyperlinks in your signature contains text similar to {HYPERLINK "mailto:alias@domain.com" }, it means you have field codes visible. This is a Word feature and you can toggle between text and code by pressing Alt+F9.

A signature with field codes visible

In Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, and Outlook 2016, change the fonts used in new messages and replies, go to File, Options, Mail, Stationery and Fonts.

Stationery and fonts button in Outlook

This will open the Stationery and Signature dialog to the Stationery tab, where you'll change the fonts.

Change fonts used in Outlook

The plain text font setting is used for reading open messages and in the reading pane. The New messages and Replying or forwarding fonts are used for both HTML and RTF messages.

Outlook 2007

To change the fonts in Outlook 2007, go to Tools, Options, Mail Format dialog and click Fonts button to open the Fontsdialog to the Fontstab. (This dialog is identical to the screenshot above.)

Font options in Outlook 2003

More Information

  • To use Internet-style quoting in Outlook

To Change the Look of Outlook Replies was last modified: December 22nd, 2015 by Diane Poremsky
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Related Posts:

  • To Change the Font on Incoming Messages
  • Understanding Fonts and the +Body Style
  • Changing the Reply format revisited
  • Read Outlook Messages using Plain Text

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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Vivek Sethi (@guest_215810)
August 28, 2020 12:23 am
#215810

Hi Diane,
Is there a way where I can view only the response/ reply received on an incoming email in a different colour, or only if the response text could be highlighted on the body of the email?

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  Vivek Sethi
September 23, 2020 11:50 pm
#215949

No, not in current versions.

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Ray McAllister (@guest_202300)
October 14, 2016 11:55 am
#202300

I frequently get email messages in Outlook addressed to dozens if not hundreds of people on the TO: and/or CC: lines. When I need to reply to the sender or forward that message and include the original text, Outlook also includes all of those addresses in the text of my reply. This can be extremely cumbersome and detract from the information I really want to forward. Editing out the addresses can be a real pain, but I often have to do it. How can I create an Outlook format for the body of reply or forwarded messages that includes all of the information from the original, EXCEPT for that long list of addresses?

On my iPhone, forwarding a message includes those addresses in the body, while a reply omits the addresses (and other information I would generally like to keep). Ideally, all the senders would put such long address lists in the bcc: category, but I haven't made much headway in convincing the rest of the world.

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Tami Fine (@guest_201007)
August 23, 2016 11:52 am
#201007

When I try to change the font color by clicking on "Change font color when replying or forwarding" the sample text comes up with (AutoColor) and always uses black. Any suggestions?

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  Tami Fine
August 23, 2016 11:55 am
#201009

Are the messages using HTML formatting? Plain text messages will always show up as black text.

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steven davis (@guest_198673)
May 13, 2016 11:09 am
#198673

HI there how do I change settings so when in an email thread I'm not just seeing myself as the sender but those who I have sent it to in the message thread?

example:

From: Sue Croxford [mailto:sue.croxford@joeblogs.com]
Sent: 22 April 2016
Subject: party
but as you can see no indication of who it was sent to

thanks

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  steven davis
May 14, 2016 9:23 am
#198685

This is in the message list? You'd need to add add the To field to the message list view, but it would change it for incoming messages too, if you use the compact view (the default message list view). If you don't use the reading pane and use the single line view, you'd see the to and from for all messages after adding the To field to the view.

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Emran hassan (@guest_197163)
March 14, 2016 1:36 am
#197163

when i send mail reply . in replay mail not saw in my reply chart. it's not showing. when i clicking reply mail saw in attach file . reply chart saw blank

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John (@guest_193930)
October 12, 2015 3:30 pm
#193930

Hi,
I seem to have sorted this now. In Outlook 2016 Office 365, if you right click on the people icon, you can find Options which gives the option to alter the fonts for replying to and forwarding emails. It worked for me
Hope that helps,
Thanks,
John

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John (@guest_193920)
October 11, 2015 1:29 pm
#193920

Hi,
This doesn't seem to work in Outlook 2016 - Office 365 personal as there is nooption under Mail in Options for Stationary and Fonts.
Thanks,
John

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Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  John
October 12, 2015 11:21 pm
#193939

Is there a Signature button on the Options, Mail page? They will open the same dialog but on a different tab - select the stationery tab to change the fonts.

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Mary (@guest_188306)
December 27, 2014 11:54 am
#188306

When I copy and paste an email into reply, I can't insert my own font and color to reply. Windows 7 and MS Office 2013.

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Reply
Diane Poremsky (@guest_188307)
Reply to  Mary
December 27, 2014 11:33 pm
#188307

what is the message format? formatting is not available with plain text messages, only HTML.

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