HTML, RTF, plain text reformatting in Outlook 2010

In Outlook 2010, when you Reply, Reply All or Forward, how can you force the email be HTML-formatted instead of inheriting the format of the original email?

Of particular interest, I have a problem where someone sends me messages formatted as RTF in Outlook, which creates problems where the non-plain text content may not be visible to people to whom I relay the messages. I would like to be able to translate the messages to HTML when I resend them.

Vickie

Posted 2015-09-03T20:48:51.797

Reputation: 41

Answers

Method 1: change the message format manually.

Click on Reply / Reply All / Forward
This will open up a new window i.e., the e-mail editor
On the e-mail Toolbar / Ribbon
click on "Format Text" > "Format" Group > Select your preferred format

HTML
Plain Text
Rich Text (RFT)

Keyboard shortcuts:
You can perform this even faster by using keyboard shortcuts

Alt + O + TH = HTML format
Alt + O + TP = Plain Text
Alt + O + TR = RTF format

Note that only content in the body of the email will be reformatted as per your preference. There might be some inconsistancies, like too many indents, but otherwise its usually pain free. If the original message was formatted RTF in Outlook, all non-plain-text content, plus attachments, will have been stored in a winmail.dat attachment. Content within winmail.dat has to be viewed/recovered manually (requires a separate app).

xypha

Posted 2015-09-03T20:48:51.797

Reputation: 2 434

low on points, cant post more than 1 link per answer = multiple answers – xypha – 2015-09-03T23:12:10.007

Can you clarify whether everything is reformatted to the selected format vs. only new content. For example, if you receive an RTF message where everything (images, attachments, etc.), is in a winmail.dat file and then set the output format to HTML, will all of the previous content be reformatted and integrated as if everything had originally been HTML, and the winmail.dat disappears? – fixer1234 – 2015-09-08T20:09:26.607

only content in the body of the email will be reformatted as per your preference. there might be some inconsistancies like too many indents but otherwise its usually pain free. Content within winmail.dat has to be viewed/recovered manually (requires a separate app) – xypha – 2015-09-21T11:33:21.590

I believe, the easiest method is a free add-in: ReliefJet Quicks for Outlook. It provides the "Always reply using format" option that does exactly what you want (including formatting when forwarding and even more productivity tweaks). Just set the required format and forget.

It sets the format for your outgoing message, including everything in the entire message body, but note that it doesn't re-integrate what the originator's Outlook may have moved to the winmail.dat file (such as original enhanced message formatting, embedded images, hyperlinks in usable form, or attachments).

Please note that I recommend this add-in because I'm one of its developers, so feel free to ask any further questions.

thims

Posted 2015-09-03T20:48:51.797

Reputation: 8 081

It forces the format for the entire reply message. – thims – 2015-09-21T17:52:38.790

Outlook stores additional MAPI properties in TNEF format (that is winmail.dat file). It is not related to message body and you can disable TNEF usage in Outlook/Exchange options. – thims – 2015-09-21T18:26:34.100

The OP's question was one of a pair. The related question explained the problem in more detail. The issue was somebody creating their messages in RTF in Outlook. Outlook dumps everything into the winmail.dat file and leaves a plain text copy of the message body. So among the things in winmail.dat are the original message formatting, hyperlinks in usable form, images that may have been embedded in the message, attachments, etc. So I was trying to clarify whether your add-in deals with just the current message body, or re-integrates original body content from winmail.dat. Thanks. – fixer1234 – 2015-09-21T18:47:02.700

1No, it will not re-integrate anything, because Outlook processes winmail.dat in the incoming messages automatically. You just don't even see it. For outgoing messages add-in can force HTML format for RTF body and the recipients will not receive the winmail.dat. – thims – 2015-09-21T18:54:29.003

Method 2: Macro
You change the message format via a macro

visit: http://www.slipstick.com/developer/always-reply-using-the-same-message-format/

I haven't tested the code available at the above link and using macros carries some risk if you don't know what you are doing.
Use with care.

xypha

Posted 2015-09-03T20:48:51.797

Reputation: 2 434

Does this reformat the original message as well as the reply or just forces the reply to HTML? – fixer1234 – 2015-09-21T17:35:39.097

forces the reply to HTML, does not modify original email in inbox. – xypha – 2015-09-24T12:42:23.423

Method 3: Paid Add-in

There is a way to automate this via an Add-in, but its a paid Add-in
visit: http://www.msoutlook.info/question/628

I don't recommend this though unless you need the add-in for other reasons as well, and its worth paying for the extra features it offers.
After all, its only a few clicks / keystrokes.

xypha

Posted 2015-09-03T20:48:51.797

Reputation: 2 434