Forcing Outlook to reply to all emails using HTML format

[Lollie]

How can it be done? I tried Bell and Whistle which stopped working
after a year and a half. any other add-ins or 2nd party apps?

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

No, it can't be done natively. You need VBA or a utility but I don't know of
any utilities that will do it. Frankly, I think it's not a good move - when
someone uses plain text, there is usually a reason and replies in HTML is
likely to be reduced to plain text any way. Good reasons include using a
PDA or cell phone that don't support HTML.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Need Help with Common Tasks? http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/
Outlook 2007: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ol2007/



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[Brian Tillman]

How can it be done?

Nope. Outlook will always reply in the format the sender chose. Why would
you want it otherwise? If the sender chose a specific format, it's possible
s/he cannot handle another format, so why make things difficult for them?

As to whether or not a third-party tool could help, I can't say. Why not
just click Format>HTML?

 

[John McCormick]

I was looking for the same.

The logic does not make sense to me. When composing a new email, you have
no idea what the end device is - Outlook, phone, or PDA; however, new email
defaults to HTML. Also, the reply may be read by something that can deal
with HTML instead of the initiating system. For example, many people have
both a PDA and Outlook and use both actively.

Still looking. Perhaps a GPO or registry hack?


Thanks,

John

No, it can't be done natively. You need VBA or a utility but I don't know of
any utilities that will do it. Frankly, I think it's not a good move - when
someone uses plain text, there is usually a reason and replies in HTML is
likely to be reduced to plain text any way. Good reasons include using a
PDA or cell phone that don't support HTML.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Need Help with Common Tasks? http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/
Outlook 2007: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ol2007/



EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)




You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

How can it be done? I tried Bell and Whistle which stopped working
after a year and a half. any other add-ins or 2nd party apps?

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

There is no GPO or reg hack that will automatically convert all incoming
mail to HTML. You'll need to use VBA to do it.

I'm not about to second guess a sender's ability to read HTML - if they send
me a message in plain text, I reply in plain text since I have no idea what
device they will read it on or if it supports HTML. I assume they had a good
reason for using plain text and will use the same client to read my reply.

When I initiate the message, I use HTML - if they reply in plain text, so be
it. The rest of the conversation will be in plain text though- because their
act of using plain text signaled they prefer plain text. I don't care why
and it doesn't matter why - they replied in plain text and if I want to
continue the conversation, it will be in plain text.


--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]





EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

I was looking for the same.

The logic does not make sense to me. When composing a new email, you have
no idea what the end device is - Outlook, phone, or PDA; however, new
email
defaults to HTML. Also, the reply may be read by something that can deal
with HTML instead of the initiating system. For example, many people have
both a PDA and Outlook and use both actively.

Still looking. Perhaps a GPO or registry hack?


Thanks,

John

No, it can't be done natively. You need VBA or a utility but I don't know
of
any utilities that will do it. Frankly, I think it's not a good move -
when
someone uses plain text, there is usually a reason and replies in HTML is
likely to be reduced to plain text any way. Good reasons include using a
PDA or cell phone that don't support HTML.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Need Help with Common Tasks? http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/
Outlook 2007: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ol2007/



EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)




You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

How can it be done? I tried Bell and Whistle which stopped working
after a year and a half. any other add-ins or 2nd party apps?