Outlook’s default white email background can look plain for personal or branded communications. You can design your own visual style for messages using custom stationery or themes. This feature lets you set a background image, fonts, and colors for new emails. This article explains how to create and apply these designs in Outlook for Windows.
Key Takeaways: Customizing Email Appearance
- File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts: The primary menu to define default fonts, background colors, and stationery for all new messages.
- Options > Themes > Page Color: Applies a solid color or texture background to a single email you are composing.
- Options > Themes > Theme Colors or Theme Fonts: Changes the color palette and font set for the current email without affecting other messages.
Understanding Outlook Stationery and Themes
Outlook offers two main ways to customize email appearance. Stationery refers to a pre-designed template that includes a background image or pattern, specific fonts, and colors. When you set stationery, it applies to all new email messages you create by default. Themes are a more flexible set of design elements like coordinated colors, fonts, and effects that you can apply to individual emails. Themes do not typically include background images but control the style of text and other elements.
Before you start, ensure you are using a desktop version of Outlook, like Outlook for Microsoft 365 or Outlook 2021. The web version of Outlook has limited theming options. For stationery, you need image files in common formats like JPG or PNG if you want to use a custom background. These files should be stored on your computer where Outlook can access them.
Steps to Create and Apply Custom Stationery
Use these steps to set up stationery that will be the default look for your new emails. This method is best for a consistent, branded appearance.
- Open the Stationery settings
In Outlook, go to File > Options. In the Outlook Options window, select the Mail category on the left. Click the Stationery and Fonts button. - Choose or create a theme for stationery
In the Signatures and Stationery window, click the Theme button under Personal Stationery. This opens the Theme or Style dialog. Here you can browse Microsoft’s built-in themes. To use a custom background, select a simple theme first, then click the Page Color button after the next step. - Set a custom background image
After choosing a base theme, go back to the Signatures and Stationery window. Click the Page Color dropdown, then select Fill Effects. Go to the Picture tab and click Select Picture. Browse to your image file and select it. Click OK to apply it as the background. - Define your default fonts
In the same Signatures and Stationery window, use the New mail messages and Replying or forwarding messages sections to set your preferred font, style, size, and color. These will be used for all text in your emails. - Apply and test the stationery
Click OK twice to close all dialog boxes. Create a new email by pressing Ctrl+Shift+M. Your new message should now open with the selected background and fonts applied automatically.
Applying a Theme to a Single Email
If you do not want to change the default for all emails, apply a theme to one message while composing it.
- Start a new email
Click New Email or press Ctrl+N to open a fresh message window. - Open the Themes menu
In the message ribbon, go to the Options tab. In the Themes group, click the Themes button to see a gallery of built-in designs. - Customize theme elements
With the theme applied, use the Theme Colors, Theme Fonts, and Theme Effects buttons next to the Themes button to fine-tune the design. Use the Page Color button in the same group to add a solid color or texture background just to this email.
Common Mistakes and Design Limitations
Stationery Background Does Not Appear for Recipients
Background images in stationery are embedded in the HTML of the email. Some email clients, especially security-conscious corporate systems, block external images or complex HTML by default. The recipient may only see a plain white background unless they allow images to download. For critical design, use a simple colored background from the Page Color menu instead of an image, as solid colors are more reliably displayed.
Fonts Change When the Recipient Views the Email
If you use a custom font not installed on the recipient’s computer, their email client will substitute a standard font like Arial or Times New Roman. This can break your design. To avoid this, use common web-safe fonts like Arial, Verdana, Georgia, or Times New Roman in your stationery font settings. These fonts are almost universally available.
Cannot Find the Stationery and Fonts Button
The Stationery and Fonts button is only available in the classic desktop version of Outlook for Windows. If you are using Outlook on the web or the new Outlook for Windows preview, this option is not present. You must use the Themes options in the individual message ribbon instead, which offers less permanent customization.
Stationery vs. Themes for Single Emails
| Item | Stationery (Default Setting) | Themes (Per-Email) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of Application | Applies automatically to all new emails | Applied manually to one email at a time |
| Background Images | Supports custom image files as backgrounds | Supports only solid colors, gradients, or textures |
| Primary Configuration Location | File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts | Options tab > Themes group in an open email |
| Best For | Consistent branding for all outgoing messages | Occasional decorative emails or internal memos |
You can now design professional or personalized email backgrounds using custom stationery. Use the Theme Colors and Fonts settings for quick adjustments to individual messages. For advanced control, create a signature with formatted HTML that includes your branding, as signatures travel with replies more reliably than stationery backgrounds.