Gmail’s plain text mode is a composing choice for the outgoing message. Rich text supports visual formatting and embedded elements, while plain text is useful when you want straightforward text. Neither mode makes a message confidential or changes who receives it.
Change the mode in the computer composer
Open the intended draft and preserve any important formatting before switching. At the bottom of the composer, open More options and choose Plain text mode to turn it on or off.
Read the result in the draft before sending. If you switch away from rich text, do not assume that returning to rich text later reconstructs every previous font, image, or layout. Keep an original copy if those elements matter.
Choose according to the message’s needs
- Plain text: A simple message where wording, readable paragraphs, and explicit addresses matter more than appearance.
- Rich text: A message requiring emphasis, formatted lists, descriptive hyperlinks, or inline images.
A recipient’s mail application can still display the message differently. Plain text does not force identical line wrapping on all devices, and rich text does not guarantee that a particular font or image appears exactly as it did in your composer.
Review links and signatures
Check that important web addresses remain understandable and that a reader can identify where to go. Do not rely on color or formatting alone for an instruction. Review any signature or copied content after changing the mode.
Some features depend on the supported rich-text composer. Google’s mail-merge guide, for example, says mail merge cannot be used with messages composed in plain text mode. A missing feature can therefore reflect the message mode rather than an account fault.
Keep other privacy and display controls separate
Plain text composing does not encrypt the mail, remove quoted secrets automatically, or disable images in every incoming message. Incoming image display and confidential mode have their own controls. Before Send, inspect the addresses and actual content regardless of the format. For a crucial message, a non-sensitive test can confirm that the chosen format communicates what you intended.
Browse Gmail & Google Account help
References
Reviewed against the linked official and developer guidance on October 27, 2026. Available options and screen labels can vary by account, device, region, and organization policy.