Outlook Rich Text Formatting Lost When Recipient Opens Email: How to Fix

You compose an email in Outlook with bold text, colors, and custom fonts. When the recipient opens it, all the formatting is gone, showing only plain text. This happens because the email message format is set incorrectly for the recipient’s email client. This article explains why formatting disappears and provides steps to ensure your emails look correct for everyone.

Why Email Formatting Disappears for Recipients

Outlook can send emails in three primary formats: HTML, Rich Text Format, and Plain Text. HTML is the modern web standard supported by all major email services like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Outlook.com. Rich Text Format is a Microsoft-specific format that only works correctly between Outlook clients on the same Exchange server. Plain Text has no formatting at all.

When you use the Rich Text Format, the formatting instructions are embedded in a way that non-Outlook clients cannot read. Services like Gmail or Apple Mail will strip out the RTF coding, leaving only the plain text content. Even other Outlook users may not see the formatting if they are not on your corporate network. The solution is to use the HTML format, which is universally readable.

Steps to Change Your Default Message Format to HTML

The most reliable fix is to set HTML as your default message format. This ensures all new emails you create will use the compatible format.

1. Open Outlook Options
   Click the File tab in the top-left corner of the Outlook window. Select Options from the left-hand menu to open the Outlook Options dialog box.
2. Navigate to Mail Settings
   In the Outlook Options window, select the Mail category from the left sidebar. Scroll down to the Compose messages section.
3. Select HTML Format
   Find the dropdown menu labeled “Compose messages in this format.” Click the menu and select HTML from the list of options. Click OK to save and close the window.

Manually Changing the Format for a Single Message

If you need to send one specific email in HTML format without changing your default, you can do it directly in the message window.

1. Create a New Email
   Click New Email on the Home tab to open a blank message window.
2. Switch to the Format Text Tab
   In the new message ribbon, click the Format Text tab. Locate the Format group on the left side.
3. Click the HTML Button
   In the Format group, click the button labeled HTML. This changes the format for this specific message only. You can now apply your formatting and send the email.

If Formatting is Still Lost or Looks Wrong

Recipient Sees a Winmail.dat Attachment

Some recipients report getting a strange file named winmail.dat instead of a formatted email. This occurs when your Outlook is configured to send in Rich Text Format to external contacts. To stop this, go to File > Options > Mail. Click the Spelling and Autocorrect button, then go to the AutoCorrect Options dialog. Select the AutoFormat As You Type tab and uncheck the box for “Internet and network paths with hyperlinks.” More directly, ensure your default format is HTML as described in the main steps.

Formatting is Broken in Replies and Forwards

Your new emails may be HTML, but replies and forwards might still use an old format. To fix this, go to File > Options > Mail. Click the Stationery and Fonts button. In the dialog that opens, go to the Personal Stationery tab. Under “Replying and forwarding,” set the dropdown menu to “Use my default fonts.” This ensures replies inherit the HTML format of the original message you are answering.

Corporate Policy Enforces Rich Text Format

In some organizations, an administrator sets Rich Text Format as the mandatory standard for internal mail. If you must use RTF internally but need to send HTML externally, you can set a per-recipient rule. In the To field of a new email, right-click the external recipient’s name. Select Outlook Properties from the context menu. In the Properties window, choose the option “Let Outlook decide the best sending format” or manually select HTML.

Outlook Message Formats: Compatibility Comparison

Item	HTML Format	Rich Text Format	Plain Text
Primary Use	Standard web format for all email clients	Microsoft Outlook proprietary format	Basic text with no styling
Formatting Support	Fonts, colors, images, hyperlinks, tables	Fonts, colors, limited Outlook-specific features	None
Cross-Platform Compatibility	Excellent with Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook.com	Poor, often converts to plain text or attaches winmail.dat	Universal
Recommended For	All external and most internal business communication	Internal Exchange networks where all users use Outlook	Technical alerts or communicating with very old systems
Default in Outlook	Yes for most new installations	Possible in some corporate configurations	No

You can now ensure your emails retain their bold headings, company colors, and bullet points for any recipient. Set your default message format to HTML in Outlook Options. For one-off messages, use the Format Text tab to switch to HTML before hitting send. A related feature to explore is creating and using email signatures, which also rely on HTML format to display logos and contact information correctly.