Do one of the following:
Change the default message format for all new messages
Specify the default message format for one new message you will create
Change the format of a message you have received or already created
Do one of the following:
When reading a Rich Text Format message
With the message open, on the Format menu, click the format you want to use (Plain Text or HTML).
Note If you use Word to read Rich Text e-mail messages, you cannot change the format of the message.
When reading a plain text or HTML message
On the Format menu, click the format you want to use (Plain Text, HTML, or Rich Text).
Note If Word is not your e-mail editor, you can convert HTML or RTF to plain text, and you can convert plain text to RTF or HTML. However, you cannot convert HTML to RTF or RTF to HTML.
When composing a message with Word as your e-mail editor
With the message open, on the E-mail toolbar, click the format you want to use from the drop-down list (Plain Text, HTML, or Rich Text).
When composing a message if Word is not your e-mail editor
With the message open, on the Format menu, click the format you want to use (HTML, Rich Text or Plain Text).
Note If Word is not your e-mail editor, you can convert HTML or RTF to plain text, and you can convert plain text to RTF or HTML. However, you cannot convert HTML to RTF or RTF to HTML.
Change the format for all messages sent to a particular Internet recipient
Notes