Change default font in Outlook replies

Re: Your suggested steps

1. Outlook for Mac has Settings, not Preferences. I did go to Settings/Fonts and make all the changes originally, and about 5-10 more times since but it doesn't hold.
2. There is no Template option that I can find in Settings, or in the Menu, or under Settings/Fonts.
3. I have the latest update.
4. Under the Format there is no Plain Text/HTML option. There is an Edit All Text option but it is grayed out.
5. The option to create a new profile seems very drastic to me, unless if I configure a new profile there is a way to migrate all my settings, saved emails, email history. I am not going to do that without assurance.

Hi,

Thank you for replying and that is fine.

Let’s try to fix this for Outlook on Mac.

1. Check Font Settings:
   • Open Outlook and go to Preferences from the top menu.
   • Select Fonts under the "Personal Settings" section.
   • Under the "Replies and Forwarding" section, choose the font, size, and color you want. Make sure you click OK or Save to apply the changes.
2. Reset Theme or Template:
   • If the color keeps defaulting to White, your template or theme might be causing the issue. Try changing the theme:
     • In Preferences, go to Signatures and Templates.
     • Check if a specific theme or stationery is overriding the font color.
3. Update Outlook:
   • Ensure you're on the latest version of Outlook for Mac, as bugs are often fixed in updates.
     • Go to the Help menu in Outlook and select Check for Updates.
4. Adjust Formatting Settings:
   • Open a new email, click on Format in the menu bar, and make sure the "Plain Text" option isn’t selected (it can override color choices). Switch to HTML formatting.
5. Create a New Profile (if necessary):
   • If none of the above works, consider creating a new Outlook profile to reset all settings:
     • Close Outlook.
     • Open the Outlook Profile Manager (search for it in Spotlight).
     • Add a new profile and configure your account there.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Clifford B.

Microsoft Community Moderator

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear in my question, though I had signed under the category for Outlook for Mac. I am asking about the settings in Outlook for Mac and I gather that your reply refers to the options in Outlook for PC.

Hi,

Thank you for replying. Since it has the same issue after performing all of the possible troubleshooting steps that you can perform then it would be better if you will contact live support for further assistance.

You'll need to contact a Microsoft representative by phone or chat by following the steps below. They're the only people at Microsoft who can respond and investigate and, help you with your concern. If you prefer to contact our phone or chat teams, you can do so by following the link below:

 https://support.microsoft.com/home/contact?ContactUsExperienceEntryPointAssetId=S.HP.outlook

Once you've opened the link, do the following:

(1) Provide a brief description of your problem and click Get Help.

(2) click Contact Support at the bottom of the results that appear.

(3) click Confirm after making sure which product you have a problem with; and

(4) Finally, you will have the option of contacting an Office chat representative or receiving a call from an Office telephone representative.

Best Regards,

Clifford B.

Microsoft Community Moderator

Hello,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community Forum. Please accept our warmest regards and sincerest hope that all is well despite the situation you find yourself in.

That sounds frustrating! The issue you're describing could be related to Outlook’s font settings or a display/rendering issue. Let’s troubleshoot this step-by-step to get it resolved:

Verify Reply and Forward Font Settings

• Go to "File" → "Options" → "Mail" → "Stationery and Fonts."
• Under "Replying or forwarding messages," ensure the font color is set to your desired color (not white). Double-check the font style, size, and color.

Check Email Format

• Open "File" → "Options" → "Mail" → "Compose messages" and check if the format is set to HTML. If the format is "Plain Text," font settings may not apply.

Override Stationery Fonts

• Go to "File" → "Options" → "Mail" → "Stationery and Fonts."
• Under "Personal Stationery," make sure "Theme" is set to No Theme. Some themes may override your font choices and apply white text.

Test Color Changes

• Create a new reply or forward to test if the changes you made to the font settings are applied correctly.
• Check if the issue is specific to emails received from certain senders or formats.

Disable Dark Mode

• If you're using Outlook’s Dark Mode, this could affect text color display. Disable Dark Mode by going to "File" → "Options" → "General" → "Office Theme," and change it to "Light."

Clear Cached Fonts

• Cached settings may interfere with changes. Restart Outlook or clear its cache:
  • Open "Run" (Windows Key + R).
  • Type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook and press Enter.
  • Delete the cache files (don't worry, they’ll regenerate).

Update Outlook

• Ensure you’re using the latest version of Outlook. Go to "File" → "Office Account" → "Update Options" → "Update Now."

Repair Office Installation

• If the problem persists, repair your Office installation:
  • Go to "Control Panel" → "Programs" → "Programs and Features."
  • Select "Microsoft Office," then click "Change" and choose "Repair."

Test Another Email Account

• Add a different email account to Outlook and test if the font issue persists. If it doesn’t, the problem might be account-specific.

Contact Microsoft Support

• If none of these steps work, Microsoft Support can provide further assistance tailored to your situation. Visit Microsoft Support.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Clifford B.

Microsoft Community Moderator