Cannot change default theme in Outlook

Question

I'm in the latest version of Outlook for PC as part of an Office 365 subscription, on a Surface Book 2. Windows 10, Office 365 for business.

I cannot change the default theme on Outlook - something that should be easy.

I've followed the instructions about creating new stationary (here https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/create-stationery-for-email-messages-b5552ece-8f09-49ce-81a1-c1b7d347914f) but unfortunately when you save the temporary message with all its design elements as HTML, and select that as a new 'theme' as per the instructions, every new email you then go to create begins with all the temporary text and links that you used in the temp message. This method, as instructed, simply does not work. There is no instruction as to how to create the design so that the colour for hyperlinks etc is saved, but allowing you to start with a blank email.

Then there is the confusing matter of the Options tab in your new message window. This contains a Theme, Colour and Font box, like other applications within Office 365. I've got an overall Office theme saved that works as the default for Powerpoint and Word etc. It shows up in the 'Themes' box here. I can even select it manually and it does then automatically convert my message to the right theme, with hyperlinks the right colour etc. But there's no way to have that theme set to default so that every new message begins using that theme. And that 'master level' Office theme that I've created does not show up in the 'Themes' options in Outlook's Mail stationary menu (File, Options, Mail, Stationary and Fonts).

What a car crash. Why is something to simple SO confusing?

Please can someone help, it's driving me crazy having to manually change every email message to get hyperlinks into the right font and colour.

stuart

Answer 1

Hi Stuart,

Thank you so much for your detail explanation and demonstration for you issue.

You are quite right regarding to the customized stationary and theme, if you save the message as a file and use this as a html to select as your theme, what you get is the origin text you created for your own, you need to delete it and overwrite on this which means you have to keep up in the same line to keep that "format". if you delete it and start from the scratch, all the format you use before will be gone. The purpose of the extra customized stationary is more keen on if you have insert image or any table you need to use. 

Currently it is not available, like customize the bullet point or hyperlink style that you could use for your own format at all line settings, except for, as we mentioned to make the format just stay in that specific line is achievable. 

The last question you mentioned is quite so, this setting is for configuring this one mail's theme instead of the global one. 

For your theme did not work issue, do you have any error message and what does it look like when you selected the theme? So here is the example:

You mean you cannot change the default one, if you would explain a little bit more, for instance, there is no response when you click the button or you couldn't see any themes in this option, it would be great help if you could add more details, appreciate it.

Kind Regards,

George

Answer 2

Hi Stuart,

How are you Stuart, we understand this issue could bring inconvenience to you, we just need to check back if you have further questions or other updates related to this?

Kind Regards,

George