Can't find HTML

Question

Can't find HTML

Enid Briggs 0

Following instructions to restore bold, italic etc, but nothing happens when I click on Format Text or Message to tick HTML.

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Answer 1

Manoel Barros 22,675 Independent Advisor

Hi!

You mentioned HTML, but those options are not available in Outlook Web/New (the version of Outlook in the category you selected). Therefore, it is important to know exactly which version of Outlook you are using.

Are you accessing the website [https://outlook.live.com/mail/], the "New Outlook," or "Outlook Classic"?

You can try to distinguish between them by looking at the icon.

Outlook Classic
New Outlook

Enid Briggs 0 Reputation points

2026-10-22T17:27:29.3166667+00:00

It's New, and probably nothing to do with web at all. Sorry, I really am lost in all this!
Manoel Barros 22,675 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-10-22T23:31:57.51+00:00

Thanks! Don't worry about it; I'll do my best to help.

The "Format Text" tab in the new Outlook only contains buttons for bold, italics, etc. The option to switch to HTML can be found under the "Options" tab.

Click on the "File" tab > Settings > Mail > Compose and reply. Under "Message format," select "HTML" for composing messages, then click "Save." This will set HTML as the default.

If you want to fix the email you currently have open, click on "Options" > "Switch to HTML." The buttons should become active after that.
Enid Briggs 0 Reputation points

2026-10-23T08:27:28.3133333+00:00

Yes .... thought I'd done it.

got to Message Format and opted for HTML

it then sowed my preferred font and size, but greyed-out, as everything else still was.

Tried again, and had to shut down and restart to get out of Settings!

Now it's fleetingly showing Inbox and flipping back to Settings.

Fortunately, this is a separate tab. But I now have no email access.

Oh, what a mess!
Enid Briggs 0 Reputation points

2026-10-23T09:23:03.9066667+00:00

Latest ... I should perhaps have mentioned that I'm in hospital and using a 'tablet'. The main problem has been on my ordinary computer at home since September, when I came home from a 5-week stay in here (all sorts of stuff needed resetting) but today's problem could be down to the tablet. (I'm feeling very cut-off!)
Enid Briggs 0 Reputation points

2026-10-23T13:54:36.33+00:00

Got out of todays knot. 'Just' the original one now.