Outlook allows you some control over how your email messages look. Within Outlook 2003 & 2007 it is possible to change the default font, its point size, style (bold, italic) and color. The same level of control is also available for the font you use in replying to or forwarding a message. A separate set of options is available for plain text messages.
If you want more significant changes to how your messages look, Microsoft also includes a wide range of Themes and Stationary. Selecting one of the themes will potentially modify the font, color and style along with the background color and design of the email body. A good rule of thumb when using themes or stationary is to test what you select and make sure it doesn’t impact the “readability” of your email message.
Changing the Default Font Settings
To change the default font parameters, theme or stationary open Outlook and in the Menu Bar near the top of the screen click on Tools, then Options, which will open the Options dialog box. In the Options dialog box click on the Mail Format Tab and then select Stationery and Fonts. You can now select the items and parameters you would like to modify. The options or menus may vary slightly depending on the version of Outlook you are using.
Before Making Changes
When modifying settings in a program such as Outlook it’s a good idea to make a note of the default or initial settings before your start your modifications. That way if your changes produce results that you didn’t anticipate you have a clear path back to your initial settings.
