Attachments show up in the message body
Usually, when I add an attachment, it shows up in the “Attached” line directly under the “Subject” line.
However, sometimes it is being added between the text of the e-mail message instead.
Is there any way to toggle the location when the attachments show up?
The location is determined by the message format.
The Rich Text format supports in-line attachments and thus the attachments show up in the body of the message.
Plain Text and HTML formatted emails do not support this and show the attachments in a separate line under the message header but above the message body.
Change the message format
You can change your default message format in the following way:
- File-> Options-> Mail-> option: Compose messages in this format
To change the message format while composing a message use:
- Classic Ribbon
Ribbon tab: Format Text - Simplified Ribbon (Microsoft 365)
Ribbon tab: Format Text and then click on the 3 dots (…) on the right to see the Message Format command.
As you will Reply and Forward messages in the message format that you received them in, you may still end up with a Rich Text formatted message. However, you can’t change the message format when you are composing your email in the Reading Pane.
To still see the Format Text tab when replying or forwarding a message, you can use one of the following methods;
- Double click on the message that you want to forward or reply to, to open it in its own window. Then click the Forward or Reply button.
- If you have already started your forward or reply in the Reading Pane, click on the “Pop Out” button at the top of the message to open it in its own window.
Rich Text compatibility concerns
Note that Outlook is the only mail client that can read Rich Text formatted messages.
When sending messages to the Internet or when received by another mail client, the message will get converted to HTML. Some mail servers or mail clients are not able to properly convert the message to HTML format and the receiver ends up with a winmail.dat attachment and the other attachments are lost.
In general, you only want to send in Rich Text format when you have a very specific need to do so and you know the receiver is using Outlook and the mail servers in between are able to maintain the Rich Text message format (like an Exchange server).
