Microsoft Office Tutorials: Outlook advanced editing options

Outlook contains a number of options that you can control to affect the content of email messages you send and receive. For example, you can control how you copy and paste content into an email message, whether Outlook uses AutoComplete as you type, table formatting, and field shading. You can find many of these options by selecting File > Options.

Newer versions Office 2007

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To view these options in Microsoft Outlook, in an email message, click File > Options > Mail > Editor Options > Advanced.

Typing replaces selected text Select this option to delete the selected text when you begin to type. If you clear this check box, Microsoft Office Outlook inserts new text in front of the selected text and does not delete the selected text.

When selecting, automatically select entire word Select this option to select entire words when you select part of one word and then part of the next word. Turning this option on also causes Outlook to select a word and the space that follows it when you double-click a word.

Allow text to be dragged and dropped Select this option to be able to move or copy selected text by dragging it. To move text, select the text, and then drag it to a new location. To copy text, select the text, and then hold down CTRL while you drag the selection to its new location.

Use CTRL + Click to follow hyperlink Select this option to make it easier to edit the text of hyperlinks. When this option is turned on, you must press CTRL while you click the link in order to follow the link. When this option is turned off, clicking the link causes Outlook to go to the destination of the link, which makes it more difficult to edit the text of the link.

Automatically create drawing canvas when inserting AutoShapes Select this option to place a drawing canvas around drawing objects or ink drawings and writing when you insert them into your email. A drawing canvas helps you to arrange drawing objects and pictures, and to move them as a unit.

Use smart paragraph selection Select this option to select the paragraph mark when you select a whole paragraph. If you include the paragraph mark when you cut and paste a paragraph, you don't leave a blank paragraph, and your formatting automatically stays with the paragraph.

Use smart cursoring Select this option to specify that the cursor moves as you scroll up or down. When you press the LEFT ARROW, RIGHT ARROW, UP ARROW, or DOWN ARROW key after you scroll, the cursor responds at the page currently in view, not at its previous position.

Use the Insert key to control overtype mode Select this option to turn Overtype mode on or off by pressing INSERT.

Use overtype mode Select this option to replace existing text as you type, one character at a time. If Use the Insert key to control overtype mode is selected, you can turn this option on or off by pressing INSERT.

Add double quote for Hebrew alphabet numbering Select this option to add double quotation marks (") to numbering.

Note: This option is available only if Hebrew is enabled for editing text.

Prompt to update style Select this option to be prompted when you directly modify text to which a style is applied and then you reapply the style to the modified text. When prompted, you can either update the style based on recent changes or reapply the formatting of the style.

Use Normal style for bulleted or numbered lists Select this option to base list styles on the Normal paragraph style instead of the Paragraph List style.

Keep track of formatting Select this option to keep track of your formatting as you type. This helps you to easily apply the same formatting elsewhere. This option must be turned on before you can use the Select Text with Similar Formatting command on the shortcut menu that appears if you right-click selected text. To display a list of the formatting that you used, click the Options command on the Style pane, and then select the Paragraph level formatting, Font formatting, and Bullet and numbering formatting check boxes.

Mark formatting inconsistencies Select this option to mark formatting with a wavy blue underline when it is similar to, but not exactly the same as, other formatting in your emails. To use this option, you must also select the Keep track of formatting check box.

Updating style to match selection If you make changes to a style, select this option to update the style to match your changes.

Enable click and type Select this option to insert text, graphics, tables, or other items in a blank area of an email by double-clicking in the blank area. The Click and Type feature automatically inserts paragraphs and applies the alignment necessary to position the item where you double-clicked. This feature is available only in Print Layout view and Web Layout view.

Default paragraph style Select the style that is applied to text when you use click and type.

Show AutoComplete suggestions Select this option to have Outlook suggest the most frequently used word as you type. You can then press Enter, and Outlook will automatically finish typing the word.

Do not automatically hyperlink screen shot This option prevents Outlook from inserting a hyperlink when you paste a screen shot into your email message.

Use sequence checking Select this option to validate whether a newly typed character occurs in the correct sequence to be used as a tone mark, diacritic, or vowel to be placed above, below, in front of, or behind the consonant it goes with.

Note: This option is available only if a complex script language is enabled for editing text. Select this option to replace the previously typed character with the newly typed character if the two characters cannot coexist in the same text cluster.

Asian fonts also apply to Latin text Select this option to change Latin characters to the selected Asian font when you apply the Asian font to selected text. Clear this check box if you want Latin characters to remain in the Latin font while you apply the Asian font to the rest of the email.

Note: This option is available only if an East Asian language is enabled for editing text.

Automatically switch keyboard to match language of surrounding text Select this option to change the keyboard language and font based on the language of the text where the cursor is placed. If you clear this option, only the font is changed.

Note: This option is available only if an East Asian language is enabled for editing text and an Input Method Editor for typing East Asian characters is installed.

Use legacy IME mode to enable Overtype mode Select this option to allow the characters that you type to replace existing characters (overtype) while you are using an Input Method Editor (IME) on a computer that is running the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. If Outlook is installed on a computer that is running Windows Vista, this option does not appear because Overtype mode is supported automatically.

Note: This option is available only if an East Asian language is enabled for editing text, and an Input Method Editor for typing East Asian characters is installed.

IME Control Active Select this option to start an Input Method Editor (IME). Clear this check box to stop an IME.

Note: This option is available only if an East Asian language is enabled for editing text and an Input Method Editor for typing East Asian characters is installed.

IME TrueInline Select this option to use a natural language interface on IME-enabled computers.

Note: This option is available only if an East Asian language is enabled for editing text and an Input Method Editor for typing East Asian characters is installed.

IME Settings Click to open the Properties for IME Name dialog box. Use this dialog box to set or change the text, keyboard, character conversion, and other options for the active IME.

Note: This option is available only if an East Asian language is enabled for editing text and an Input Method Editor for typing East Asian characters is installed.

Within the same email This option displays the default behavior that occurs when you paste content into the same emails from which you copied the content. In the drop-down list, select one of the following:

Keep Source Formatting (Default) This option retains character styles and direct formatting that were applied to the copied text. Direct formatting includes characteristics such as font size, italic, or other formatting that is not included in the paragraph style.
Merge Formatting This option discards most of the formatting that was applied directly to the copied text, but it retains formatting that is considered emphasis, such as bold and italic, when it is applied to only a portion of the selection. The text takes on the style characteristics of the paragraph where it is pasted. The text also takes on any direct formatting or character style properties of text that immediately precedes the cursor when the text is pasted.
Keep Text Only This option discards all formatting and nontext elements, such as pictures or tables. The text takes on the style characteristics of the paragraph where it is pasted and takes on any direct formatting or character style properties of text that immediately precedes the cursor when the text is pasted. Graphical elements are discarded, and tables are converted to a series of paragraphs.

Pasting between emails This option displays the default behavior that occurs when you paste content that was copied from another email in Outlook. In the drop-down list, select one of the following:

Keep Source Formatting (Default) This option retains formatting that was applied to the copied text. Any style definition that is associated with the copied text is copied to the destination email.
Merge Formatting This option discards most formatting that was applied directly to the copied text, but it retains formatting that is considered emphasis, such as bold and italic, when it is applied to only a portion of the selection. The text takes on the style characteristics of the paragraph where it is pasted. The text also takes on any direct formatting or character style properties of text that immediately precedes the cursor when the text is pasted.
Keep Text Only This option discards all formatting and nontext elements, such as pictures or tables. The text takes on the style characteristics of the paragraph where it is pasted and takes on any direct formatting or character style properties of text that immediately precedes the cursor when the text is pasted. Graphical elements are discarded, and tables are converted to a series of paragraphs.

Pasting between emails when style definitions conflict This option displays the default behavior that occurs when you paste content that was copied from another email in Outlook, and the style that is assigned to the copied text is defined differently in the email where the text is being pasted. In the drop-down list, select one of the following:

Keep Source Formatting This option retains the look of the copied text by assigning the Normal style to the pasted text and applying direct formatting. Direct formatting includes characteristics such as font size, italic, or other formatting to mimic the style definition of the copied text.
Use Destination Styles (Default) This option retains the style name that is associated with the copied text, but it uses the style definition of the email where the text is being pasted. For example, you copy Heading 1 text from one email to another. In one email, Heading 1 is defined as Arial bold, 14-point, and in the email where you are pasting the text, Heading 1 is defined as Cambria bold, 16-point. When you use the Use Destination Styles option, the pasted text uses Heading 1 style, Cambria bold, 16-point.
Merge Formatting This option discards the style definition and most formatting that was applied directly to the copied text, but it retains formatting that is considered emphasis, such as bold and italic, when it is applied to only a portion of the selection. The text takes on the style definition in the email where the text is being pasted.
Keep Text Only This option discards all formatting and nontext elements, such as pictures or tables. The text takes on the style characteristics of the paragraph where it is pasted and takes on any direct formatting or character style properties of text that immediately precedes the cursor when the text is pasted. Graphical elements are discarded, and tables are converted to a series of paragraphs.

Pasting from other programs This option displays the default behavior that occurs when you paste content that was copied from another program. In the drop-down list, select one of the following:

Keep Source Formatting (Default) This option retains the formatting of the copied text.
Merge Formatting This option discards most formatting that was applied directly to the copied text, but it retains formatting that is considered emphasis, such as bold and italic, when it is applied to only a portion of the selection. The text takes on the style characteristics of the paragraph where it is pasted. The text also takes on any direct formatting characteristics of text that immediately precedes the cursor when the text is pasted.
Keep Text Only This option discards all formatting and nontext elements, such as pictures or tables. The text takes on the style characteristics of the paragraph where it is pasted and takes on any direct formatting or character style properties of text that immediately precedes the cursor when the text is pasted. Graphical elements are discarded, and tables are converted to a series of paragraphs.

Insert/paste pictures as This option displays how Outlook inserts pictures relative to the text in your email. You can insert images inline with text, allow images to move with text, or wrap text around, in front of, or behind an image. In the drop-down list, select one of the following:

In line with text This option inserts the graphic in a paragraph as if it were text. This option is used by default. The graphic moves as you add or delete text. You can drag the graphic to reposition it the same way that you drag text.
Square This option wraps the text around all sides of a square around the graphic. The graphic does not move as you add or delete text, but you can drag the graphic to reposition it.
Tight This option wraps the text around the graphic in an irregular shape around the actual image. The graphic does not move as you add or delete text, but you can drag the graphic to reposition it.
Behind text This option inserts the graphic so that the graphic floats on its own layer behind the text. There is no border around the graphic. The graphic does not move as you add or delete text, but you can drag the graphic to reposition it.
In front of text This option inserts the graphic so that the graphic floats on its own layer in front of the text. There is no border around the graphic. The graphic does not move as you add or delete text, but you can drag the graphic to reposition it.
Through This option wraps the text around the graphic, including filling the space created by a concave shape, such as a crescent moon. The graphic does not move as you add or delete text, but you can drag the graphic to reposition it.
Top and bottom This option prevents text from wrapping on the sides of the graphic. The graphic does not move as you add or delete text, but you can drag the graphic to reposition it.

Keep bullets and numbers when pasting text with Keep Text Only option Select this option to convert numbering and bullets into text symbols.

Use the Insert key for paste Select this option to use the INSERT key to insert the contents of the Office Clipboard into an email message.

Show Paste Options button when content is pasted Select this option to display the Paste Options button when you paste content. You can use the Paste Options button to override or modify the settings you make in this section of the Editor Options dialog box.

Use smart cut and paste Select this option to automatically adjust formatting as you paste text. After you select this check box, you can click Settings to set additional options for pasting.

Settings Click this to open the Settings dialog box. Use this dialog box to specify default behavior when merging, cutting, and pasting text. You can override default behavior by using the Paste Options button that appears when you paste content from the Clipboard into your email. This button is available only when the Use smart cut and paste option is turned on.
- Adjust sentence and word spacing automatically Select this option to remove extra spaces when deleting text or add necessary spaces when pasting text from the clipboard.
- Adjust paragraph spacing on paste Select this option to prevent creating empty paragraphs and to prevent inconsistent paragraph spacing.
- Adjust table formatting and alignment on paste Select this option to control the formatting and alignment of tables. When this option is turned on, single cells are pasted as text, table portions are pasted as rows into an existing table (rather than as a nested table), and when you add a table to an existing table, the pasted table is adjusted to match the existing table.
- Smart style behavior Selecting this option has no effect. To fine-tune the behavior of styles when pasting content, use the Pasting options in the Cut, copy, and paste section of the Advanced options.
- Merge formatting when pasting from Microsoft Office PowerPoint Select this option to control the results when you paste content from a PowerPoint presentation. When this option is turned on, the formatting of the surrounding text or table is applied to the pasted text, the most recently used bullet, number, or list style is applied to the pasted list, and the look of items such as tables, hyperlinks, images, OLE objects, and shapes is preserved from the source in PowerPoint.
- Adjust formatting when pasting from Microsoft Office Excel Select this option to control the results when pasting data from Excel. When this option is turned on, pasted data is placed in a table, and charts are pasted as pictures rather than as OLE objects.
- Merge pasted lists with surrounding lists Select this option to format list items to conform to the surrounding list when you are pasting the items into a list.

Show text wrapped within the document window Select this option to wrap text to the window containing the email, so that it is easier to read on the screen.

Show picture placeholders Select this option to display an empty box in place of each picture in your emails. This option speeds the process of scrolling through an email that contains a large number of pictures.

Show drawings and text boxes on screen Select this option to display objects that are created with the Outlook drawing tools in Print Layout view or Web Layout view. Clear this check box to hide drawings and possibly speed the display of emails that contain many drawings. Drawings will be printed even if you clear this check box.

Show control characters Select this option to display right-to-left control characters.

Note: This option is available only if a right-to-left language is enabled for editing text.

Show bookmarks Select this option to display bookmarks on the screen. If you assign a bookmark to an item, the bookmarked item appears in brackets ([…]). If you assign a bookmark to a location, the bookmark appears as an I-beam. The brackets and the I-beam do not appear in printed emails.

Show field codes instead of their values Select this option to display field codes instead of field results in your emails. For example, you may see { TIME @\"MMMM, d, YYYY" } instead of February 4, 2008. Clear this check box to view field results.

Regardless of this setting, you can always switch between displaying field codes and field code results by pressing ALT+F9.

Field shading This option displays whether and when fields are shaded. In the list, select Always or When Selected to shade your fields. Selecting Never turns off field shading. Shading fields makes them easy to identify. The shading appears on the screen but not in the printed email.

Numeral This option determines how numerals will appear in emails. Select an item from the list.

Note: This option is available only if an Arabic language is enabled for editing text.

Arabic Select this option to display numerals in a format familiar to speakers of English and other European languages.
Hindi Select this option to display numerals in a format familiar to speakers of Arabic and Hindi.
Context Select this option to display numerals according to the language of the surrounding text.
System Select this option to display numerals according to the regional settings in Control Panel.

Month names This option determines how Western (Gregorian) month names appear in Arabic text. Select an item from the list.

Note: This option is available only if an Arabic language is enabled for editing text.

Arabic Select this option to use Arabic native month names.
English transliterated Select this option to spell out Western (Gregorian) month names in English pronunciation by using Arabic text.
French transliterated Select this option to spell out Western (Gregorian) month names in French pronunciation by using Arabic text.

Diacritics This option displays diacritics in the email.

Note: This option is available only if a language that uses diacritics is enabled for editing text.

Use this color for diacritics Select this option to specify a color for display of all diacritics, regardless of the color of the diacritics in the original email. In the list, select a color.

Document view This option specifies the text direction for new emails.

Note: This option is available only if a right-to-left language is enabled for editing text.

Right-to-left Select this option to lay out emails right to left. For example, paragraphs start on the right side of an email with text flowing to the left.
Left-to-right Select this option to lay out emails left to right. For example, paragraphs start on the left side of an email with text flowing to the right.

Font Substitution Click this to open the Font Substitution dialog box. Use this option to determine whether the active email uses any fonts that are not available on your computer. If the email uses fonts that are not on your computer, you can use the dialog box to specify a substitute font.

Expand all headings when opening a document Select this option to automatically expand any collapsed headings when you open a document.

Show measurements in units of Select the measurement unit that you want to use for the horizontal ruler and for measurements that you type in dialog boxes.

Show measurements in width of characters Select this option to use character width as the basis for aligning text, such as in the vertical and horizontal rulers.

Note: This option is available only if an East Asian language is enabled for editing text.

Show pixels for HTML features Select this option to use pixels as the default unit of measurement in dialog boxes that are related to HTML features.

Show shortcut keys in ScreenTips Select this option to display keyboard shortcuts in ScreenTips.

Show vertical ruler in Print Layout view Select this option to display the vertical ruler at the side of the email window. Make sure that you also select the Ruler check box in the Show/Hide group on the View tab of the Ribbon, which is a part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface.

Show right ruler in Print Layout view Select this option to display the vertical ruler at the right side of the email window.

Note: This option is available only if a right-to-left language is enabled for editing text.

Optimize character positioning for layout rather than readability Select this option to display character positioning accurately, as it will appear in the printed email with respect to blocks of text. Spacing between characters may be distorted when this option is turned on. For best readability on the screen, turn this option off.

Disable hardware graphics acceleration Select this option to prevent your system from using hardware graphics acceleration.

Update document content while dragging Select this option to prevent your system from changing your document content when you drag an object that has text wrapping.

Note: This option is unavailable in Outlook 2010.

Use subpixel positioning to smooth fonts on screen Subpixel positioning can improve the apparent resolution of fonts displayed in Outlook. Select this option to enable subpixel positioning.

Note: This option is unavailable in Outlook 2010.

Show pop-up buttons for adding rows and columns in tables Select this option to enable the pop-up button feature that allows you to quickly select the number of rows and columns in your tables.

Note: This option is unavailable in Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013.

To view these options in Outlook, in an email message, click the Office button and then click Editor Options > Advanced.

Use the Insert key to control overtype mode Select this option to turn Overtype mode on or off by pressing INSERT.

Use overtype mode Select this option to replace existing text as you type, one character at a time. If Use the Insert key to control overtype mode is selected, you can turn this option on or off by pressing INSERT.

Add double quote for Hebrew alphabet numbering Select this option to add double quotation marks (") to numbering.

Note: This option is available only if Hebrew is enabled for editing text.

Use Normal style for bulleted or numbered lists Select this option to base list styles on the Normal paragraph style instead of the Paragraph List style.

Mark formatting inconsistencies Select this option to mark formatting with a wavy blue underline when it is similar to, but not exactly the same as, other formatting in your emails. To use this option, you must also select the Keep track of formatting check box.

Default paragraph style Select the style that is applied to text when you use click and type.

Note: This option is available only if a complex script language is enabled for editing text. Type and replace Select this option to replace the previously typed character with the newly typed character if the two characters cannot coexist in the same text cluster.