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Email Display in Plain Text or HTML or Rich Text?

Outlook 2003 supports and displays HTML and Rich Text Format (RTF) e-mail, making a few default modifications to increase security and privacy such as not displaying images by default. Unlike earlier versions, Outlook 2003 by default doesn't display images in HTML email because these images are downloaded from the external server when you open the message, and the downloading can let the sender know that your address is good. Microsoft says that if the images don't load by default, you're protected. Outlook gives you the option to load images that you believe are safe. Apart from the possible address betrayal by downloading images, reading an HTML or RTF message could trigger a rendering engine exploit that causes damage to your machine. If HTML and RTF is not required by your home or office and you want to disable this feature for added security and privacy, do the following.

1. Choose "Tools" then "Options".
2. When the "Options" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, select the "Preferences" tab.
3. Click "E-mail Options".
4. Check "Read all standard mail in plain text".
5. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.

For more information, such as problems that may occur if you read digitally signed e-mail, visit the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=831607

Authors: DSU Web Support Team. Page last updated on 08/01/2005