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Windows Live Mail

Do Not Read Messages in HTML

SUMMARY: Force Windows Live Mail to render all messages as plain text.

When you receive messages via Windows Live Mail in HTML, fonts, hyperlinks, and other features are displayed in the messages for a more rich text experience.

If you are concerned about phishing or other malicious hyperlinks (note that Windows Live Mail does come with phishing protection), hidden text inside e-mail messages, or possible security problems in the software that may be exploited by malicious HTML, this feature can be disabled. Or you just may rather turn off HTML formatting as a personal preference. All messages will be rendered as plain text, no matter the format used when sending.

Note that this may reduce some of the chances of a bug being exploited via HTML e-mail, but if any security problems exist, they still may be exploitable in other ways.



1. Access the Windows Live Mail menu by clicking the menu button (see the screenshot to the right) or press Alt + M.

2. Select "Options".

3. Click the "Read" tab.

4. Underneath "Reading Messages", check "Read all messages in plain text".



Reads all messages inside Windows Live Mail in plain text



5. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.

EXPERT USERS: The Registry Entry for this configuration item can be found here:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\mail\Message Read HTML

1 - Read messages in HTML
0 - Read messages in Plain Text

This tip was written for Windows Live Mail Version 2009 running on a netbook running Windows XP Home. Features, instructions, and screenshots for other versions / operating systems may vary.

Return to the Windows Live Mail page.

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The MalekTips website was created in 1998 by Andrew Malek of Envision Programming. The page's goal is to freely disperse computer-related tips, hints, and informative articles. Tips are organized to be easy to find, and are presented clearly, in easy-to-understand language. MalekTips also provides information and links to public-domain, open source, freeware, shareware, and commercial software available for download. < more >