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Windows XP - Outlook Express

Change Default Font When Composing E-Mail

SUMMARY: Change the default font, style, size, color, and effects when composing messages in Outlook Express.

When using Outlook Express in Windows XP, if you send HTML e-mail, you know that you can change the font, color, style, and other text attributes inside messages. If you have a favorite combination you wish to use it can be set as the default by doing the following:

Note that as with other special attributes in HTML e-mail, if the recipient chooses not to receive e-mail as HTML, this default setting will be ignored and the font will be chosen by the recipient's e-mail software.

1. Click the "Tools" menu, selecting "Options".

2. The "Options" multi-tabbed dialog box appears. Click the "Compose" tab.

3. Underneath "Compose Font", click the "Font Settings" button next to "Mail".

Changing the default font when writing e-mail messages in Outlook Express

4. A "Font" dialog box appears. From here you can choose the default font name, style, size, color, and effects. A "Sample" box shows a preview of your changes. When you have finished your selections, click the "OK" button.

Choosing default font settings in Outlook Express

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