Tutorial: Using HTML email with Outlook

STEP 1 - HTML setup

In order to create a HTML email using Microsoft Outlook, you firstly need to turn on HTML editing for your emails. To do so, open Outlook, then from the Tools menu bar, open the Options window, then click on the "Mail Format" tab and on the "Message Format" frame, select "HTML" from the message format drop-down list.

After the HTML selection is made, you can create a new Outlook email message and it will automatically use the HTML format.
Once you’ve changed your default mail format, any message you send will be in that format. However, if you reply to a message, the returning message will be sent in the same format it was received. For example, if you receive a plain text message and reply to it, Outlook creates a plain text message to return.

STEP 2 - create signature

1. Go to Tools / Options / Mail Format.
2. Click on Signatures.
3. Click on New.
4. Give your signature a name : newsletter
5. Click on OK
When you create a signature in Outlook it creates 3 files:
newsletter.htm,
newsletter .txt
newsletter.rtf
You don't need to add any content to the signature file. Outlook creates the files it needs. Click OK and close Outlook.

STEP 3 - locate your signature folder:

In the "Run" prompt ("Run" in the Start Menu or Windows Key+R):

* In Vista, type: %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures
* In XP, type: %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Signatures

You should see 3 files created for your newsletter file (in .htm, .txt and .rtf formats). If you can't see the file extensions, go to Tools / Folder Options / View and untick 'Hide extensions for known file types', or right-click the file and select 'Properties' to determine the file type.

STEP 4 - replace the HTML file created by Outlook:

Take your signatures files (copy) and use it to replace (paste) the three files in your signature folder (i.e. save it as in this system folder, using the same filename as the signature files created by Outlook ).

*** you can create these three files using our email version of the newsletter (here is how) or we can email them to you ***

STEP 5 - using your signature:

To start using your new signature:
Restart Outlook.
Click on New
Click on Signature and select your signature from the list.
Your signature will now be added to your mail.

Just add recipients and you ready to go...