Outlook: What the Font?

One of my favorite attorneys, from one of my favorite firms in Tampa writes in:

Hi Adriana, like many people, I am an incorrigible cutter and paster (at least he knows he's not alone).  But when I paste text from other sources into an Outlook message, I often have trouble changing the font so that it is consistent with the rest of the message.  Sometimes it works when I just block the pasted text and change the font and/or size.  But often, it isn't that simple.  That method doesn't always actually change the font - it will stubbornly stay in its original form after I block it and select another font.  I have to re-cut and paste or change where the block starts and ends to try to trick Outlook into changing the fonts.  Any suggestions?

OK, so we should be able to figure this out. Your options will be determined by two things: your version of Outlook and whether Word is your email editor. Thing is, that Outlook can be configured to use Microsoft Word as your email composer. This means that when you create an email - or reply to one - Word launches but hides away inside the Outlook mail window. It's not very obvious but for the fact that All Things Word are available for your use (tables, numbering, styles, etc).

If you're not sure whether Word is your email editor you can check or change it by going to Tools > Options > Mail Format and looking at the settings for "Message Format". (Be sure you are in Outlook's main window when you check and not in a new mail message because there you will see Tools > Options for Word). Now, if you're working in a controlled environment (like a zoo animal) then you might not be able to make any changes and you have work with what your I.T. department has configured. Personally, I DO NOT use Word as my email editor, I find it to be an unnecessary system hog (and I don't really create emails that require numbering or major formatting). I compose in "Rich Text".

The classic method of pasting text without formatting is to go to Edit > Paste Special > Unformatted (or a similar option, like Text). This option should be available to you in most copy/paste situations regardless of Word or Outlook version. This still works and is great but a little bit The Long Way.

Now, if you see a Paste Options icon (pictured right) then you can click on it after executing the paste to see a list of handy paste options. It allows you to choose whether pasted text should 1) stay formatted as it came, 2) conform to the text around it or 3) just be pasted as plain text. I've had more than one idiot ask me how to "get rid of that annoying icon" - why would you? It's one of the most useful, headache saving features. Read about How Paste Options Work from Shauna Kelly. And I'm serious, go read about it, this is IMPORTANT. It's just silly for me to sit here and type all that stuff out when it's out there and out there so good!

Now, If you ARE using Word as your email editor then you have a couple more choices.  Also, keep in mind that what goes in Word, goes in Outlook:

• The Edit > Paste Special option still works, as does the Paste Options feature BUT you can also...
• Follow these great and easy steps from Herb Tyson, MVP at TechTrax.com  for creating a keyboard shortcut. 
• Strip all formatting from text, pasted or not. Its super, super easy:
  1) Select the text you want to strip  2) Press CTRL+SHIFT+N