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**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 16, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743 "2004-01-16T12:38:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1
**Author:**  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/1 "2004-01-16T12:38:29Z")
One of the companies I support is receiving large volumes of pornographic spam - I’ve tried installing filters, but for various reasons, mostly because part of their product range includes books from the Erotic Print Society, it was impossible to set up in a way that didn’t either result in false positives, or generally require a lot of management of the filters (which I am not there to perform).
A good compromise would seem to be disabling HTML rendering in their email, so that objectionable images are not displayed and they can evaluate the veracity of the message without having pictures of genitalia thrust in their faces.
But I’m not sure this is possible in Outlook 2000 - I can find an option to set the _sending_ format to plain text, but I can’t find anything that controls it on the incoming side.
Is it possible?
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**Author:**  [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/2 "2004-01-16T13:10:48Z")
Well, if the subject line makes it clear that it is spam (most of mine are pretty obvious) you can turn off the message preview pane. That way, they can delete it without having to look at it. It’s simple to just clicke enter for the messages that you want to see. That’s what I did here at work.
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**Author:**  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/3 "2004-01-16T13:21:29Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> genitalia thrust in their faces.
Better than having them rammed down their throats.
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**Author:**  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/4 "2004-01-16T13:37:39Z")
> [@Gravity](#):
>
> Well, if the subject line makes it clear that it is spam (most of mine are pretty obvious) you can turn off the message preview pane. That way, they can delete it without having to look at it. It’s simple to just clicke enter for the messages that you want to see. That’s what I did here at work.
That’s the trouble though; a lot of the time, the subject will just say “Re: your message” or “Order”.
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**Author:**  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/5 "2004-01-16T13:40:05Z")
Tools\>Options\>Read lets you select Read all messages in plain text. If you turn it on emails have no fancy graphics at all.
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**Author:**  [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/6 "2004-01-16T14:05:53Z")
> [@don't ask](#):
>
> Tools\>Options\>Read lets you select Read all messages in plain text. If you turn it on emails have no fancy graphics at all.
I have the same problem as the OP. I also use Outlook 2000 and I do not see
a Tool\>Options\>Read choice.
Under Tools\>Options I get a set of Tabs, none of which contains a Read option.
Are you sure you’re running Outlook 2000, not Outlook Express?
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**Author:**  [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/7 "2004-01-16T14:06:52Z")
Here at work, I have Outlook 2000, SP1. I don’t have the ‘Read’ option there. I hope that Mangetout’s client does.
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**Author:**  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/8 "2004-01-16T14:08:25Z")
Sorry I went into my emails and didn’t notice I was using Outlook Express even though I have Outlook 2000 installed. So how come it’s so easy in Express?
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**Author:**  [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/9 "2004-01-16T14:09:30Z")
There’s an add-on called NoHTML, but unfortunately it only kicks in after the message has been displayed in the preview pane. Or you could try this here [VBA macro](http://www.ostrosoft.com/vb/disable_html_email.asp).
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**Author:**  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/10 "2004-01-16T14:36:19Z")
Thanks **Usram** I’ll give that a try.
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**Author:**  [@Zigarre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zigarre)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/11 "2004-01-16T14:42:17Z")
Hi Mangetout
I’ve been working with the Outlook filters (Rules Wizard) for a few weeks now. I can offer this site as one that has been very informative and helpful in working through this.BV\_SITE
A great source of info on filters and filtering.
I have been looking for the same “turn off HTML” switch for incoming mail. I doubt it is there, but I’m far from an expert on Outlook
Good Luck
Zig
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**Author:**  [@Zigarre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zigarre)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/12 "2004-01-16T14:52:31Z")
Usram, A great resource, -and- the answer to my question. Thanks!
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**Author:**  [@Lagged2Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lagged2Death)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-disable-html-rendering-in-outlook-2000/224743/13 "2004-01-16T16:40:25Z")
If your clients are using Outlook solely for e-mail purposes, the latest version of Mozilla is a viable alternative. It has the ability to disable HTML viewing of e-mail, no ability to run and spread scripting viruses, and built-in Bayesian spam filtering. The filtering misses a spam now and again, but I don’t seem to get any false poitives.
Of course, there may be many reasons why switching would be impractical. But if you haven’t checked it out, it’s worth a look.