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How to Send HTML Email in Outlook: Your Step-by-Step Guide

By Cristian G. Guasch •  Updated: 09/18/23 •  10 min read

Perhaps you’ve wondered, how can I send an HTML email in Outlook? Well, you’re not alone. Many of us often need to send emails that are more engaging and professional-looking than plain text emails. And this is exactly where HTML emails come into play.

HTML emails enable us to create aesthetically pleasing layouts with rich content including images, links, and custom formatting. While it may sound complex or daunting, I’m here to tell you that sending HTML emails through Outlook is actually quite straightforward.

In the upcoming sections of this blog post, we’ll walk through the process together step-by-step. Whether you’re crafting a newsletter for your business or simply want to add some flair to your personal messages, by the end of this guide, you’ll be able to easily send an HTML email using Outlook.

Understanding HTML Emails in Outlook

So, let’s dive right into the depths of HTML emails and their interaction with Microsoft’s popular email client: Outlook. HTML, or Hyper Text Markup Language, is the backbone of most web content. It allows you to structure your message with headings, paragraphs, links, images—basically everything that makes an email engaging.

First off, why use HTML emails? Well for one thing, they’re visually appealing. When I send an email newsletter to my subscribers or a promotional offer to customers, I want it to pop! Plain text just doesn’t give me that excitement. With HTML tags like <h1> for headlines or <img> for images, it’s easy to create visually stunning emails that can captivate your audience.

On the other hand though there’s a catch when dealing with Outlook. While modern web browsers render HTML without any hitches, some versions of Outlook (like 2007-2019) use Word as a rendering engine which doesn’t fully support CSS styles used in modern web design.

Let’s look at an example:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h1>This is a Heading</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
<p>And another one!</p>

</body>
</html>

The above will work perfectly fine in most clients but may not display as intended in certain version of Outlook due to its quirky rendering engine.

To counter this problem we have two solutions: inline CSS or using tables for layout instead of divs. Inline CSS means including all styling inside the style attribute within each tag rather than separate CSS blocks:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h1 style="color:blue;">This is a Blue Heading</h1>

</body>
</html>

This approach ensures better compatibility across different versions of Outlook but can lead to bloated code.

To wrap it up, sending HTML emails in Outlook requires understanding not just HTML, but also the specific quirks of Outlook’s rendering engine. With careful design and testing, you can create beautiful email campaigns that look great in any inbox.

Setting Up Your HTML Email

Looking to jazz up your emails? There’s a way you can, and I’ll show you how. First things first, it’s important to note that sending an HTML email in Outlook isn’t as daunting as it might seem. With the right steps and a little patience, you’ll be sending attractive and engaging emails in no time.

So let’s get started! The very first thing you need to do is create your HTML file. You can use any text editor for this like Notepad or Sublime Text. Here’s a simple example of what your HTML code might look like:

<html>
<body>
<h1>Hello World</h1>
<p>This is my first HTML email!</p>
</body>
</html>

This code will display a heading saying ‘Hello World’ and a paragraph underneath that says ‘This is my first HTML email!’. It’s pretty straightforward!

Once you’ve got your basic structure down, you can start adding some style with CSS. This could be anything from changing font sizes, adding colors or even inserting images.

Here’s how you add color to our previous example:

<html>
<body style="background-color:powderblue;">
<h1>Hello World</h1>
<p>This is my first HTML email!</p>
</body>
</html>

With these few lines of code, we’ve changed the background color of our email to powder blue.

Now comes the part where we actually send the email through Outlook. Open Outlook and click on “New Email”. Then go into “Format Text” tab at the top toolbar. From there, select “HTML” under Format group. Afterward, switch back to message body then paste your designed HTML template using Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac). And voila! You’re ready to send out your custom-made HTML email.

Remember, it’s all about expressing yourself and engaging your audience. Happy emailing!

Step-by-Step Guide: Sending HTML Emails in Outlook

Sending an HTML email through Outlook might seem like a daunting task, but I’m here to assure you it’s not as tough as it seems. With a little know-how and the right guidance, you’ll be sending vibrant, engaging emails in no time at all.

First things first, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of what HTML is. It stands for HyperText Markup Language – it’s the standard language for creating web pages and web applications. When used in emails, HTML allows you to format text with colors, fonts, graphics and even hyperlinks – pretty cool huh?

Now let’s dive into how to send an HTML email via Outlook using these simple steps:

  1. Start by opening your Outlook program.
  2. Click on ‘New Email’ located at the top left corner.
  3. In your new email window, navigate to ‘Format Text’ tab and select ‘HTML’.
  4. Now comes the fun part! Use your basic understanding of HTML tags to create an interactive email experience that engages your recipients.

For instance:

<body>
    Hello <b>World</b>, Welcome!
</body>

The above example demonstrates how to use HTML tags in your e-mail body text in outlook. The ‘<b>’ tag bolds any text placed between its opening ‘<b>’ and closing ‘</b>’ brackets.

Remember though – variety is key when using these tags! You can also use different elements such as <i> for italicizing words or <u> for underlining words within your content.

<body>
    Hello <i>Beautiful</i>, Welcome! Isn't this <u>exciting</u>?
</body>

There you have it! A step-by-step guide on how to send visually appealing emails using HTML in outlook. Remember practice makes perfect so don’t be afraid to experiment with different HTML elements and tags. Happy emailing!

Troubleshooting Common Issues when Sending HTML Emails

Sometimes, sending HTML emails in Outlook can be a bit of a headache. You might find that your beautifully crafted email looks completely different when it lands in the recipient’s inbox. Don’t worry – I’ve been there too! Let’s walk through some common pitfalls and their solutions.

Firstly, you might notice your images aren’t showing up correctly. This could be due to several reasons:

Secondly, if you’re finding that your formatting is all over the place once received, it may be because Outlook doesn’t fully support CSS stylesheets or <style> tags within the <head> of your document. Instead, try inline styling with the style attribute directly within each element tag.

For example, instead of this:

<head>
 <style>
   p {color: blue;}
 </style>
</head>

<body>
 <p>This is some text.</p>
</body>

Try this:

<body>
 <p style="color: blue;">This is some text.</p>
</body>

Lastly, another issue you might encounter involves hyperlinks not working properly in sent emails. To ensure functional links in Outlook mails:

Finding the sweet spot for HTML emails in Outlook can take some trial and error, but with these troubleshooting tips, you’ll be well on your way to crafting perfect HTML emails. So keep experimenting and don’t get discouraged!

Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Sending HTML Emails in Outlook

Sending HTML emails in Outlook might seem like a daunting task at first. But trust me, it’s not as complex as it sounds. With a little practice and patience, you’ll be creating and sending beautifully formatted HTML emails in no time.

Let’s quickly recap what we’ve covered so far:

Below is an example of how an HTML code for email could look like:

<html>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome!</h1>
    <p>This is an example of an HTML email.</p>
    <a href="http://www.example.com">Visit our website</a>
    <img src="image.jpg" alt="Example Image">
  </body>
</html>

Now don’t forget, consistently testing your emails before sending them out is key. You want to ensure they look good across all devices and email clients. This way, you’ll keep delivering high-quality content that your recipients will appreciate.

Mastering the art of sending HTML emails in Outlook allows us to elevate our communication game by leaps and bounds. It helps us stand out from the crowd with customized messages that reflect our unique brand identity.

As we wrap things up here, remember – practice makes perfect! Keep experimenting with different code snippets until you find what works best for your specific needs. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to make mistakes; they’re just stepping stones on the path to becoming an HTML email pro!

Here’s to your success in crafting and sending compelling HTML emails via Outlook!

Cristian G. Guasch

Hey! I'm Cristian Gonzalez, I created HTML Easy to help you learn HTML easily and fast.

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