Installation Quick Tips for Your Outlook Stationery

arizona web site design firm We've created these easy steps for you to follow so that you can start using your custom Outlook HTML stationery right away! Just follow these simple instructions:

Before you begin, be sure you have handy the files we sent you which consisted of an HTML (or HTM) file and some image files (usually 1-3 images). If you were not sent any image files, it's because we've uploaded them directly to your server. If the file we sent you was compressed (i.e. ZIP), unzip it using WinZip or another unzipping program.

Save the file(s) attached to the email we sent you to the proper location. The HTML file should be stored in your Stationery folder, and the images may reside in the same folder or referenced directly from your site (typically we upload the images to your site on your behalf so that all you have to do is save the HTM file to the proper location).

The Stationery folder location varies depending on the version of Outlook (or Outlook Express) installed on your computer but typically it will be:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery

*If you are using Outlook Express (version 5 or higher), please refer to the bottom of this document for instructions on installing your stationery.

Stationery Installation Instructions

Open Outlook
Select the Tools drop-down menu
Then select Options
Then choose the Mail Format tab
In the Message Format area make sure the message format is HTML.
Be sure you do NOT have the "Use Microsoft Word..." options ticked.
In the Stationery and Fonts area click the Stationery Picker button.
You should see your new stationery listed in the drop down list. Select it and click OK.
If you want to change your signature, before clicking OK, select "Edit". Edit your signature in the small window at the bottom of the page. If you'd like to learn more about changing your default signature or creating a library of signatures, visit this page.

If you would like to have a graphical signature embedded into your stationery along with your text signature, visit our Graphical Signature for Outlook Stationery page for more information and available styles.
Now click the Fonts button in Stationery and Fonts section. On the Fonts tab, select the radio button that says "use fonts specified in stationery". Click OK. To be safe, also select the font used in your stationery in the Message Fonts/Composting New Message dialogue box. You can also set the reply and forwarding font, as well as when (if) you use plain text messages.

That's all there is to it! Now when you create a new message, Outlook will use your newly installed stationery as your default stationery until you turn this off or select another stationery.

Note: To avoid having your stationery graphic files arrive as attachments, you may wish to click on the Internet Format button (main Mail Format tab) and deselect the option to send a copy of the graphic rather than reference their location from the Internet.

Stationery Installation Instructions for Outlook Express

Save your file(s) to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery
Open the Outlook Express program
Select >Tools
Select >Options
Select >Compose
In the Stationery section tick the Mail box
Then click on the Select button and find your stationery in the list of files.
Click OK and Apply.
That's it! When you compose a new mail message, your new stationery will be ready for use.

Note: Not ALL email programs read HTML and/or a user may set their preferences to not accept HTML email. If that is the case, your message will either come across looking garbled (code) or it may also come with the graphics as attachments. We would estimate 90% of email users/programs can read HTML.

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