Enabling HTML, Pictures, and Links in E-mails

Ok, so you've been a good e-mail citizen and you are having Outlook 2003 or Thunderbird convert all your incoming e-mails to Plain Text... But now you get an e-mail that you really want to see in all its HTML glory! How can you do that?

OUTLOOK 2003

Please only do the following if you are sure of the validity of the message. Enabling these features in a virus-infected HTML e-mail could cause your computer to be infected, or in specially crafted HTML e-mails you will be letting the sender know you've opened their e-mail once you view it as HTML.

Enabling HTML

The grey Info Bar at the top of the message might look like this:

Just right click on it and select "Display as HTML".

Enabling HTML and Links

The Info Bar might look like this:

Just right click on it and select "Display as HTML". Your message will now be displayed in HTML, but the link are still disabled for safety. The Info Bar now looks like this:

If you find you also need the HTML links enabled too then right-click on the bar again and select "Turn on Links".

Enabling Picture Download

Finally, you may have a desire to view the pictures in an e-mail. If you see this in the Info Bar:

Right-click on it and select "Download Pictures".

 

THUNDERBIRD

Again, please only do the following if you are sure of the validity of the message. Enabling these features in a virus-infected HTML e-mail could cause your computer to be infected, or in specially crafted HTML e-mails you will be letting the sender know you've opened their e-mail once you view it as HTML.

Enabling HTML

With the message open, you click on the View menu (in the message) and select "Message Body As... Simple HTML" or "Message Body As... Original HTML", depending on your need and level of trust in the sender.