Fix Original Message Text Not Appearing When Replying in Microsoft Outlook

Overview

Some users may experience an issue when replying to emails in Microsoft Outlook: the reply is sent without displaying the original message text or the previous conversation history below the reply.

This issue is usually related to an Outlook setting that controls how the original message is handled when replying to or forwarding emails.

The setting is located under:

Replies and forwards
When replying to a message
Include original message text

When Include original message text is selected, Outlook includes the original email content inside the reply, making it easier to follow the conversation.

Cause of the Issue

This issue commonly occurs when the reply setting in Outlook is set to one of the following options:

• Do not include the original message
  The original message is not included in the reply.
• Attach original message
  The original message is attached rather than displayed in the reply body.

In these cases, the recipient may receive the reply without the previous conversation history, or the original email may be attached instead of appearing below the reply.

To resolve the issue, the setting should be changed to:

Include original message text

Steps to Fix the Issue in Outlook for Desktop

1. Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer.
2. From the top menu, click File.
3. Select Options.
4. In the Outlook Options window, select Mail from the left-side menu.
5. Scroll down to the section named: Replies and forwards
6. Next to: When replying to a message, select the following option from the drop-down menu: Include original message text
7. Click OK to save the changes.
8. Reply to a new email to confirm that the original message text now appears below your reply.

Expected Result

After applying the change, Outlook will include the original message text and previous conversation history below new replies.

This helps make email conversations easier to follow, especially in long email threads or support-related communication.

This setting only affects new replies sent after the change is saved.
Emails that were previously sent without the original message text will not be updated automatically.

If the Issue Continues

If the issue continues after changing the setting, please check the following:

• Make sure the reply is sent from Microsoft Outlook on desktop, not from another email application.
• Confirm that when replying to a message, it is set to Include original message text.
• Try replying from Webmail or another device for comparison.
• Check whether the original email has special formatting or message settings that may prevent the content from displaying correctly.
• Provide the support team with a screenshot of the Replies and forwards settings in Outlook.