Mark and preface comments in replies and forwards

Outlook 2016 2013 2010
Just like reviewing Word documents, it is convenient to add your comments to the body of the received message in Outlook correspondence. When answering questions or commenting on aspects of a message you have received, it is helpful to include an indicator (mark, preface) so that the person reading your message knows exactly what topic is being answered by whom.

Outlook allows you to configure the comment indicator in the Outlook Options, as well as configure the Stationery. Using the Stationery allows you to customize not only the mark but also color coding for comments from different participants in the correspondence.

Example of comments in Outlook 365

Customize mark and preface in Outlook Options

To tag your replies with your mark, follow these steps:

   1.   On the File tab, click the Options button:

Outlook 365 options

   2.   In the Outlook Options dialog box, open the Mail tab.

Note: You can easily open the Mail tab in the Outlook Options dialog box by right-clicking the Mail icon in the Navigation bar and choosing Options... in the popup menu:

Mail Options in new Navigation bar Outlook 365   or    Mail Options in Navigation bar Outlook 365

See more about customizing the Navigation bar in Outlook.

   3.   In the Outlook Options dialog box, on the Mail tab, under Replies and forwards, select Preface comments with check box:

Replies and forwards in Outlook Options 365

In the Preface comments with text box, type the text you want to accompany your annotations.

Note: This field contains the same mark as the Mark my comments with field of the customized stationery in the Signatures and Stationery dialog box - see more about customizing stationery in Outlook.

You can enter your name, nickname, position, etc. Whatever you enter will be used as the prefix to all the text you type when you reply to messages.

   4.   Click OK to save the changes and close the Outlook Options dialog box.

Customize replying and forward options in Stationery

To customize the theme or stationery for all outgoing messages, for replying or forwarding messages, do the following:

   1.   On the File tab, click Options:

Outlook 365 options

   2.   In the Outlook Options dialog box, on the Mail tab, click the Stationery and Fonts... button:

Stationery and Fonts in Outlook Options in Outlook 365

   3.   In the Signatures and Stationery dialog box, on the Personal Stationery tab, under Replying or forwarding messages:

Replying or forwarding options in Signatures and Stationery Outlook 365

Customize mark and preface in the Stationery

  • Select the Mark my comments with checkbox and type or change your preferred name or nickname (this field contains the same mark as the Preface comments with field of the Mail tab of the Outlook Options dialog box - see above):
    Reply and forward comments in Outlook 365

    If the Mark my comments with checkbox is unselected, your comments will not be marked:

    Reply and forward comments 2 in Outlook 365

Set color coding for replies and forwards

  • Select the Pick a new color when replying or forwarding checkbox to have different comment colors for each person. It is useful if you have a lot of comments on the post:
    Reply and forward comments 3 in Outlook 365

See more about customizing and applying the stationery in Outlook.

See also this tip in French: Comment ajouter des commentaires aux réponses ou transferts.

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