How to Change Margins on Email Messages

Techwalla may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
Microsoft Outlook 2010 can format a message's margins and indents.

Microsoft Outlook 2010 includes formatting options that give your email messages a custom look. The "Format Text" tab on the command ribbon contains "Paragraph" commands. Adjust the margins of messages by selecting alignment and indentation controls. For example, you can create a hanging paragraph where the first line begins at the left margin and the following lines shift to the right.

Advertisement

Step 1

Open the Outlook mail program.

Video of the Day

Step 2

Click the "Home" tab on the ribbon.

Step 3

Click "New E-mail" button in the "New" group. A blank message box opens.

Advertisement

Step 4

Click in the message box. The buttons on the command ribbon are accessible.

Step 5

Click the "Format Text" tab.

Step 6

Click the window launcher arrow in the bottom right corner of the "Paragraph" group. A dialog window opens.

Advertisement

Step 7

Click the "Indents and Spacing" tab.

Step 8

Click the down-arrow in the "Alignment" text box. Select one of the four alignment options: left, centered, right or justified. The preview box near the bottom of the window shows the effect.

Advertisement

Step 9

Click the down-arrow in the "Outline level" text box. The "Body Text" option will likely be the default.

Advertisement

Step 10

Click or type the preferred values for the "Indentation" controls. For example, the "Left" indentation can be .5" and the "Right" indentation can be 1.0".

Advertisement

Step 11

Click the down-arrow for the "Special" text box. Select "First line" to indent each new paragraph, if preferred. Select "Hanging" to indent the second and subsequent lines of each new paragraph. Click the value in the "By" text box. For example, click .5" for a ½-inch indentation.

Step 12

Click "OK."

Video of the Day

Advertisement

Advertisement

resources