Occasionally you may need to use Outlook's editor when you normally use Word, such as to create an Outlook template. You can go to Tools, Options, Mail format and enable or disable Word as your editor or use the Actions menu (when in any mail folder) to open a new message form using the Outlook editor.
From the Actions, New Mail Message Using menu, select Microsoft Outlook (HTML) (or Microsoft Word (HTML), if the Outlook editor is your default). If you want to use plain text or RTF formatting, you'll need to change the format once the new message form is open.
Depending on what other Office programs you have installed, other choices on the Actions menu will open the programs with the Office envelope turned on. When you are in non-mail folders, the Actions menu contains appropriate actions for the folder type.
Published June 11, 2004. Last updated on May 16, 2011.