MacBook outlook suddenly in reply or forward emails presents very tiny unreadable print even though the font size shows 10pt

The issue you are experiencing with tiny, unreadable print in replies or forwards in Outlook for Mac may be related to a few factors, including display settings or potential software bugs. Here are some steps you can try to resolve the issue:

1. Check Display Settings: Sometimes, changes in display settings on your Mac can affect how text appears in applications. Ensure that your display settings are set to the recommended resolution.
2. Zoom Settings: While you mentioned not finding the Zoom settings, it's worth checking if there are any zoom options available in the view settings of Outlook. You can try using keyboard shortcuts like Command + + to zoom in while composing an email.
3. Update Outlook: Ensure that you are using the latest version of Outlook for Mac. Sometimes, bugs are fixed in newer updates.
4. Reset Outlook Preferences: If the issue persists, you might consider resetting Outlook preferences. This can sometimes resolve unexpected behavior.
5. Check Font Settings: Verify that the default font settings in Outlook are correctly set to your desired size and style. You can do this in the Preferences menu under the Fonts section.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, it may be beneficial to reach out to Microsoft support for further assistance, as they can provide more specific troubleshooting tailored to your situation.

References:

• Font size may differ from the size in the original email from Outlook for Mac
• Email messages are stuck in Outbox in Outlook 2016 for Mac

1. mac display settings are set to recommended resolution
2. No zoom settings are present, command ++ does nothing
3. File > Account, click Update Options does not exist,
4. I do not have admin rights on the macbook so cannot reset
5. Font settings are correct but are not controlling the size of the font on the screen

I made no changes, this spontaneously changed in the middle of the day.

Hi @Mihalus, Tamsyn,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Thank you for raising this to our attention and sharing your experience with us.

According to your concern, the behavior you are experiencing is by design and that email messages that are sent from Microsoft Outlook for Mac to other operating systems may have with a different font size than the original email message font size.

This occurs because Outlook for Mac uses different rendering engines compared to other platforms, which can lead to slight variations in font size or formatting when viewed on Windows or web clients.

If maintaining consistent formatting across platforms is critical, here are a few recommendations:

• Use more compatible fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman, which are supported across most operating systems.
• Avoid custom styles or themes that may not translate well outside of macOS.

For more information, please refer to this Knowledge Base: Font size differs from the original email - Outlook | Microsoft Learn

We understand how important this functionality is for your workflow. I recommend submitting feedback directly to Microsoft via the Feedback Portal to help prioritize this feature in future updates. 

Sharing your experience through this channel is the most impactful way to advocate for a change that would benefit you and other users.     

Note: As community moderators, we kindly ask for your understanding that our access to internal development details is limited. Our primary role is to guide users toward the appropriate resources and support channels. While we may not have  influence product design decisions and have limited access to internal development details , we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.        

Thank you again for your patience and for bringing this to our attention. While I can't change the product's design, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions.    

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