Email templates background still dark

Question

Email templates background still dark

Therence Valdez 80

Hello,

I switched to normal background. My template in not readable. Please help.

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Vy Nguyen 7,575 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @Therence Valdez,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on your description, your email template in classic Outlook is still showing a dark background even after switching to a normal background. We genuinely understand this situation and appreciate the effort you have already put in to adjust the background.

Dark Mode or a theme override can keep the compose/reading canvas dark even when you change the template background. In classic Outlook, the app theme and the message canvas are controlled separately, so a dark app theme may continue to affect message appearance. In some cases, the .oft template retains Page Color or font styles that make content hard to read.

To help with this in Classic Outlook, please try the steps below that suit for your situation:

1/ Start with turning off Dark Mode at the global level

Go to File > Options > General and set Office Theme to Colorful or White
If a Dark Mode option appears, turn it off. Restart Outlook.

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2/ Then, toggle the message canvas to light mode

Open the template and click the Switch Background (sun) icon in the message window to make the canvas white.

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3/ Next, restore the template’s page color and font settings

In the open template, go to Message > Options > Page Color > No Color.
Select all (Ctrl+A) and set Font Color to Automatic.

4/ After that, ensure the template is resaved with the new settings

File > Save As > Outlook Template (*.oft), then reopen and test.

5/ If the reading pane stays dark:

Open any message and use the sun/moon toggle in the message window to apply a light background.

If the issue persists, please share your Outlook build number (File > Office Account > About Outlook) and whether this affects a new or existing .oft template so we can tailor the next steps.

As community moderators, we appreciate 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 visibility into deeper backend analysis, we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If you have any updates regarding the issue, please feel free to share them with me.

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments of this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Therence Valdez 80 Reputation points

2025-12-04T20:08:57.2966667+00:00

Hi, Here is the continuation to my last comment. I am trying to edit my last comment but unable to :(

I opened new email. Hoping I can insert the form I saved. But

The email template is empty.
Vy Nguyen 7,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-04T21:16:28.27+00:00
As this forum is a public platform, we’ve taken steps to help protect your privacy by removing your organization’s domain name from your message. To ensure your data remains secure, we kindly recommend avoiding the inclusion of personal or organizational details such as domain names or screenshots with sensitive information in future posts.

Hi @Therence Valdez,

Thank you for your detail information and your screenshot. We truly understand and appreciate the time you have spent following the earlier steps and sharing these follow‑up questions so that the guidance can match exactly what you see in Classic Outlook.

1/ Initially, ensure the template is reopened

For the Outlook Template (*.oft) file you saved, it is usually stored in your local Documents\Custom Office Templates folder unless you chose a different path when saving.

Go to Home > New Items > More Items > Choose Form…, set Look In = User Templates in File System, select your template, and choose Open.

Or press Win+R and open "%AppData%\\Microsoft\\Templates", then double‑click the .oft file.

In the Choose Form window, change the Look in dropdown to User Templates in File System, select your template, and then choose Open.

2/ Regarding the sun and moon icon, this control only appears in some Outlook builds and views that support quick switching between light and dark modes.

In Classic Outlook, go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon, set Choose commands from to All Commands, find Switch Background, add it to the Message tab (create a New Group if needed), then click OK.

In many Classic Outlook versions, this icon is not shown in the reading pane, and the background is instead controlled from the File menu.

If you do not see the sun and moon, please open File, choose Options, then go to General and check the Office Theme and personalize options there to manage your light or dark mode settings.

3/ As your account is managed by your organization, please contact your IT administrator to check your permission and policies. For a more efficient resolution, we recommend using your administrator account or contacting your IT administrator to submit a support request directly to Microsoft Support team.

They can raise a support ticket by visiting: Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

I hope the information provided proves useful. Please proceed with the outlined steps and let me know whether they resolve the issue. If not, I’ll be glad to continue working with you to find a solution.

Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out at any time.

I'm looking forward to your reply.
Therence Valdez 80 Reputation points

2025-12-05T13:42:45.4433333+00:00

Hi Vy,

Thanks for removing sensitive info on my email. Privacy and security are super important, especially when sharing details about my organization. I will be careful next time. I truly appreciate you.

I am now able to see the sun and moon icon.

I am able to follow the steps and found the .oft. Is there a way to see it under My Templates? is .oft different from My Templates?

Thanks,

Therence
Vy Nguyen 7,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-05T21:47:41.38+00:00
Hi @Therence Valdez,

Thank you for your response.

We truly understand your focus on privacy and appreciate the careful steps you’ve taken to adjust and test the template. In Classic Outlook, .oft templates are full message files stored on disk and opened via Choose Form or by double‑clicking the file. My Templates is a lightweight add‑in that holds text snippets for quick insertion; it doesn’t list or render .oft files and doesn’t preserve subject, recipients, or background/page‑color settings. Because the add‑in is focused on text, your .oft will not show under My Templates.

Below are someworkarounds that you can try:

1/ Begin by quickly opening your .OFT template file to access its contents.

Home > New Items > More Items > Choose Form… > Look In: User Templates in File System, select the template, Open.

2/ Then, customize the ribbon by pinning the necessary option for quick use.

File > Options > Customize Ribbon → set Choose commands from = All Commands → add Choose Form to the Message tab → OK.

3/ Next, create a ‘My Templates’ tile to enable quick access to frequently used text.

New email → Insert > My Templates > + Template, paste the body text you reuse, Save.

Use the tile to insert text; continue using the .oft when you need subject, layout, or light background preserved.

4/ After that, use Quick Parts to create and insert richer content blocks for efficiency.

Select formatted content → Insert > Quick Parts > Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery; later insert via Insert > Quick Parts.

5/ Conclude by consider turning on Windows Audio Enhancements to optimize audio performance.

Open the template in its own window → use the sun/moon (Switch Background) toggle; if needed, Message > Options > Page Color > No Color, press Ctrl+A, set Font Color = Automatic, then File > Save As > Outlook Template (*.oft).

Looking forward to your response and wishing you a great day ahead.
Vy Nguyen 7,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-07T15:02:48.0266667+00:00

Hi @Therence Valdez,

I hope you are having a great day.

I’m following up on the support thread we've been working through together. At this stage, I’m still working to better understand the issue you’re facing so we can identify the most effective solution.

If you have any additional details to share or if there’s anything specific, you’d like me to focus on, please feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to help if you need anything else.

We’re committed to ensuring everything runs smoothly and that your experience remains uninterrupted.

Thank you again for your patience and collaboration.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Therence Valdez 80 Reputation points

2025-12-08T19:20:15.2+00:00
Thank you! here is my response.

3/ Next, create a ‘My Templates’ tile to enable quick access to frequently used text.

New email → Insert > My Templates > + Template, paste the body text you reuse, Save.

I

Is this the last step for shortcut?

Use the tile to insert text; continue using the .oft when you need subject, layout, or light background preserved.
Vy Nguyen 7,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-08T22:59:34.11+00:00
Hi @Therence Valdez,

Thank you for your following back. We truly appreciate your care with privacy and the progress you’ve made.

My Templates is a text‑snippet add‑in, whereas an .oft is a full message template saved on disk; the add‑in doesn’t surface .oft files or preserve subject/layout/background. Creating the tile is the final step for the text shortcut.

Use the tile: New email → Insert > My Templates → click your tile to insert text.

Optional: Add My Templates to the Quick Access Toolbar and Choose Form to the Message ribbon for faster access.

Use .oft when needed: Home → New Items → More Items → Choose Form… → User Templates in File System.

Thank you for your time. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.
Therence Valdez 80 Reputation points

2025-12-09T14:01:37.1266667+00:00

Hi Vy,

Now I understand there is no shortcut for .oft cannot bre

Answer 2

Therence Valdez 80

Now I understand the difference between the 2. thanks for your help.

Vy Nguyen 7,575 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-09T15:42:15.66+00:00

Hi @Therence Valdez,

I hope everything is going smoothly on your end.

Additionally, if you have any remaining questions or if there's anything else I can assist you with, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I'm always happy to help and want to make sure you’re fully supported.

If you found my answer helpful, I'd truly appreciate it if you could mark it as the "Accepted Answer". Doing so will pin it to the top of the thread, making it easier for others in the community to discover useful insights and find the right guidance quickly. Your contribution not only helps resolve your question, it also supports fellow users who may be facing the same challenge.

Thank you very much, and I wish you a great day.

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Email templates background still dark

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