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Markdown to Outlook guide

Why Outlook Strips Your Formatting

Outlook removes formatting for two separate reasons: it never parses Markdown, and Word's HTML filter discards style blocks, CSS classes, and shorthand properties.

Direct answer

Two different failures look the same in the compose window. First, Outlook has no Markdown parser, so pasted Markdown source is shown character for character. Second, when real HTML arrives, Outlook desktop filters it through Microsoft Word's HTML engine, which discards <style> blocks, CSS classes, external stylesheets, and much shorthand CSS. The fix for both is the same: convert Markdown to HTML with a style attribute on every element, then paste it as rich text.

Open Markdown to Outlook converter

Sending to Gmail, Apple Mail, or a newsletter tool as well? The Markdown to Email converter covers the general email case. This tool targets Outlook only.

When to use this

  • Formatting disappears whenever you paste into Outlook and you want the actual cause.
  • An HTML email renders correctly in a browser and collapses in Outlook.
  • You need to explain the problem to a teammate or a marketing vendor.

Steps

  1. Identify the symptom. Visible ** and ## means Markdown source arrived as plain text.
  2. Identify the other symptom. Correct text with wrong fonts, colors, or spacing means Word's filter dropped the CSS.
  3. Convert the Markdown so every element carries an inline style attribute.
  4. Press Copy Rich, which writes text/html to the clipboard, and paste normally.
  5. Confirm in Outlook desktop that headings, lists, links, and tables all render.

Example conversion

Markdown input
# Incident 4821 closed

**Impact:** 18 minutes of failed logins.

## Timeline

1. 14:02 alert fired
2. 14:09 rollback started
3. 14:20 service healthy

> Root cause: an expired signing key.
Outlook HTML output
<h1 style="font-family:Calibri,'Segoe UI',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:22px;font-weight:600;margin:18px 0 8px;color:#171717;">Incident 4821 closed</h1>
<p style="font-family:Calibri,'Segoe UI',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5;color:#242424;margin:10px 0;"><strong>Impact:</strong> 18 minutes of failed logins.</p>
<h2 style="font-family:Calibri,'Segoe UI',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-weight:600;margin:16px 0 8px;color:#171717;">Timeline</h2>
<ol style="font-family:Calibri,'Segoe UI',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5;color:#242424;margin:10px 0;padding-left:22px;"><li style="margin:4px 0;">14:02 alert fired</li><li style="margin:4px 0;">14:09 rollback started</li><li style="margin:4px 0;">14:20 service healthy</li></ol>
<blockquote style="font-family:Calibri,'Segoe UI',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5;color:#242424;margin:12px 0;padding:6px 0 6px 14px;border-left:3px solid #d1d1d1;color:#555;">Root cause: an expired signing key.</blockquote>

Common mistakes

  • Do not look for a Markdown setting in Outlook. There is none, in any version or tenant policy.
  • Do not put styles in a <style> block or a class. Word's HTML filter removes both before rendering.
  • Do not rely on max-width, flexbox, grid, border-radius, or background images. Word's engine ignores them.
  • Do not delete the asterisks by hand as a fix. You lose the emphasis the writer intended. Convert instead.

FAQ

Is there a plugin or setting that adds Markdown to Outlook?
Microsoft ships none. Some third-party add-ins convert Markdown before sending, which is the same conversion step this tool performs in the browser, with no add-in approval needed.
Which CSS survives Word's HTML filter?
Inline font-family, font-size, color, font-weight, text-decoration, simple margin and padding values, and basic borders. Layout CSS and anything in a stylesheet does not survive.
Why does the same email look fine in Gmail?
Gmail renders with a browser engine and supports far more CSS, including many stylesheet rules. Outlook desktop is the narrow case, so authoring for Outlook keeps the mail safe in both.
Does Outlook strip formatting on receipt or on paste?
Both points can strip. The paste filter cleans the clipboard HTML as it enters the compose window, and the renderer filters again when a recipient opens the message. Inline styles pass both stages.

Related Outlook guides

Markdown Paste in Outlook Desktop vs Outlook on the Web

Neither Outlook desktop nor Outlook on the web parses Markdown. They differ in what HTML survives the paste: desktop uses Word's engine, web uses a browser engine.

How to Send ChatGPT Output as an Outlook Email

ChatGPT writes in Markdown and Outlook never parses it, so a direct paste shows ** and ## in the compose window. Convert first, then paste as rich text.

How to Paste a Markdown Table Into Outlook

A pipe table pasted into Outlook stays a wall of pipes and dashes. Outlook needs a real HTML table with a border and padding inline on every cell.

How to Build an Outlook Signature From Markdown

Write the signature in Markdown, convert it to inline-styled HTML, then paste the rich text into the Outlook signature editor. Keep it short and skip layout CSS.