5 Appendix A: Product Behavior

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The information in this specification is applicable to the following Microsoft products or supplemental software. References to product versions include updates to those products.

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2010

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2013

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2016

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2019

  • Microsoft Office Outlook 2003

  • Microsoft Office Outlook 2007

  • Microsoft Outlook 2010

  • Microsoft Outlook 2013

  • Microsoft Outlook 2016

  • Microsoft Outlook 2019

  • Microsoft Outlook 2021

  • Microsoft Outlook 2024 Preview

Exceptions, if any, are noted in this section. If an update version, service pack or Knowledge Base (KB) number appears with a product name, the behavior changed in that update. The new behavior also applies to subsequent updates unless otherwise specified. If a product edition appears with the product version, behavior is different in that product edition.

Unless otherwise specified, any statement of optional behavior in this specification that is prescribed using the terms "SHOULD" or "SHOULD NOT" implies product behavior in accordance with the SHOULD or SHOULD NOT prescription. Unless otherwise specified, the term "MAY" implies that the product does not follow the prescription.

<1> Section 2.1:  Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, and Exchange 2019 do not emit RTF-encapsulated HTML.

<2> Section 2.1.3.1.2:  Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, and Exchange 2019 do not emit the FROMHTML control word because the RTF writer in those versions does not produce RTF-encapsulated HTML.

<3> Section 2.1.3.1.3:  Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, and Exchange 2019 do not emit the HTMLRTF control word because the RTF writer in those versions does not produce RTF-encapsulated HTML.

<4> Section 2.1.3.1.4:  Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, and Exchange 2019 do not emit the HTMLTAG destination group because the RTF writer in those versions does not produce RTF-encapsulated HTML.

<5> Section 2.1.3.1.4.1: The HTMLTagParameter HTML fragment is emitted by Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, Office Outlook 2003, Office Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, and Outlook 2019.

<6> Section 2.1.3.1.4.2:  Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, and Exchange 2019 do not emit the CONTENT HTML fragment because the RTF writer in those versions does not produce RTF-encapsulated HTML.

<7> Section 2.1.3.1.4.2: Exchange 2003, Office Outlook 2003, Office Outlook 2007, Microsoft Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, and Outlook 2019 fail to de-encapsulate the RTF document when \line, \-, and other arbitrary RTF tokens are included in the CONTENT HTML fragment.

<8> Section 2.1.3.1.5: While an MHTMLTAG destination group can be produced by Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, or Exchange 2010, it is to be ignored. Any content encapsulated in an MHTMLTAG destination group represents a rewritten version of content encapsulated (in its original format) in another HTMLTAG destination group; thus, an MHTMLTAG destination group can be safely ignored.

<9> Section 2.1.3.2: Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010 support writing RTF-encapsulated HTML.

<10> Section 2.1.3.2: This empty {\*\htmltag64} destination group disables deprecated behavior in Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, Office Outlook 2003, Office Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, and Outlook 2019.

<11> Section 2.1.3.2: It is possible that Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, Office Outlook 2003, Office Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, and Outlook 2019 will produce the HTMLTagParameter HTML fragment for legacy reasons.

<12> Section 2.1.3.2: Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, Office Outlook 2003, Office Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, and Outlook 2019 can produce unexpected HTML tags that were not in the original HTML document in response to character formatting RTF control words that are not disabled with the HTMLRTF control word. To avoid this deprecated behavior, it is best to disable any control words that affect current character formatting in RTF by using HTMLRTF control word. For a list of all RTF control words that can affect character formatting, see [MSFT-RTF]. If in doubt about any particular control word, disable it by wrapping it with HTMLRTF control words, as specified in section 2.1.3.1.3.

<13> Section 2.2.3.1: Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, Office Outlook 2003, Office Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, and Outlook 2019 ignore the absence of the \rtf1 keyword at the beginning of the RTF encoded text and try to de-encapsulate the text anyway. Exchange 2010, Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, and Exchange 2019 can ignore the absence of the \rtf1 keyword and tries to de-encapsulate the text in certain implementation-specific scenarios.

<14> Section 2.2.3.1: Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, Exchange 2019, Office Outlook 2003, Office Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010,  Outlook 2013 (in some scenarios), Outlook 2016 (in some scenarios), and Outlook 2019 (in some scenarios) could be able to recognize encapsulation by looking beyond 10 tokens. In most cases, Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, and Exchange 2019 limit inspection to the first 10 tokens; therefore, this is a recommendation. Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, Exchange 2013, Exchange 2016, Exchange 2019, Office Outlook 2003, Office Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, and Outlook 2019 do not produce the \fromhtml1 or \fromtext keywords outside of the first 10 tokens of RTF.

<15> Section 2.2.3.4: Office Outlook 2003 uses the rendering position stored in the PidTagRenderingPosition property of the attachment for extra attachments.

<16> Section 2.2.3.4: "Insertion" and "replacement" are used as general terms. Other RTF readers might use a different mechanism for which these terms might seem inappropriate.

<17> Section 2.2.3.4: Office Outlook 2003 uses the rendering position stored in the PidTagRenderingPosition property of the attachment for extra attachments.