Resolve Body of Email Not Showing in Outlook
Updated on November 16, 2026 by Henry Bray
Several users while sending an email, do face the issue that the content of an email does not show in Outlook. Moreover, users have complained that only empty emails are being sent. Because of this, a lot of users face practical issues related to emailing and professional life gets affected.
A lot of users have also noticed the "Can't read the body of email" error in Outlook's received email area. All these issues and errors make using Outlook an uphill battle. But the best part is that this battle can be won if you are in the right place and by landing on this page, you are on the right page/place. Be with this write-up till the end and resolve the body of the email not showing in Outlook issue.
In this Artical
- Reasons behind 'body of email not appearing in MS Outlook' Error
- 5 Varified Solutions to Resolve body of Email not showing in MS Outlook
- 1st Solution: Disable AVG and other suspicious Outlook add-ins
- 2nd Solution: Run MS Outlook in Safe Mode
- 3rd Solution: Analyze the Text Colour Options for Plain Text Email
- 4th Solution: Try to see if hardware graphics acceleration is ON or Disabled.
- 5th Solution: Use Professional tool to Fix error 'email content not showing in Outlook'
- Video Tutorial
- Gist of the blog:
- Frequently Asked Questions
Reasons behind 'body of email not appearing in MS Outlook' Error
The "body of email not appearing in MS Outlook" error can occur for several reasons, often related to software conflicts, settings, or issues with your email client. Here are some common reasons for this error:
Antivirus Add-ins: Antivirus add-ins, such as the AVG Addin for MS Outlook, can sometimes interfere with the display of email content. These add-ins are designed to scan emails for malware but may slow down Outlook or block email content.
Mismatched Outlook Add-ins: Conflicting or outdated Outlook add-ins can cause various issues, including the disappearance of email content. When add-ins do not work well together or are not up-to-date, it can lead to problems in Outlook.
Text Colour Settings: In some cases, the text colour for plain text messages may be white, making the email content appear invisible. This can happen if the settings are accidentally changed.
Corrupted Outlook Data File (PST): If your Outlook data file (PST) becomes corrupted or damaged, it can lead to missing email content. Corrupted PST files can cause various issues in Outlook.
Hardware Graphics Acceleration: Enabling hardware graphics acceleration in Outlook can sometimes lead to display problems, including missing email content. Turning off this feature may help resolve the issue.
Email Formatting Issues: Email content may not appear if the Email was created with formatting that Outlook does not support. Certain HTML formatting or rich media content might not display correctly.
Outlook Profile Issues: Problems with your Outlook profile, such as corruption or misconfiguration, can affect the display of email content. Creating a new Outlook profile might help resolve these issues.
If there are server issues or problems with your internet connection, it can lead to emails not loading properly, resulting in missing email content.
5 Varified Solutions to Resolve body of Email not showing in MS Outlook
1st Solution: Disable AVG and other suspicious Outlook add-ins
As already indicated, the problem is mostly caused by the AvgOutlook.add-in (AVG Add-in). So, try deactivating or deleting it and see whether the problem remains. If you have another antivirus program installed for Outlook, deactivate or uninstall it.
- Launch Microsoft Outlook and navigate to the "File" tab, then press "Options". Go to the Add-ins tab in the Outlook "Options" window, then press the Go icon next to the "Manage COM add-ins" button.
- If you only want to deactivate the add-in temporarily, uncheck its tickbox and click OK.
- If you wish to delete the add-in entirely, check the box next to it and press the Remove icon.
- Restart Outlook to see if the problem persists.
2nd Solution: Run MS Outlook in Safe Mode
Relaunching MS Outlook in safe mode helps address the missing body of an email or text message issue. To do the same, follow the procedure below:
Just use the Windows + R shortcut to access the Run dialog box.
Next, enter "outlook.exe/safe" and hit the OK icon.
This will restart Outlook in safe mode, and you should now be able to access the body and content of your Outlook emails.
3rd Solution: Analyze the Text Colour Options for Plain Text Email
If you do not see content in your Outlook emails, check the font colour options and make sure it isn't set to white. You can perform this by completing the instructions mentioned as follows.
- Navigate to the File > Options menu in Outlook and then go to the Mail tab. Next, proceed to the "Personal Stationery" tab after clicking the Stationery and Fonts icon.
- Select the "Composing and reading plain text messages" option and click on the font icon beneath it.
- Check that the font colour is set to Automatic. If it isn't already, change it to Automatic/Black and then push the OK icon.
- Restart the Outlook program to see whether the emails still have no body or content.
4th Solution: Try to see if hardware graphics acceleration is ON or Disabled.
The abovementioned option may be enabled on your Outlook. You need to check it. If it has been activated, then you must deactivate it. To do so, read the steps as follows:
Navigate to File > Options in the Outlook program.
Go to the "Advanced" tab, then scroll to the bottom to the Display segment. Check that the Disable hardware acceleration option is chosen. Or else, tick this box and then click the OK icon.
5th Solution: Use Professional tool to Fix error 'email content not showing in Outlook'
The body or text may be missing if an Outlook data file is damaged. In that condition, using a professional utility for quick and effective recovery is a wise decision. You must use a PST Repair application to fix corrupted Outlook data files and observe whether the problem persists.
You can use the Regain Outlook PST Recovery software. It is the most reliable program, with a simple interface that allows anybody to effortlessly repair and recover their PST file in just a few steps. Follow the below given steps:
- First, install and run the software on your device.
- Then choose the Outlook PST file for scanning.
- Analyze the preview of all the scanned mailbox items.
- To save a PST file, choose 'Destination directory' and 'Target format'.
- Save the restored PST file by clicking the "Save Now" button.
Video Tutorial to Fix Corrupt Outlook PST files using Regain Software – Watch Now!
Gist of the blog:
In this article, we've explored a frustrating issue many Outlook users face: the disappearance of email content in their Outlook clients. This problem can lead to sending and receiving empty emails, contributing to the unnecessary bloating of Outlook PST files. We've discussed several reasons behind this issue, including the AVG Outlook Add-in, mismatched add-ins, text colour settings, and corrupted PST files.
To resolve this problem, we've outlined five simple methods. By following these steps, you can hopefully resolve the "body of email not appearing in MS Outlook" error and enjoy a smoother Outlook experience. A damaged Outlook data file (PST) could be the culprit if all else fails. Consider using a PST repair application like Regain Outlook PST Recovery to recover and repair corrupted PST files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q 1. Why is the email body blank in Outlook when I can see the subject and sender?
Ans. The most common causes are a faulty add-in, a plain-text font color set to white, hardware graphics acceleration, an Outlook profile problem, or a damaged data file. Open the message in your webmail first to check that the email itself is not empty.
Q 2. How can I tell if the problem is Outlook or the email itself?
Ans. Open the same message in your email provider’s webmail or on another device. If it displays normally there, the message is intact and Outlook is failing to display it. If it’s blank everywhere, the sender’s template or a mail flow rule may be at fault.
Q 3. Why does the email body only appear when I click Reply or Forward?
Ans. This points to a rendering problem rather than an empty email. A mail flow rule or third-party service that adds banners, disclaimers, or rewrites links can also affect how the body looks. Test the message in another client, and ask your IT admin to check the mail flow rules.
Q 4. How do I fix a blank email body caused by add-ins?
Ans. Close Outlook, press Windows + R, type outlook.exe /safe, and press Enter. If the email body shows in Safe Mode, an add-in is the likely cause. Open Outlook normally, go to File > Options > Add-ins, manage COM Add-ins, and turn them off one by one, starting with antivirus add-ins.
Q 5. Can a corrupt PST file cause blank email bodies in Outlook?
Ans. It can, but it is not the most common cause. Try the quick fixes first. If specific emails stay blank even after running the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe), use Regain Outlook PST Recovery to scan the PST file, preview the recovered items, and save them to a new file.
Q 6. Can hardware graphics acceleration cause blank email bodies in Outlook?
Ans. Yes, it can cause display problems, including missing text. Go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll to the Display section, and turn on “Disable hardware graphics acceleration”. Restart Outlook and check the message again.
