Insert Ribbon in Outlook 2010 is greyed out.

The insert ribbon  is greyed out when trying to compose an email.  Can anyone help with this?  I can't insert pictures, tables, clipart etc.  The only available options are  are "Attach File, Outlook Item, Business Card, Calendar and Signature.

August 27th, 2011 3:59am

This is normal behaviour.

Type into the body of the message and they should become active.

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August 27th, 2011 5:25am

I too had the same problem and everything was suggested from; Start in Safe Mode,to Create a new Profile,and then I stumbled across this thread.

It answered everything,and all is now working.

Thankyou for the 'simple' answer.

May 21st, 2012 4:51am

This does not work for me.   I have Outlook 2010 and the rest of the Office suite is 2007.

The only feature that works is attach file, outlook item, business card, calendar, signature, picture, hyperlinks and bookmarks.

I cannot add a table, clip art, shapes, smartArt, charts, or screenshot.   Once I get an image in the email (attach picture), I cannot format the picture at all.

Suggestions?

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June 20th, 2012 6:11pm

I have the same issue, but opposite versions...office suite is 2010, Outlook is 2007. After inserting a table, you also do not have table tools to edit. Real bummer :(
July 10th, 2012 1:43am

Wrong.
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September 21st, 2012 5:42pm

Let me paint a picture of our environment. Access 2000, office XP SP3 (Word, Excel, publisher, Powerpoint), Outlook 2010 connected to office 365)

I have confirmed this was an issue for us. I logged on as an admin and recieved the same problems. After installing many things including the shared tools and other office addins it still was nopt working. 

I think the thing that got it working was when i added all items under excel, publisher and Word. Other Microsoft articles speak about word as the editor in html mode, and excel as adding chart functionality. It must be somethign to do with these addins not being there that causes the problem. because after adding the programs, the greyed out items are there.

February 25th, 2013 3:51am

I have just solved a similar issue, where my Outlook was Outlook 2013 (along with some programmes) but my Word/PP/Excel is 2010.

It seems to be that the options such as Tools, SmartArt, WordArt etc. are only available in Outlook 2013 if Word is also available in the same package. I have just installed Word 2013 and my options in Outlook are now available.

Ensure both your Outlook and Word are the same version (2007, 2010, 2013 etc). Also, ensure both are the same bit (32 or 64) as different Bitrates save into different folders. It seems that the tools are Word tools, that Outlook uses. Outlook cannot seem to notice other versions of Word that the version it is the same as, and therefore cannot use the tools.

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May 7th, 2013 1:53pm

Click on on Format Text tab

and select HTML

June 6th, 2013 1:34pm

It will not work since word id the editor.

What I do is open word, insert the clipart then copy and past it into my email.

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November 2nd, 2013 5:17am

It will not work since word is the editor for outlook and they need to be the same version..

What I do is open word, insert the clipart then copy and past it into my email.

Problem solved with a work around.  CHeaper then buying new versions.

November 2nd, 2013 5:20am

The answer from Paul Fargo above was the real solution, try this before everything else
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January 5th, 2014 1:57pm

Thanks so much as this worked for me......yeah!!!!
March 28th, 2014 7:23pm

This does not work.

It would be great if that were the real answer for those people who have never inserted something before and they go to the insert ribbon while the cursor is in the "To" or "subject" line ... but that is not the case.

In HTML - in the body of the text - the Insert Ribbon is greyed out.  It is annoying.

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September 24th, 2014 6:35pm

copy winword.exe from office 14 (or office 11) from C PRogram files (x86) Microsoft office to office15
February 19th, 2015 2:18pm

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