Useplaintext
Use Plain Text explains the difference between plain-text and HTML email and why some people prefer plain text.
About Useplaintext
Use Plain Text is a guide to plain-text email, which is one of the two main email formats alongside HTML. It explains why some people, particularly in technical communities, prefer or require plain text from participants in email discussions. The site also covers how to configure common mail clients to compose plain-text messages, and it describes the etiquette and conventions of plain-text email.
The guide includes a list of email clients that handle plain text well, such as aerc, Mutt, and Roundcube, and setup steps for many other clients. Some providers are noted as not supporting plain text, including Afterlogic and Elementary OS Mail. For those cases the guide suggests asking the provider for support or using a different client over IMAP and SMTP. The guide is provided by sourcehut, a software development platform that uses plain-text email for several of its features.
Key features
- Lists email clients known to handle plain text well, grouped by interface type
- Setup steps for switching clients such as Apple Mail, Evolution, and Fastmail to plain text
- Notes on text wrapping and format=flowed support for each listed client
- Notes on bottom-posting support for each listed client
- Etiquette recommendations for writing plain-text email
- Explanation of the differences between plain-text and HTML email
Best for: People who want to send plain-text email, or who take part in technical communities that expect it, and need help configuring their mail client.
Good for
- Explains the difference between plain-text and HTML email in plain terms
- Covers desktop, terminal, and webmail clients, with setup steps for several of them
- Identifies clients that compose plain text by default, so no extra configuration is needed
Watch out for
- The page states that some clients, including Afterlogic and Elementary OS Mail, do not support plain-text email
- Webmail with weak plain-text support may require switching to a separate client that connects over IMAP and SMTP
- Setup steps are given only for some clients, and the available text does not cover all of them
Useplaintext at a glance
- Website
- useplaintext.email
- Category
- Productivity › Email Tools
- Type
- Online tool
- Pricing
- Free
- Platforms
- Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Guides for Email Tools
Useplaintext alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
ExtractMailAddress finds and sorts email addresses, URLs, and phone numbers from text and document files.
Twobird combines email, notes, reminders, and to-do assignments in one inbox.
Boomerang adds email management and meeting scheduling features to Gmail and Google Workspace.
Spike organizes email messages and helps users sort their inbox and compose replies.
Thunderbird combines email, calendars, and contacts in a customizable application.
FiloMail combines email and to-dos across multiple accounts, with task reminders, thread summaries, and reply assistance.
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Useplaintext FAQ
Which email clients does the guide recommend for plain text?
The guide lists clients known to handle plain text well, including aerc, alpine, Mutt, NeoMutt, KMail, MailMate, and Roundcube. It says these clients compose plain-text emails by default, with correct quoting and text wrapping, and need no additional configuration.
What should I do if my webmail does not support plain text well?
The guide suggests writing to your email provider's postmaster with a complaint. It also suggests using one of the recommended clients over IMAP and SMTP instead of the webmail interface.
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