Full Email Conversation Shown in Each Reply

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Level 1

8 points

Full Email Conversation Shown in Each Reply

I like how in an email chain each reply I receive is only that, without showing the entirety of the conversation as part of the reply. So the conversation is all there in the thread, but each message stands alone.

However, when one of my colleagues replies the entire thread is displayed below her message, as part of that message. Of course below that, in the thread, you can also see all responses individually as well. So for long chains it's excruciating to dig through because her replies end up being longer and longer, then longer the conversation goes.

This is difficult to put into words so please ask questions if it doesn't make sense. I think the fix is something on her end, and I want to understand what that change would be so I can guide her in how to make it.

Also, there isn't an Topic option for Mail, so I just chose macOS Catalina.

MacBook

Posted on Jul 14, 2020 8:47 AM

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Answer 1

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,072 points

Jul 18, 2020 8:32 AM in response to brshep

When someone replies to an email, most email clients will include the previous email messages (quoting).

With the "Organize by Conversation" feature, Mail hides the quoted passages. Outlook may be using a non-standard quoting pattern that Mail doesn't recognize so it shows the entire message with the quotes.

I know, Microsoft doing something non-standard is hard to believe.

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Answer 2

MoonJ.

Community Specialist

Jul 17, 2020 1:24 PM in response to brshep

Hello brshep,

Thanks for that info and for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If we understand correctly, you are trying to change how emails are displayed in the Mail app on a Mac. Because Mail and viewing messages can be customized in many ways, please see these Apple resources for the different ways you can customize how you view emails:

Read emails in Mail on Mac

Change Viewing preferences in Mail on Mac

View email conversations in Mail on Mac

Cheers!

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Answer 3

brshep Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 17, 2020 1:37 PM in response to MoonJ.

Thank you for the reply! Unfortunately none of the links you provide address my issue.

I don't think the issue is on my end, but the sender. Or maybe it's an issue of compatibility between Mac Mail and other email apps?

Think of our exchange here as an email conversation. To see each of our messages in the conversation as a stand-alone message is what I want. And what we currently have. What I get instead in these emails -- from just one sender who I email with frequently -- is the entire thread displayed as part of every email she sends. So taking our exchange here as an example, this message would also contain both of our prior two messages below it.....in addition to those messages still being shown as stand-alone messages, as they currently are.

Any thoughts on how I can coach the sender to change her settings so I don't have to see the entire thread as part of every email she sends?

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Answer 4

Leanne_68

Community Specialist

Jul 17, 2020 3:37 PM in response to brshep

Thanks for replying, brshep, and that additional info, it really helps! A couple questions to help clarify the situation:

What is the sender using to send emails? Windows or Mac or something else like iPhone?
What app are they using, or are they using a website?
Is this the only sender you have this issue with?

Have a great day and thanks for using the Apple Support Communities!

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Answer 5

brshep Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 18, 2020 7:21 AM in response to Leanne_68

I think I'm zeroing in on the issue having something to do with emailing through Outlook on a Mac. I work at a university, and Outlook is the supported email server. Most people I work with use a PC (because those are better supported by the university), and I have no problem with their messages. But me and one other person use a Mac. I use Mac Mail, but I think she might use an Outlook app.

Any thoughts? I guess I would need to try to figure this out from the Outlook side of things?

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Full Email Conversation Shown in Each Reply

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