mac mail won't match destination font

Tom Gewecke wrote:

My Catalina install give the same result as Monterey, setting a font in Mail preferences isn't sufficient to get its name into the html code, so a recipient email app or browser can't know that's what should be used for display. I recommend Outlook for users who need to be able set a default font for outgoings.

You are correct. I retraced my steps. I changed the font in the body of the email from the Format Menu and then it "sticks."

tjk wrote:

I changed compose font to American Typewriter and sent through Mail to gmail and yahoo.

Did you do that in Mail > Preferences > Fonts & Colors > Message Font? If so, could you go to this message in your Sent folder and do View > Message > Raw Source and see whether in fact "American Typewriter" appears anywhere in the html code for the body?

Rhythm Earthsong wrote:

Additionally, I was told it doesn't matter anyway, because that only determines what fonts you see at your end, but it will get converted anyway to the reader's default mail font on their end...is this true.

Not true, at least in my limited testing. I changed compose font to American Typewriter and sent through Mail to gmail and yahoo. It came through to gmail, which I receive in Mail, and yahoo, which I receive in Yahoo, as sent, American Typewriter. I suspect there are variables which could affect the outcome and different services could be different.

tjk wrote:

That was done on Catalina.

My Catalina install give the same result as Monterey, setting a font in Mail preferences isn't sufficient to get its name into the html code, so a recipient email app or browser can't know that's what should be used for display. I recommend Outlook for users who need to be able set a default font for outgoings.

Rhythm Earthsong wrote:

I don't need any of the extras on more complicated mail programs (Outlook, etc.)

But then you say you want some of those extras added to Mail app:-)

Let Apple know you want them via

http://www.apple.com/feedback

Rhythm Earthsong wrote: If the answer to my second point, that is doesn't matter because it's not the font the receiver/reader will see at their end, anyway, then it doesn't matter.

There is no guarantee that the receiver will see your font, because if they are using some mal apps, like Outlook, they can enforce display of incomings to use the font of their own choice. If they use Mail app, this option is missing, and if you are careful to set the font in your New Message pane to something different that what is set in your Mail preferences, they should normally see the font you chose.

tjk wrote:

Yes, it does.

That is really interesting! What MacOS version are you using? I have tested this a lot over the years without that happening. Below is an example from my 12.1 install. Neither font name nor size get into the code, only the color.

Yes, it does.

That was done on Catalina. As I said, there are variables.