How to Remove the %C2%B6 Outlook Symbol: A Comprehensive Guide

Have you ever encountered a strange-looking symbol in your Outlook emails, often appearing as %C2%B6? This character, which is actually the Unicode representation of the pilcrow sign (¶), can be quite annoying and confusing. It’s often the result of copy-pasting text from other sources or the way Outlook handles formatting and hidden characters. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the various reasons why this symbol appears and, more importantly, how to effectively remove it from your Outlook emails and prevent it from recurring.

Understanding the %C2%B6 Symbol and Its Origins

Before diving into the solutions, let’s first understand what this symbol is and why it’s showing up in your emails. The %C2%B6 is a URL-encoded representation of the Unicode character U+00B6, which is the pilcrow sign (¶). The pilcrow is a typographical symbol used to mark the end of a paragraph or section. It’s often used in word processors to show paragraph breaks and other non-printing formatting marks.

The reason you’re seeing %C2%B6 in Outlook instead of the actual pilcrow (¶) is usually due to how Outlook or the source from where you copied the text, encodes characters. When copying text from websites, PDFs, or other applications into Outlook, the formatting and hidden characters are sometimes included. Outlook’s email client might not always interpret these characters correctly, resulting in the URL-encoded form being displayed. This typically happens when the source content uses a different character encoding than what Outlook expects.

This encoding issue can also arise when a user is sending emails from Outlook using Rich Text format to a recipient using Plain Text format and Outlook. This can also create the %c2%b6 character because the formatting is lost in the conversion. HTML and RTF emails usually allow for more complex formatting which when passed into an application that does not support the same level of formatting, will show these % signs in place of the formatting symbol that cannot be displayed.

Methods to Remove the %C2%B6 Symbol in Outlook

Now that we understand the culprit, let’s delve into the solutions. Here are several methods you can use to effectively get rid of the %C2%B6 symbol in your Outlook emails:

Method 1: Using the Find and Replace Feature

The find and replace feature is the most straightforward way to remove the %C2%B6 symbol from your emails. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Email: Start by opening the email that contains the %C2%B6 symbol.
2. Access Find and Replace: Go to the "Home" tab of your Outlook ribbon. In the "Editing" section, click on "Replace" or press Ctrl + H (or Cmd + Shift + H on macOS) on your keyboard to open the Find and Replace dialog box.
3. Enter Search Term: In the "Find what" field, type %c2%b6. This tells Outlook that you are looking to find the symbol and replace it.
4. Enter Replacement Term: Leave the "Replace with" field blank. By leaving it blank, you’re instructing Outlook to remove every instance of the %C2%B6 character.
5. Replace All: Click on the “Replace All” button. Outlook will then search for the %C2%B6 symbol and replace every occurrence with a blank space, effectively deleting it.
6. Review the Email: Check the email to ensure all %C2%B6 symbols have been removed.

This method is quick and efficient for eliminating all instances of the symbol in the email. This is the most basic and usually fixes most issues of this type.

Method 2: Using the Format Painter Tool

The Format Painter tool allows you to copy the formatting from one part of the text and apply it to another. While not directly targeted at removing the symbol, it can be useful in situations where the symbol’s appearance is tied to a specific formatting style.

1. Select Correctly Formatted Text: Find a portion of the email text that is formatted correctly, without the %C2%B6 symbol.
2. Click Format Painter: On the “Home” tab of the ribbon, find the Format Painter icon which looks like a paintbrush. Click it once to use it for a single use or click it twice to use it multiple times.
3. Apply the Formatting: Select the text that contains the %C2%B6 symbol. Outlook will then automatically apply the formatting that you have copied using the format painter. This should overwrite the formatting in which the %C2%B6 character is.
4. Review the Email: Check if the %C2%B6 symbol is gone, and the formatting is now consistent.

This method works by overriding the formatting that is causing the issue, allowing you to clean up the formatting of the entire text.

Method 3: Copying and Pasting as Plain Text

Sometimes, the issue is with the way the text was originally formatted before being pasted into the email. Copying and pasting the email content as plain text strips away the formatting that causes the %C2%B6 symbol to appear.

1. Select the Text: Select all the text from your email which contains the %C2%B6 symbol.
2. Copy the Text: Press Ctrl + C (or Cmd + C on macOS) to copy the selected text.
3. Create a New Email or Reply: Create a new email or reply to the email you are currently in.
4. Paste as Plain Text: In the body of the email, right-click and choose the “Paste Options” which looks like a small clipboard. There should be a “Keep Text Only” option that will paste the text as plain text. Or alternatively paste the text using Ctrl + Shift + V (or Cmd + Shift + V on macOS) which will also paste the text as plain text.
5. Format the Text: If necessary, manually format the text again, using Outlook’s formatting tools.

This method is effective because it ensures the text is stripped of all unnecessary formatting before being pasted back into the email, thus removing the encoding that shows %C2%B6. This method, however, can cause the loss of formatting, so be sure you are okay with that before using this option.

Method 4: Checking the Email Format

The format of the email (HTML, Rich Text, or Plain Text) can influence how formatting and special characters are displayed. If you are creating and sending emails in Rich Text format, it can cause issues if the recipient is using Plain Text formatting.

1. Open a New Email: Open a new email window in Outlook.
2. Go to Format Text Tab: Click on the “Format Text” tab in the email window ribbon.
3. Check Format Type: Look at the “Format” section. If the format of the email is Rich Text or HTML, try changing the email to Plain Text.
4. Create a New Email or Reply: Create a new email or reply to the email you are currently in.
5. Copy and Paste the Text: Copy and paste the text into the email. The %c2%b6 character should now be gone from the text.
6. Send the email: If the character has disappeared, you can send the email.

Using Plain Text will strip away most formatting options and remove the possibility of the %c2%b6 symbol showing up. This will also require that if you need formatted emails that you switch the format back.

Method 5: Inspecting the Source of the Text

If you frequently encounter this symbol, it might be beneficial to investigate the source of the copied text. If the text comes from a website, PDF, or a text document, there may be underlying formatting issues that are getting carried over when you copy and paste into Outlook. Consider checking the source for formatting issues.

If the text is from a website, ensure that you are not copying hidden elements. If it is from a document consider saving the document as a plain text file and then copy the text. This will reduce the possibility of unwanted formatting symbols being copied into outlook.

Method 6: Using a Text Editor to Clean the Text

Before pasting text into Outlook, you can use a text editor to strip away any extra formatting. This can be useful if the source of the issue is not readily known and you suspect it’s an issue with the text you are copying.

1. Copy the Text: Copy the text you want to paste into Outlook.
2. Open a Text Editor: Open a plain text editor like Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (macOS).
3. Paste the Text: Paste the text into the text editor. Plain text editors do not retain formatting and will strip it when pasted.
4. Copy from Text Editor: Copy the text from the text editor and paste into Outlook.

This method is beneficial because it makes it so that you remove all the underlying formatting from the text and then paste in plain text before you format it in Outlook. This helps to remove the problematic formatting that causes the %c2%b6 symbol.

Preventing the %C2%B6 Symbol From Appearing Again

While removing the symbol is important, preventing it from recurring is even better. Here are some tips to avoid the %C2%B6 symbol in your Outlook emails:

• Paste as Plain Text: Whenever you are copying text from external sources, use the paste as plain text option to prevent formatting issues from carrying over.
• Use a Text Editor: Clean your text from outside sources by pasting it into a plain text editor before bringing it to outlook. This helps prevent formatting errors from going into outlook emails.
• Format Text Carefully: Be mindful of the formatting you apply in emails. Sometimes, excessive formatting can cause these issues.
• Update Outlook: Make sure that your Outlook software is up to date. Keeping your software updated will help to ensure that your client works correctly.
• Copy and Paste Mindfully: Be aware of how you are copying the text, if there are hidden elements on websites, be sure to not copy the hidden elements.

Conclusion

The %C2%B6 symbol in Outlook can be a nuisance, but by understanding its origin and applying the methods outlined in this guide, you can effectively remove it and prevent its reoccurrence. Whether you use the find and replace feature, the format painter, or paste as plain text, there is a method that will help you resolve this issue. Remember to take the time to understand your formatting settings, and always look to the source of the text if you have repeated problems with the %C2%B6 symbol. By following these steps, you can keep your Outlook emails clean and professional.