Symptoms

When you open a message in Outlook, you see boxes instead of characters.

Cause

The message is in a language that your computer does not currently support.

Resolution

To read this message and future ones that you receive in a language that is not supported by your computer, you must add support for that language.

Add language support

If you are using Microsoft Windows XP, do the following:

1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel.

   Note  If you are using the Windows XP classic menu, click Start, click Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. If you are using Classic View for the Control Panel, double-click Regional and Language Options. If you are using Category View, double-click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options, and then click Regional and Language Options.
3. Click the Languages tab, and then click Details under Text services and input languages.
4. On the Settings tab, under Installed services, click Add, and then click the language that you want to add and the keyboard layout that you want to use for that language.

Note  To configure the settings for the Language Bar, click Language Bar under Preferences on the Settings tab.

If you are using Microsoft Windows 2000, do the following:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Regional Options.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Under Language settings for the system, select the check box next to the language group that you want to install, and then click Apply.

   You will be prompted either for a Windows 2000 CD or for access to the files on your network. After the language is installed, you will be prompted to restart your computer.

5. To enable the newly added language and specify a keyboard layout, click Start, point to Settings, and then click the Input Locales tab.
6. Under Installed input locales, click the appropriate language, and then click Properties.
7. In the Input Locale Properties dialog box, click the appropriate keyboard layout, and then click OK.

If the message still contains boxes, the font might not have been applied correctly, or the selected font may not be suitable for the language that you added.

Apply the font correctly

1. Open the e-mail message.
2. On the Edit menu, click Edit Message.
3. On the Format menu, click Font, and then select an appropriate font.

Choose a suitable font for the language you add

If the message is in an Asian language, change the font to a more suitable font that will correctly display most of the Asian language characters. The following table lists the fonts that support each of the available Asian languages.