Create contact groups (mailing lists)
A contact group is a collection of contacts that simplifies the process of sending e-mail to groups of people. By addressing a message to a contact group, you save time by not having to add an address to the message for each recipient. You can send the message to everyone in the contact group at once.When using contact groups, keep in mind that they do not hide the email addresses of the recipients. When you send a message to a contact group, all the recipients will be able to see the names and email addresses of the other recipients.Managing your contacts
You can use Windows to keep track of people and organizations by creating contacts for them in Windows Contacts. Each contact contains the information for one person or organization.When you need to look up a friend's e-mail address or phone number, you can open your Contacts folder and find it there. When you want to take notes about a business contact, you can store them in the Contacts folder. No matter what type of contact information you want to remember about someone, you can put it in the Contacts folder even a picture.Create a contact card with your own information
You can keep track of people and organizations by entering information about them in Windows Contacts. You can also use Windows Contacts to create a contact for yourself that contains your personal information. The contact that you create for yourself can be used like a virtual business card, and can contain your e-mail addresses, street address, phone numbers, job title, and any other information you want to include.Can I use Windows Contacts with other programs besides Windows Mail?
Windows Contacts are designed to be used either with Windows Mail or as a standalone program for storing e-mail addresses and other information about people and organizations. However, you can also use contacts with some other email programs that are compatible with Windows Contacts. To be compatible, the program must be able to read the .contact file that Windows creates for each individual contact.Troubleshoot problems with Windows Mail
If you are having trouble configuring your email accounts with Windows Mail, you might consider using Windows Live Mail instead. All you need to do is enter your email address and Windows Live Mail will automatically enter the correct settings for email servers used by many popular email services, including Windows Live Hotmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and Gmail.Windows Live Mail includes the familiar features of Outlook Express, the mail program included in Windows XP, and Windows Mail, the mail program included in Windows Vista:I don't know how to set up Windows Mail for my email account.Here are solutions to some common issues with Windows Mail.I can't receive email.I can receive, but not send, email messages.I can't view or save an attached file.The links don't work in a message I received.I don't understand the difference between Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail, and Outlook Express.I have messages in my Outbox and I don't know how to send or delete them.I can't check spelling in my messages.When I click an email link in my web browser, it opens another email program instead of Windows Mail .Change the way Windows Mail looks
You can change the way Windows Mail displays messages to make it easier to find specific types of messages. Windows Mail includes a number of built-in view options, and you can create custom views as well. How can I change which messages are displayed in the message list? Can I create custom views showing only certain messages? Can I group related messages together? Can I change the information shown in the message list? Add or remove a Windows Mail account
You can set up a variety of different accounts using Windows Mail. You can set up a single personal email account, or you might also add your work email account and some newsgroups as well. Windows Mail makes managing multiple accounts easy by putting each account in its own folder. Windows Mail supports three types of accounts: mail, news (newsgroups), and directory services. Directory services are online address books that are typically offered by organizations such as colleges and businesses .Import, export, or change the format for contacts
You can import address book or contact information from several formats used by other programs, convert them for use in this version of Windows, and store them in your Contacts folder. You can also convert your contacts to other formats by exporting them. This allows you to share them with people who are using an earlier version of Windows or who are using a different operating system.Add or remove pictures in contacts
You can add pictures to your contacts, making it easier to identify and remember people when you look up their contact information. Windows adds a default image for each contact, which you can change to any picture or graphic you want.Where to find your e-mail account information
Your email service provider should provide you with the information you need to sign in to your email account. If you dont have this information available, contact your email provider. Your email provider is typically your Internet service provider (ISP), but might also be your employer, school, or an independent provider that offers POP3 or IMAP e-mail accounts.Change your Internet Explorer language settings
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8. You can add multiple languages to Internet Explorer to display webpage and Address bar text correctly. Keep in mind that installing languages in Internet Explorer only makes those languages available in websites and the Address bar. To change the language used for Internet Explorer's menus and buttons, you need to install a version of Internet Explorer that is written in the language you prefer. Working with Windows Mail
Windows Mail has the tools you need to exchange e-mail with colleagues and friends, or join newsgroups to trade ideas and information.Check for new e-mail
You can schedule Windows Mail to automatically check for new e-mail, or you can check for new email manually. Checking manually is useful if you don't want to wait for the next time Windows Mail is scheduled to check for new messages, or if you're using dial up networking to connect to the Internet and you don't want Windows Mail to connect automatically.Why can't I view an attachment in Windows Mail?
Windows Mail blocks certain types of file attachments that are commonly used to spread e-mail viruses, such as files with the following file name extensions: .exe, .pif, and .scr files. If Windows Mail blocks an attachment in an e-mail, the Information bar will display a message letting you know that it has done so and list the attachment that has been blocked. Although it's not recommended, you can enable access to blocked attachments. This should only be done by advanced users, and only with an up-to-date virus checker running.Navigate using the Address bar
The Address bar appears at the top of every folder and displays your current location as a series of links separated by arrows. Using the Address bar, you can see your current location on the computer or on a network.Import messages to Windows Mail from other e-mail programs
You can switch to Windows Mail from some existing email programs without losing access to your existing e-mail messages. Windows Mail can import messages from Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Outlook Express. It can also import messages from Windows Mail running on another computer.View e-mail messages in Windows Mail
The simplest way to view an e-mail message in Windows Mail is to read it in the Preview pane, where you can view the message's contents without opening the message in a separate window. Or, if you want to see a larger portion of the message without scrolling, you can open it in a separate window instead.Windows Mail: Setting up an account from start to finish
Setting up your email is a bit like setting up a new computer: You do it only once. After you configure your email accounts in Windows Mail, you never have to hassle with it again unless, of course, you open a new email account.Windows Mail allows you to send and receive messages from multiple email accounts. You can set up Windows Mail to work with many types of providers, from the biggest, most popular email services all the way down to the smallest Internet service provider (ISP).Open or save an attachment in Windows Mail
Using Windows Mail, you can send documents, images, and other files as attachments to your e-mail messages. Messages that contain attachments are indicated by a paperclip icon in the Attachment column of the message list. You can open attachments directly from Windows Mail, or you can save them to a folder on your computer so you can easily access them later without needing to locate the message they were attached to.Reducing connection time when retrieving e-mail
You can set up Windows Mail to connect to the Internet, download and send messages, and then disconnect, which minimizes how much time you spend connected. This is useful if you pay for Internet access by the minute, or if you use the same phone line for connecting to the Internet that you use for telephone calls. Here are some things you can do to reduce connection time. To automatically disconnect from the Internet after retrieving messages. To read e-mail messages without being connected to the Internet. To write e-mail messages offline and send them later.Block spam and other unwanted e-mail
Windows Mail helps you manage your Inbox to keep it free of unwanted email messages in the following ways:The junk email filter, block messages, prevent the blocking of messages from specific email addresses.Learn how to:Change the junk email protection level Move a message from the Junk email folder to your Inbox Add a sender to the Blocked Senders list Add a sender to the Safe Senders listRead e-mail messages offline
Windows Mail can download e-mail messages to your computer, allowing you to read and reply to them offline. You might want to work offline if:You want to reduce the amount of time you spend online, either because your Internet service provider (ISP) charges you by the hour, or because you have only one phone line and you're not using a broadband connection.You use a mobile PC to read messages while traveling and in other situations where you can't connect to the Internet.Find an e-mail or newsgroup message
Windows Mail includes the Search box, which makes it easy to find specific email and newsgroup messages. Using the Search box, you can quickly filter your message list so that it only shows messages containing specific words, characters, or e-mail addresses.When to trust an e-mail message
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8. E-mail is a great way to keep in touch with other people. Unfortunately, it can also open your computer to security risks, computer viruses, and potentially malicious software if you're not careful about the messages and attachments that you open. Before opening any e-mail message or attachment, be sure that you have an up-to-date antivirus program installed. The antivirus program should be configured to scan messages as they arrive (real-time), and to scan all types of file attachments. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help decide whether to open an e-mail message or attachment. Getting started with e-mail
Email (short for electronic mail) is a fast and convenient way to communicate with others. You can use email to:Send and receive text messages; Send and receive files; Send messages to groups of people; Forward messages.Learn: What do I need before I can use email? Setting up Windows Mail, Reading email messages, Creating and sending email messages, Email etiquette, Using emoticons, Dealing with junk email AND more..What happened to Windows Address Book?
Windows Address Book has been replaced by Windows Contacts in this version of Windows. Windows Contacts has all the features of the old Windows Address Book, as well as some new features, such as the ability to add pictures to your contacts.Request or renew a certificate
Certificates are used primarily to verify the identity of a person or device, authenticate a service, or encrypt files. Certificates are usually provided for you automatically. For example, if you purchase something online using a secure website, a certificate might be used to encrypt your credit card information. If you want a certificate for your personal use, such as providing a digital signature in e-mail messages, it might not be provided automatically. In this case, you would contact a certification authority to request a certificate and import it. If you work for an enterprise that uses certificates for network access and the certificate is not automatically renewed, you might get a message saying that a certificate has expired. Follow these steps to get a new one or to renew one.Delete messages in Windows Mail
Deleting email messages that you no longer need can free up space on your hard disk and improve the performance of Windows Mail.Check spelling in a Windows Mail message
The Windows Mail spelling checker helps you avoid embarrassing typos and misspellings.Windows Mail keyboard shortcuts
With keyboard shortcuts, you can perform many Windows Mail tasks and navigate without using a mouse. Except where indicated, shortcuts apply to both email and newsgroups .Why won't Windows allow me to change a system setting?
If your computer is part of a network at an organization such as a school, government agency, or a business, your organization's system administrator might have disabled or even removed certain settings by using Group Policy. Group Policy is a feature of Windows that lets system administrators manage users' access to Windows features. If you suspect that Group Policy is preventing you from changing a setting that you need to access, contact your system administrator.What is phishing?
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8. Online phishing (pronounced like the word fishing) is a way to trick computer users into revealing personal or financial information through a fraudulent e-mail message or website. A common online phishing scam starts with an e-mail message that looks like an official notice from a trusted source, such as a bank, credit card company, or reputable online merchant. In the e-mail message, recipients are directed to a fraudulent website where they are asked to provide personal information, such as an account number or password. This information is then usually used for identity theft. Change Windows to Classic view
Classic view gives Windows the look and behavior of earlier versions. You can change just the Start menu or Control Panel to Classic view, or use the Windows Classic theme for a broader change. You can also change your folders to Classic view, which turns off the Navigation pane, Preview pane, and toolbar in all folders. This setting gives you more room to display files because it hides panes you might not need. Learn how to:change the Start menu to Classic view, change the Control Panel to Classic view, change the theme to Windows Classic, change folders to Classic view.Change how Windows installs or notifies you about updates
You can set Windows to automatically install important and recommended updates, or to install important updates only. Important updates provide significant benefits, such as improved security and reliability. Recommended updates can address non-critical problems and help enhance your computing experience. Optional updates are not downloaded or installed automatically.Change mouse settings
You can customize your mouse in a variety of ways, such as swapping the functions of your mouse buttons, making the mouse pointer more visible, and altering the scroll wheel speed. To change how the mouse buttons work. To change how the mouse pointer looks. To change how the mouse pointer works. To change how the mouse wheel works.Write an e-mail message
Composing an email message is just like writing a note in a word processor. Once you've finished composing your message, you type your recipients' email addresses and the subject of your message in the appropriate boxes, and your message is ready to send.Keep in mind that you need to create an email account for yourself in Windows Mail to be able to send email messages .Customize the Internet Explorer toolbars
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8. Internet Explorer has several toolbars, including the Menu bar, the Favorites or Links bar, and the Command bar. There is also the Address bar, where you can type a web address, and the status bar, which displays messages such as a webpage's download progress. All of these toolbars can be customized in one way or another.Import messages into Windows Mail from Outlook Express
When you upgrade a computer running Windows XP to Windows Vista, Windows automatically imports any messages and contacts you have in Outlook Express to Windows Mail. (Outlook Express has been replaced in Windows Vista by Windows Mail.) If you are not upgrading but want to transfer your Outlook Express messages to a computer running Windows Vista, then you need to transfer the messages manually or use Windows Easy Transfer. If you are just transferring Outlook Express messages (and not all your other files and settings) from a computer running Windows XP, you may find it easier to use the manual method described here.POP3, SMTP, and other e-mail server types
When setting up an email account in Windows Mail, you'll be asked to select the type of email server your account uses. Windows Mail supports the following email server types.Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) servers hold incoming email messages until you check your email, at which point they're transferred to your computer. POP3 is the most common account type for personal email. Messages are typically deleted from the server when you check your email.Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) servers let you work with email messages without downloading them to your computer first. You can preview, delete, and organize messages directly on the email server, and copies are stored on the server until you choose to delete them. IMAP is commonly used for business email accounts.Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) servers handle the sending of your email messages to the Internet. The SMTP server handles outgoing email, and is used in conjunction with a POP3 or IMAP incoming email server .Organize e-mail using rules and folders
Here are answers to some common questions about organizing email by using folders and rules in Windows Mail.How can I use folders to organize email? How can I use rules to organize email? Can I create a rule based on a specific message? How do I get rid of teh favorites and history when I drop down the address
bar arrow. It's very annoying to see that when I drop it down?