How to Use Outlook Express
This page will show you how to perform the most basic functions of Outlook Express, such as how to check, read, reply, forward, and delete your mail.
Note that you must connect to the internet to send and receive mail; everything else may be done off-line.
- In Outlook Express, you will see a toolbar similar to this one.
This toolbar has functions that are most frequently used. In the picture above, some options are available and others are not (greyed-out). This simply means that the other options are not applicable at this moment. By placing the mouse cursor over an icon for a few seconds, a function description of that icon will appear. For example, with the mouse cursor over the above icon, Send and Receive All will appear as the description.
- If you have not yet configured Outlook Express with the Bruin
OnLine settings, go to
http://www.bol.ucla.edu/software/win/ie/index.html.
Otherwise, click on Send/Recv to send and check your e-mail.
You will then be presented with a Logon window, unless you have specifically
selected the Remember Password option in the Servers Properties.
Passwords are case-sensitive and must contain both numbers and letters.
- In order to read your incoming mail, you must select the
Inbox. This is where all incoming mail will be stored. All mail
that you send out will be stored in the Outbox. On the left-hand
side of Outlook Express, you will be presented with the following
mailboxes:
Simply double-click on the mailbox that you wish to view. This will display all the mail stored in that particular mailbox.
- Let us examine the Inbox in more detail. You will be
presented with a display similar to the following:
The middle of the window will list any mail that is stored in the Inbox. This window will provide information such as From, Subject and Received.
- By opening any of the mailboxes, most of the toolbar icons are
enabled.
These options are as follows (from left to right):
- The New Mail button opens a new message for composition.
- The Reply button generates a reply message to a current incoming message.
- The Reply All button generates a reply message addressed to all of the recipients of the selected message.
- The Forward button generates a forward message from a current incoming message.
- The Print button prints a message that is displayed in the preview pane or one that is open in a separate window.
- The Send/Recv button sends and retrieves messages.
- The Addresses button opens the Address Book.
- The Find button allows the user to find a particular message.
- Note that all deleted messages are stored in the Deleted Items
mailbox until you select Empty 'Deleted Items' Folder from the
Edit menu.
