How to Send Email on Outlook Express

Outlook Express is an email and news reading program created and distributed by Microsoft. Most commonly used to send, receive and manage email messages, the application was included with Internet Explorer versions 4 through 6, and also with Windows versions 98 through XP. You must first add your email account and configure its settings to send and receive email through Outlook Express.

Step 1

Open Outlook Express and click "Tools" in the top menu bar, then choose "Accounts."

Step 2

Click the "Add" button on the dialog box that follows and select "Mail" from the resulting sub-menu.

Step 3

Enter your name in the "Display name" field. This is the name other people see when you send email messages to them. Click "Next" after providing this information.

Step 4

Enter your email address in the "Email address" field and click "Next."

Step 5

Provide details about the server that handles your email account. Select the mail server type from the drop-down menu on the first line of the "Email Server Names" screen. List the incoming and outgoing server names in the corresponding fields, and then click "Next." If you do not have this information, you can generally find it on the website of your Internet service provider; it is most commonly labeled "Email settings," "POP settings," "POP3 settings," or "IMAP settings."

Step 6

Enter the username and password associated with your email account. Check the box labeled "Remember password" if you do not want to be prompted for your username and password each time you use Outlook Express to access your email. Click "Next" after making your selection.

Step 7

Click the "Finish" button to complete the account setup process.

Step 8

Press the "Ctrl" and "N" keys simultaneously, or click the "Write Message" button to create a new email message in Outlook Express.

Step 9

Enter the email address of the person receiving your email in the "To" field. Enter a subject line for your email message in the "Subject" field. Type the text of your email in the large blank area that takes up the majority of the email message screen.

Step 10

Press the "Send" button to send the email to your selected recipient using Outlook Express.

References

• Microsoft: How to set up Outlook Express
• Help with PCs: Adding New Email Accounts in Outlook Express

About the Author

Craig Witt has written professionally since 2005 in the public and private sectors as a journalist, marketing copywriter and public relations professional. He most often writes consumer software and hardware how-to articles for eHow. Witt has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the University of Washington.