Outlook Express is the Internet e-mail and news reader included with Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 and later. It was formerly called Internet Mail and News. While it shares the Outlook name, Outlook Express doesn’t have the task- and contact-management capabilities of Microsoft Outlook, nor can it handle e-mail other than Internet mail. See OL2000 Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express.
For questions about Outlook Express, you might want to visit the Microsoft newsgroups or visit:
If you can’t access attachments in OE messages, see Outlook Express Security settings.
Common Components | Newsgroups | Migrating from OE to Outlook
Problems after Installing OE | Discussion | More Information
Common Components
Outlook Express shares some components with Outlook, particularly those used for displaying HTML messages, handling S/MIME security and managing Internet mail accounts. For more details, see OL2000 Why Outlook 2000 Requires Outlook Express.
You can share information between the Outlook Contacts folder and the Windows Address Book in Outlook Express. See these MSKB articles:
- OL2000 (IMO) How Do I Share Information Between Outlook and OE
- OL98 (IMO) How Do I Share Information Between Outlook and OE
- To share Contacts between Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express
Newsgroups
Microsoft Outlook does not include an integrated newsreader for Internet newsgroups. (Opinion on whether this is good or bad is quite divided.) When you install Outlook 98 or above, Outlook Express is also installed and can handle all newsgroup functions using the Go, News menu. Or, you can just ignore OE and use some other newsreader.
The following add-ins are now available that allow you to read newsgroups in Outlook. If you use an Outlook 97/2002 *.pst with these add-ins, note that the pst size cannot exceed approximately 1.8 GB. Limit the number of groups you are subscribed and use autoarchive to keep the number of items per folder and pst size under control.
Note that because of limitation inherent in the MAPI transport, the features available in Outlook are limited compared to Outlook Express or another newsreader, including no headers-only option. These add-ins are slower than OE to collect posts and the two transports, NNTP for Outlook and Newshound, will work best with a few subscribed groups per server.
Tools in the Spotlight
Fully-functional NNTP transport for the MAPI subsystem. Use it with Outlook 2000 (Corporate/Workgroup mode) and Outlook 2002/2003/2007 to read and post to UseNet servers. Provides support of MIME, RTF and HTML. Features include dial-up support and an articles cache to optimize the downloading from several accounts. Version 1.5. Supports Outlook 2007. |
Tools
A MAPI service provider that adds full newsgroup (NNTP) support into Outlook. Newsgroup articles can be stored in personal folders files (.pst) or in your Exchange mailbox folders and copied or linked to contact, task, journal and note items. NewsHound 3.0 adds the ability to retrieve messages and threads from Microsoft's web-based forums at social.microsoft.com, social.msdn.microsoft.com, social.technet.microsoft.com, social.answers.microsoft.com and social.expression.microsoft.com. Version 3. | |
COM Add-in for Outlook 2002/2003. Requires CDO and NET Framework. | |
The NNTP plugin for NewsGator provides the functionality to post messages to UseNet. It is tightly integrated with NewsGator and you can now easily manage, post, and reply to newsgroups all from one application. (Free, donations accepted.) |
Migrating from OE to Outlook
- OL2000 (CW) How to Upgrade from Outlook Express to Outlook 2000
- OL2000 (IMO) How to Upgrade from Outlook Express to Outlook 2000
Problems after Installing OE
If you have problems using Outlook after installing Outlook Express, this may be due to making OE the default program for Simple MAPI (in other words, your default mail program). Click here for details on how to resolve the problem.
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Last reviewed on Dec 8, 2011
I used news group extensively while I had my old computer. after upgrading to windows 7 and MS office 2010, I lost news group. It is a terrible shame and a backwards step of the MicroSoft system. I am sooo dispointed with microsoft.!!! These guys are simply creating cash cows for their own ends and profit. Not in the interest of the end user !!!.
Now how do I get the news group on Outlook 2010 ????.
I used news group extensively while I had my old computer. after upgrading to windows 7 and MS office 2010, I lost news group. It is a terrible shame and a backwards step of the MicroSoft system. I am sooo dispointed with microsoft.!!! These guys are simply creating cash cows for their own ends and profit. Not in the interest of the end user !!!.
Now how do I get the news group on Outlook 2010 ????.
You never had newsgroups in Outlook – you had a link that opened Outlook Express. If you use newsgroups, you need to install a newsreader or use one of the Outlook addins.
Among your choices for a standalone newsreader are windows live mail and Thunderbird. I think live mail is a very slow client and switched to t-bird for news. It has a few annoyances but seems fairly fast. If you don’t like t-bird, there are many, many others available.