Volume 26 Issue 4

Issue Date: February 18, 2021 « Previous Issue | Next Issue »

The following articles were included in our Exchange Messaging Outlook (EMO) newsletter published on February 18, 2021.

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Signatures

A user had a problem: all his signatures apparently disappeared.

This is highly unusual as the signatures are stored as files on the hard drive (at %appdata%\microsoft\signatures). They aren't normally deleted by the repair options. However, if the signatures are not listed in the Signature menu (on the Message ribbon), something deleted the signatures.

If the signatures are listed in the menu but not added when you open a new message or replies, you need to set a signature for each account. If you remove an account and add it back into your profile, you will need to re-assign the signature.

Tip:
I highly recommend creating a blank signature and assigning it to account that don't have a signature. When you change the From account, the signature will change automatically.

To check, click on Signatures... at the bottom of the menu; or check File > Options > Signatures.

With the new feature in Outlook where signatures are stored online, you will only have one signature available to set for each account (you can't use a separate reply and forward signature) but you will be able to use local signatures.

At the very bottom of the Signature menu is "Signatures on this device'. This lists the signatures that are stored locally. These are available for all profiles. They cannot be assigned to an account but are on the Signature menus when composing a message. You'll be able to change the signature in a message by right clicking on the signature and choosing one from the list.

If you have the new signatures dialog and do not have a signature assigned to an account, select it from 'Signatures on this device', copy and paste it into the signature editor for the account.

Use the classic permissions dialog

In an effort to make the Calendar permissions less confusing, Microsoft simplified the permissions dialog on the default calendar in each Microsoft account. Shared mailboxes and subfolders use the old "classic" permissions dialog.

Instead of having a myriad of choices for Read, Write, and Delete permissions, users choose from viewing when busy, viewing titles and locations only, viewing all details, and editing events. Note: Outlook.com calendars have just two choices: Can View or Can Edit.

While the simplified dialog makes it clear what the permissions do, you can't customize the permissions or give another user Owner permissions on a folder.

To create custom permissions or to give another user Owner permission, you need to use the classic permissions dialog. Or, your admin can use PowerShell to change permissions, although this is overkill for one folder.

You can set a registry key bring back the classic permissions dialog.

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options\Calendar
DWORD: ShowLegacySharingUX
Value: 1

For more information, see Restore Outlook's Classic Permissions Dialog

PowerShell method: Add-MailboxFolderPermission (ExchangePowerShell) | Microsoft Docs

Using Contacts not Contact cards

If you don't like Outlook's contact cards, you can set a registry key to use contacts. This won't turn the cards off everywhere, but clicking on a name in Search People results will open a contact, not contact card, and double clicking on an address in a message header will open their contact.

One of the reasons users don't like contact cards is using Search People to find a contact requires 2 extra steps to open the contacts for editing. Opening an autocomplete entry (they are included in the Search People results), opens a contact card and it’s not always obvious that its from autocomplete.

When the TurnOnLegacyGALDialog key is set, clicking on a Search People result or double clicking on an address in a message header opens an Outlook Contact form, if you have a contact for that person. If you don't have a contact for that person, the Email properties window opens, making it easy to know that person is not in your contacts.

Unfortunately, a recent bug broke the key and it took 5 steps to open a contact.

That bug is now fixed. If you use the key and its not working correctly, check for updates.

For more information about this key and a ready to use registry file, if you want to try using the key, see Use Outlook's Contacts, not Contact Cards (slipstick.com)

Tip: Send mail to Contacts

Do you need to send a message to several contacts? You can type each name in the message and select their name from the autocomplete list or you can select one or more contacts and hit the Email button.

Select the contact(s) – you can hold control to pick and choose or Shift to select the first then click the last contact to select all as one group.

Then hit Email button on the Home ribbon. That will address the message to the selected contact(s).

If you send to the same group often, you can copy the addresses from the To field and paste in the Contact group (in the Members field). Then the next time you send to the group, you’ll add the contact group name in the To field, not each person individually.

New & Updated Exchange KB Articles

Description of the security update for Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 and 2016: February 9, 2021 (KB4602269)
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4602269

Event IDs 1003, 1309 and 4999 are logged after installing Exchange Server 2019 CU8
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000631

New & Updated Office 365 KB Articles

'MAPI was unable to load the information service .dll' in add-ins that do not register DLLs correctly
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4498413

Change your country or region in Microsoft Store
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4039267

Changing your settings in Microsoft 365 for business or education
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4026911

Connect Microsoft 365 to Gmail
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4026253

February 2021 updates for Microsoft Office
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000653

How to share your Microsoft 365 Family subscription
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4028512

How to uninstall Office automatically
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4027149

Open Banking (PSD2) and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4517854

Permissions needed to use the Microsoft Family Safety app
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4570103

Remove members from your family group in Windows
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4027707

Security Settings for COM objects in Office
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4058123

New & Updated Outlook KB Articles

Build in time between back-to-back meetings
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000955

Calendar in Outlook.com
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000444

Encrypt email messages using S/MIME in the new Outlook for Mac
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000734

Files in Outlook.com
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000446

Get Help on Outlook
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4027825

Get help with Outlook on the web
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4580166

Get help with Outlook Web App in Microsoft 365
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4580167

Get meeting suggestions when you search for a person
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000956

How to enable global and advanced logging for Microsoft Outlook
https://support.microsoft.com/help/2862843

How to use the Out of Office or Automatic Reply in Outlook for Mac
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4578777

How to use the Out of Office or Automatic Reply in Outlook on Windows 10
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4026693

Mail in Outlook.com
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000443

Open Outlook in safe mode
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4026478

People in Outlook.com
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000445

Premium features in Outlook.com
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000448

To Do in Outlook.com
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000447

Troubleshooting in Outlook.com
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000450

Use color and contrast for accessibility in Microsoft 365
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000128

Outlook iOS and Android KB Articles

Can I adjust the width of the list and detail panes while in two pane viewing
mode?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000920

Can I read emails in full screen view?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000916

Do calendars I add in Outlook Mobile appear in other Outlook apps?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5001049

Error: New Contact Security Notice
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000943

How can I disable the embedded webview and use my browser to open links?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000901

How do I compose an email to show High or Low importance?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000940

How do I create a new event or meeting?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000947

How do I get to the page that shows all my contacts?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5001057

How do I restore a conversation I've ignored?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000952

I don't see the option to start Play My Emails anymore; what happened?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000944

I used to have the Report Message add-in and it disappeared; Why?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000907

How do I sync my Outlook Calendar to the default Calendar app(s)?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000914

If I use Android Work Profiles, will my work contacts appear in my personal
apps?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000905

What about protected emails?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000963

What are Connected Experiences in my Privacy Settings?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5001050

What formatting is available in Outlook for iOS and Android?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000946

What happens when I ignore a conversation?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000950

What is a workspace and how do I book it?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000949

What is Focused Inbox?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5001031

What is the two pane layout on my Android tablet/foldable device?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000932

Where can I find rich formatting options?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000945

Why can't I see my calendar or contacts from my Yahoo account?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000903

Why do web links open inside of Outlook?
https://support.microsoft.com/help/5000902

Other Resources

February 2021 updates for Microsoft Office
Microsoft released the following security and nonsecurity updates for Office in February 2021.

Use the OneNote feed in Outlook on the web - Office Support (microsoft.com)
The OneNote feed combines your notes from different apps, including Samsung Notes, Sticky Notes, and OneNote. The feed is currently available in Outlook on the web.