How to make Outlook the default mail client (223877)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
  • Microsoft Outlook 2002
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
This article was previously published under Q223877

SUMMARY

This article describes how to make Outlook your default mail client.

MORE INFORMATION

If you have installed multiple e-mail programs on the same computer, when you send mail from any non-mail program the mail may not be sent from Outlook. For example, if you have Outlook, Outlook Express, and Netscape Communicator all installed on the same computer, and you send a message in Microsoft Excel, Outlook may not be used to send the mail. Also, if you click a Mailto: link on a web page, your system may not open an e-mail message, or may use a mail program other than Outlook.

When you send a document from a program by clicking Send on the File menu, or by pointing to Send To on the File menu, and then clicking Mail Recipient, the e-mail program that is set as your default Simple MAPI client is used to send the document.

To change the default mail client in Microsoft Internet Explorer, follow these steps as appropriate.

Internet Explorer 5 and Internet Explorer 5

  1. Start Internet Explorer.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
  3. Click the Programs tab.
  4. In the E-mail list, click Microsoft Outlook.
  5. Click OK.

Internet Explorer 4.x

  1. Start Internet Explorer.
  2. On the View menu, click Internet Options.
  3. Click the Programs tab.
  4. In the Mail list, click Microsoft Outlook.
  5. Click OK.

REFERENCES

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

154359 How to change default mail client for Internet Explorer

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:3/3/2006
Keywords:kbsendmail kbemail kbConfig kbhowto kbinfo KB223877
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