OL98: How to Manage Multiple Outlook Windows (185808)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 98
This article was previously published under Q185808

SUMMARY

This article provides several tips that you can use to manage windows in Microsoft Outlook. You can control what folder opens by default. You can also set folders to open in separate windows or have multiple folder windows open when you start Outlook.

MORE INFORMATION

Starting Outlook with a Specific Folder Open

If you want to start Outlook with one of your default Messaging application programming interface (MAPI) folders open (Inbox, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Journal, or Notes), follow the steps in the Outlook Help topic, "Specify the folder to open when you start Outlook."

If you want to start Outlook with a non-MAPI system folder open, follow the steps in the Outlook Help topic, "Control what happens when you start Outlook."

Using Multiple Windows

In the following situations, you may want to use more than one Outlook window:

  • You constantly switch between your Inbox and your Calendar. Not only does it take time to reload the information each time you switch from one folder to another, but by default, the Calendar opens with today as the active date instead of the date you were at previously.

  • You manage the calendar of other persons or resources. They have sent you a link in e-mail to their calendar and when you click the link, the calendar opens in a separate Outlook window.

  • You have several Public Folders that you constantly use and browse. You would like to have Outlook open each Public Folder in a separate window.
If you want to have one Outlook window display the Inbox and another window display the Calendar, with the Inbox open, right-click the Calendar folder, and then click "Open in New Window." You can then press ALT+TAB on the keyboard to switch between the two windows.

To open a folder in a second window, follow these steps:
  1. Using your right mouse button, right-click the Outlook Bar shortcut of the item that you want to open.
  2. On the shortcut menu, click "Open in New Window."

Starting Outlook with Folders Open in Separate Windows

Outlook behaves differently depending on the type of folder; MAPI folders behave differently from system folders. Examples of MAPI folders are the e-mail message folders, Inbox, Sent Items, Outbox, Journal, Calendar, Tasks, and Notes folders.

  • If the folder is a mailbox, personal, or shared MAPI folder, and you have the folder open in another window when you quit Outlook, then Outlook will automatically reopen that folder in a new window the next time you start Outlook.

  • If the folder is not a MAPI folder, Outlook will not automatically reopen the folder in another window the next time you start Outlook. Although you cannot set Outlook to start with a non-MAPI folder open in a second window, you can create a shortcut to force Outlook to start with a single, non-MAPI folder window open.

REFERENCES

For more information about starting Outlook with a specific non-MAPI folder open, type "window start" in the Office Assistant, click Search, and then click to view "Control what happens when you start Outlook."

For more information about starting Outlook with one of your default MAPI folders open, click Contents And Index on the Help menu, click the Index tab in Outlook Help, type the following text

"folders, opening"

and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Specify the folder to open when you start Outlook" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:7/31/1999
Keywords:kbhowto KB185808
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