HOW TO CREATE IDENTITIES IN OUTLOOK EXPRESS

HOW TO CREATE & SWITCH IDENTITIES IN OUTLOOK EXPRESS

What are identities?

Creating "identities" is a way for several people to use Outlook Express and the Address Book on the same computer. For example, you and a family member may share a computer. If you each create an "identity," you would each see your own mail and your own contacts when you log on under your identity. Once your identity is created, you can organize your contacts the way you want them by creating subfolders. Usually, you will create identities while you are using Outlook Express (or other applications that use identities). You can create identities from your address book only when you open your address book from the Start menu rather than from Outlook Express. To open Address Book from the Start menu, click Start, Programs, Accessories, Address Book.

Creating an Identity

Start Outlook express
Go to Files --> Switch Identities....
Click on Manage Identities
d
Click on New
Enter your full name. Check Require password if you want Outlook to prompt for a password every time you switch to this identity. Press OK to continue.
When Outlook express prompts you if you want to switch to the new identity, click yes and outlook express will restart.
Follow the Internet Connection Wizard to setup your email account for this identity.

Note

You can add an identity from the Address Book if you opened it from the Start menu (Start, Programs, Accessories, Address Book), but not if you opened the Address Book from Outlook Express. You can also add identities from Outlook Express.

You can change an identity's name or password later if you want.

To switch to a different identity

If you open your address book from the Start menu (Start, Programs, Accessories, Address Book), you can switch identities while using the address book. (If you open your address book from Outlook Express, you must switch identities in Outlook Express.)

On the File menu, click Switch Identity.
Select the user you want to switch to.

Your address book starts using the new identity's settings without closing the program. In fact, Outlook Express and all other identity-aware programs that are open switch to the new identity's accounts and settings.

Note

If you cannot see your folder and the Shared Contacts folder in your address book, point to the View menu and select Folders and Groups.

Your contacts are not private. If you open your address book from the Start menu (Start, Programs, Accessories, Address Book), you can click Show All Contents to see all the contacts for every identity.

To change the current identity's settings from the Address Book

On the File menu, click Switch Identity, and then click the Manage Identities button.

Change any of the settings.

To change your identity name or password, select your identity name, and click Properties.
To change the identity that opens on startup, select an identity from the drop-down list. (If the check box is cleared, you will be prompted for the identity you want each time you open an identity-aware program after restarting your computer.)
To change the identity that you want all programs (identity-aware or not) to use when performing automatic processes, select an identity from the bottom drop-down list.