Microsoft KB Archive/174048

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

How to Create, Send, and Receive Mail Using Outlook Express
Last reviewed: November 4, 1997

Article ID: Q174048

The information in this article applies to:


 * The Microsoft Network, versions 2.5
 * Microsoft Outlook Express version 4.0 for Windows 95

SUMMARY
This article describes how to use Microsoft Outlook Express and MSN, The Microsoft Network, to create and exchange e-mail messages with a subscriber of MSN or another Internet service provider (ISP).

NOTE: To use Outlook Express with MSN, you need MSN 2.5. The CD-ROM with the MSN 2.5 upgrade is being shipped to all MSN customers. If you have not yet received this upgrade or if you want to continue to use your current version of MSN, you cannot use Outlook Express. To send and receive e-mail with MSN 2.0 and earlier, you need to continue to use Windows Messaging or Microsoft Exchange (the Inbox).

MORE INFORMATION
Outlook Express is a Post Office Protocol (POP3) e-mail client included with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0. Internet Explorer 4.0 is available on the MSN 2.5 CD-ROM. You can also obtain Internet Explorer 4.0 from the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/ie/

To Create and Send an E-Mail Message
 In MSN Program Viewer, click Send Or Read E-mail on the Communicate menu. If the MSN Sign-In screen appears, type your Member ID and password, and then click Connect. In Outlook Express, click Compose Message.  In the To box, type the recipient's e-mail address. For example, to send a message to a MSN subscriber, type the following address @msn.com. where  is the recipient's Member ID. Note that the address is not case sensitive.  In the Subject box, type a title for your message. You are not required to type any information in the Subject box, but it makes it easier for the recipient to determine the nature of the e-mail message.  Type your message in the message window. Internet standards limit messages to 64,000 characters, but files (for example, Microsoft Word documents) may be attached to messages. MSN limits the total size of each message to 2 megabytes (MB). The total message size includes the message header, body, and file attachments. To attach a file to your e-mail message, use the following steps: a. On the Insert menu, click File Attachment. b. In the File Name box, type the path and name of the file you want to      attach to your e-mail message, and then click Attach.  Click Send. If you are connected to MSN, the message is immediately transferred to the e-mail server. A copy of the message is saved in your Sent Items folder. If you are not connected to MSN, click Start, and then click The Microsoft Network. If the MSN Sign-In screen appears, type your Member ID and password, and then click Connect. In Outlook Express, click Send And Receive to send your message to the MSN e-mail server.

To Receive an E-Mail Message

 * 1) In Outlook Express, click Send And Receive. This sends a request to the MSN e-mail server to deliver your e-mail messages. If the MSN Sign-In screen appears, type your Member ID and password, and then click Connect.
 * 2) Double-click a message to open it. After you are finished reading the message, click Close on the File menu. To delete a message, click the appropriate message, and then click Delete on the Edit menu.