Outlook Express Settings

How to configure some common Outlook express option settings and what they do.

Returning Read receipts.-- All versions?

Three options are possible:

1. Never send read receipt
2. Notify me for each read receipt
3. Always send a read receipt.

For best protection option 2- Notify me for each read receipt is the preferred choice. To configure:

1. go to tools
2. click options
3. Click the appropriate choice. (see above)

Requesting Read Receipts

If you need to know that a message has been received  then you can configure Outlook Express to request notification. This can be configured for individual messages or for all messages.

To request a receipt for individual messages

In the new message window:
1.Tools menu
2.click Request Read Receipt

To request a receipt for all messages

1. Tools menu
2. Click options
3. Click the Receipts tab
4.  Select Request Read Receipt
   
   
   
   Whether or not you receive a notification depends on the the settings and actions of the message recipient. Message recipients can choose not to send read receipts, even when they are requested.

Read all messages in plain text-- SP1 and above

HTML emails can also contain scripts that can be executed when you read or display the email. To prevent this you can configure configure Outlook Express to read all e-mail in plain text format.

 To read all messages as plain text in Outlook Express Service Pack 1:

1. Select Tools.
2. Click Options.
3. Click the Read tab
4. Click to select the Read all messages in plain text check box under Reading Messages.
5. Click OK.

If you want to read your email as HTML email then see Disable Active Content in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) E-mail .

 Disable Active Content in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) E-mail

Outlook Express uses Internet explorer to render HTML emails. Outlook Express 6 uses the Restricted Zone instead of the Internet Zone By default.  Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 and Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 used the Internet zone, which enables most active content to run.

If you find the default setting too restrictive you can change it by:

1. The Tools menu
2. Click Options.
3. Click the Security tab
4. Click either Restricted Sites Zone or Internet Zone (less secure, but more functional) in the Virus Protection section under Select the Internet Explorer security zone to use.
5. Click OK

The actual security settings are configured in Internet Explorer. To Change :

1. Quit Outlook Express.
2. Start Internet Explorer
3. Click Tools
4. Click Internet Options
5. Click Security tab.
6. Click the security zone that you selected in Outlook Express.
7. Click Custom Level to change.

 

CAUTION: Changing security zone settings can expose your computer to potentially damaging code.

 Preventing Programs from Sending E-mail.

Some viruses spread themselves itself using the program features of outlook and Outlook express and the contacts or address book. The "I love you"  Virus was the first to do this but many others have followed and continue to follow.

To prevent this then if Outlook Express is configured as the default mail handler (Tools>options>General tab- Default messaging programs). Then to prevent email being sent without your knowledge configure Outlook Express as follows:

1. Select Tools.
2. Click Options.
3. Click the Security tab
4. Click to select the Warn me when other applications try to send email as me check box under Virus Protection. -default setting
5. Click OK.

Disable Image Download in HTML Emails

This is also covered in a Microsoft KB article kb843018- Images are blocked when you open an e-mail message in Outlook Express on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer