Vista - Can I install Outlook Express 6 on Vista?

I'm really not liking Microsoft Mail. I googled "download Outlook Express" and did find a free download. Can I run both programs at the same time? I'm getting old and change is harder than it used to be.

Windows Mail IS Outlook Express.

I'd be cautious of an "Outlook Express for Windows Vista" download, if I where you. There is no Microsoft-sanctioned version of OE for Vista, other than Windows Mail itself.

The difference is in XP it's called Outlook Express, while in Vista it's called Windows Mail. And the Vista version is more secure and stable than it's XP counterpart.

But in either case, you'd be better off using an alternative, such as Outlook 2007 (part of Microsoft Office 2007), or a free program like Mozilla Thunderbird (Thunderbird - Reclaim your inbox).

Hello JBT,

Sorry, but you cannot install Outlook Express in Vista since Windows Mail is the new Outlook Express. It will not work in Vista, and you cannot uninstall Windows Mail.

However, you can use any other 3rd party email program as the default instead of, or at the same time with Windows Mail.

1. MS Office Outlook 2003 and newer.
2. Thunderbird -
Thunderbird - Reclaim your inbox

3. Windows Live Mail - (The one I use.)
Windows Live Suite Downloads

4. etc....

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thank you for the replies. In OE6 I had 3 identities that I used daily. 1 for family and business, 1 for friends and 1 for places like this and places I don't want knowing my other identities. 3 address books, 3 sent folders, 3 draft folders etc. Haven't figured that out on Microsoft Mail. And I don't like the new messages auto loading into the preview pan. Guess I should look for a Microsoft Mail forum.

Thanks again!

If you don'tlike the Preview Pane, then you can turn it off by clicking the "View" menu, then selecting the "Layout..." option. In the "Window Layout Properties" window, turn off the "Show Preview Pane" option, as shown in this screenshot:

Also, if you'd like to keep messages from specific sender seperate, you can always create rules:

1. Select the message for which you want to create a rule
2. Click the "Message" menu, then select the "Create Rule From Message..." option
3. In the "New Mail Rule" window, select and check the "Move it to the specified folder" option in section 2.
4. In section 3 of the "New Mail Rule" window, click the word "specified" in "Move it to the specified folder"
5. Select the local folder to which you want to have that mail moved. Create the folder using "New Folder" if necessary. Click OK
6. Type a name for the rule in section 4 of the "New Mail Rule" window.
7. Click OK

To activate the newly created rules, do the following:

1. Click the "Tools" menu, click "Message Rules", then click "Mail"
2. Click "Apply Now"
3. Click "Select All"
4. Check the "Include Subfolders" option
5. Click "Apply Now"
6. Click "OK"
7. Click "Close"
8. Click "OK"

It may not be an ideal solution, but it does eliminate the need for seperate identities, and it achieves the same results. I myself use Message Rules in Outlook 2007 to automatically move any incoming messages to 48 different folders, depending on who the message is from or to which email address of mine it was sent.

Although I must reiterate that Vista Windows Mail (aka Outlook Express in XP) is not a great first choice for an email client. You'd best be using the suggestions that either I or Brink have made - Mozilla Thunderbird, Outlook 2007 or Windows Live Mail.

Got rid of the Preview Pane! Slowly getting things to work like I want.

Thanks much!

Glad to be of help to you. If there's anything else, feel free to ask. That's what we're here for.