Solved Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

When I reply to an email I get the person's name in the TO: Line; I want it to show their address.
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

re: Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

When you click the To Line and select your Recipients there email Address should be next to thier Name

Hope this Helps,
Josh

re: Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

I am not using the address book.

re: Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

Hi wirth,

If it is not in Contacts (and possibly even if it is) or if Contacts are not being used, the reply feature seems to use the name in From from the original message rather than the email address and I've yet to figure out how to prevent this. I can't even get it to show both the Name and the email address as Josh suggested above should be the case (which may have to do with the type of account - but again I'm still working on that).

I've posted elsewhere to try to find an answer. So far, I have no satisfactory replies. One similar post suggested "that's how WLM 2011 works and you can't change it," but I'm not yet ready to accept that even if I found no instructions on how to do it, no threads with acceptable solutions, and have been unable to do so with any of the accounts on my own system no matter what I try.

I'll keep looking and keep researching until I find a solution or get absolute confirmation that it is how things work and cannot be changed.

I'll keep you updated (I haven't forgotten - I just don't have an answer for you yet).

Take care.

re: Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

I am just amazed that if you sent me an email or spam or whom ever I can't see their email address when I hit reply?? That is just a bad program. IF this is the case and it sounds like it is - I will need to change to another email program. Any ideas? I'd almost take back my arrows from Windows Mail - hmmmm....
PLEASE keep me posted.

re: Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

Hi Wirth,

Here's the news - and it's not exactly what we wanted to hear but there are some workarounds that may be satisfactory - at least to me if not to you (and I've included other options as well).

As amazing as it seems to me as well, it has been confirmed that it will insert the contents of the From field (which is a Name) in replies and from there you can't see the e-mail address no matter what you do - I too am stunned by this. But there is a way to get to see these addresses - just not once you've hit reply or rather, not from the reply box itself. It's an astonishing oversight (at the very least, it should allow you to hover the mouse over the name to see the e-mail address) but it does appear to be the case. Still, like I said, it can still be seen with just a little extra effort. The MVP I spoke to didn't seem to think this was a very big deal given it is available by other means (but he probably uses Outlook like I do).

If you select to add the Reading Pane on the main inbox or other mailbox page (in Views / Reading Pane / Bottom of Message list (or Side of Message List) and check show message header in Reading Pane), then when you select the mesage to which you want to reply (but don't hit reply yet) you will be able to see both the name and the e-mail address of the person who sent the e-mail to which you want to reply (though you may need to go to the message and hover your mouse over the Name to get the e-mail address to appear). If you don't want the reading pane, it seems to work if you right click on the message and click properties and it will show both the name and the e-mail address. IMHO, as long as I can see the address there (and it's relatively quick and easy even if it doesn't show automatically), then I really don't need to see it in the reply section itself since I already know what it is (and can go back to it if I want to refresh my memory with a cllck or two back on the main page from the reply page). Once you actually send the reply, the message will be in Sent Items and if you go to that folder and select the message, it will simlarly show the e-mail address in the Reading Pane or with properties there as well (it's not like if you reply you lose that information on replied messages) - either in the header or the from column or in the body of the message or in properties (or in several of those places in some cases - though I don't know how to contol it - from what I see on my system - except it seems to always work with properties). Personally, I can live with this (as I usually know to whom I'm replying regardless of the actual email address), but for you, that's entirely your decision.

If you elect to find another e-mail client (and don't want to pay for Outlook in a Microsoft Office Suite where I know for certain this is not an issue since that's what I really use almost all of the time), then I recommend you check out the following link of free e-mail client alternatives Top 12 Free Email Programs for Windows - About Email and suggest you take a close look at Thunderbird as many seem to think it's the best of the lot.

I realize this issue makes WLM 2011 less than perfect, but I'm not sure I'd consider it a killer blow. All of the e-mail clients have some problem or other by design or from time-to-time (even Outlook causes me a bit of grief at times, but it is otherwise so far superior that I'll put up with it). If interested in Outlook despite the fact that it isn't free, the cheapest way to get it is with Office Home and Business Office 2010: Which suite is right for you? - Microsoft Office and you can probably do a little better than that price if you shop around.

Then again, we can always return to WM and try again to tackle the arrow issue ("groan"), but I don't have much hope there even if it seems like it should be controllable despite our total lack of success the first time.

I'm sorry we can't fix this issue as we would prefer, but I've given you the options and workarounds and alternatives and now it's pretty much up to you how you want to proceed.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

re: Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

Thanks. I went back to Windows mail and changed the send settings to 132 and no indent and the arrows are gone - go figure. Not being able to cut/paste the email address in windows live is just pain for me, I can see the address as you described but I can't copy and paste it. So, I am back at Windows Mail for a while. Thanks Again.

re: Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

Wow! I was sure we'd already tried that. Maybe it just finally decided to work properly. In any event, the original purpose for changing is now resolved (Well done!) so with this WLM issue, I can see why you switched back for now. Perhaps they'll "fix" WLM if enough people complain.

It was my pleasure. I'm glad I was able to help if only to confirm the problem and provide alternatives.

Thank you for the feedback (and the rep) and for letting us know how it all turned out.

Should we request this thread be marked "solved" or do you want to keep it open in case you decide to return to it at some future point? If you consider it resolved, either you can do it or let me know and I will.

Good luck and best wishes!

re: Windows live mail - Addresses & Names

Well - I'll be an optimist and say we can close the thread!! So far this morning Windows Mail is working like it was before it made changes. Have a good day, hopefully I will not be back; for a while!