Windows Mail - Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable Windows Mail in Vista

information   Information
This will show you how to enable or disable access to open Windows Mail for all users on the computer.
warning   Warning
This will not prevent a user from installing a 3rd party email program and using it instead. For example: Windows Live Mail, MS Office Outlook, etc...

EXAMPLE: Windows Mail Disabled Message
NOTE:
This is the error message all users will get when they try to open Windows Mail if it is disabled.

Error_Message.jpg




METHOD ONE
Through the Local Group Policy Editor

NOTE: This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two or Method Three below for the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions.
2. In the left pane, click on Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and Windows Mail. (See screenshot below)​
Group_Policy.jpg

3. In the right pane, right click on Turn off Windows Mail application and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)​
4. To Enable Windows Mail
A) Select (dot) Disabled or Not Configured and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 5A)​
B) Go to step 6.​

5. To Disable Windows Mail
A) Select (dot) Enabled and click on OK.​
Properties.jpg

6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window.​





METHOD TWO
Using a REG File Download

NOTE: This method will work for all Vista versions.
1. To Enable Windows Mail
A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.​
Enable_Windows_Mail.reg
download

B) Go to step 3.​

2. To Disable Windows Mail
A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.​
Disable_Windows_Mail.reg file.​
download

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.​
4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.​
5. Click on Run, Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.​
6. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).​
7. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.​



METHOD THREE
Manually Through Registry Editor

NOTE: This method will work for all Vista versions.
1. Open the Start Menu.​
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.​
3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.​
4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)​
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft
Reg1.jpg

5. To Disable Windows Mail
A) In the left pane, right click on Microsoft and click on New and Key. Type Windows Mail and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​
NOTE: If you already have Windows Mail in the left pane, then skip this step 5A and go to step 5B instead.​
Reg2.jpg

B) In the right pane of Windows Mail, right click on a empty space and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type ManualLaunchAllowed and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​
Reg3.jpg

F) Go to step 7.​

6. To Enable Windows Mail
A) In the right pane, right click on ManualLaunchAllowed and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)​
B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion.​

7. Close regedit.​
8. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.​
That's it,
Shawn


 

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Last edited:
Hello, I disabled using these instructions/download but then got constant pop ups saying windows could not open contact the system administrator. Today there were 113, is it possible to totally turn off windows vista mail?
 

My Computer

Hello Loseemail,

What did you have running that was still trying to open Contacts?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
What's the point of this entire 'disabling' tip, ie; why isn't a user's option of more simply choosing which mail handler one desires, enough? Ref. control panel>default programs>set default programs AND/OR control panel>Mail>Mail Setup [your choice here]>E-mail accounts-Setup e-mail accounts and directories. Is this string/post trying to provide a means of locking out other users from accessing Windows Mail (for an administrator who doesn't set up user accounts, etc.?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Other Info
    DV4 HP Pavilion Notebook & Acer AOA150 Netbook
Hello Wguru,

You got it correct. It's to disable or enable the option for any user on the computer to be able to use Windows Mail. It's a option that some administrators may want. :)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
There is no MANUAL LAUNCH ALLOWED ON MY SCREEN. When I was playing with the disable and hit new and 32, I got a message Cannot create value Error Writing to the Registry.
 

My Computer

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
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