Starting Windows Mail

Whether you want to exchange e-mail with colleagues and friends or join newsgroups to trade ideas and information, Windows Mail provides you with the tools you need. When you install Windows Vista, a menu item for Windows Mail appears in the left column of the Start menu and the All Programs submenu. The first time you start Windows Mail, you need to set up an e-mail account. The Connect to the Internet wizard walks you through the process. You can set Windows Mail as your default e-mail program so that whenever you click an e-mail link on a Web page or choose the mail command in your Web browser, Windows Mail opens. You can also set Windows Mail as your default news reader so that when you click a newsgroup link on a Web page or choose the news reader command in your Web browser, Windows Mail opens.

Start Windows Mail

Click the Start button.

Click Windows Mail.

Trouble?:

If Windows Mail doesn’t appear in the left column of the Start menu, it’s available on the All Programs submenu.

If the Connect to the Internet wizard opens, follow the step-by-step instructions to set up your e-mail account.

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See Also See “Setting Up an Account” on page 168 for information on creating an e-mail account.

Set Options to Start Windows Mail from Your Web Browser

Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

Double-click the Default Programs icon.

Click Set your default programs.

Click Windows Mail or Windows Mail (News).

Click Set this program as default.

Click OK.

Click the Close button.

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Did You Know? You can get Help in Windows Mail. If you want to connect to the Internet to get mail or learn how to use Windows Mail features, you can get help from several different sources. To get Windows Mail Help, you can use the Help system that comes with the program, or you can view Windows Mail Web sites on the Internet. To open Windows Mail Help, click the Help menu, and then click View Help. To browse through a list of questions and answers on a discussion Web site, click the Help menu, and then click Questions & Answers from Communities. Your browser starts and displays the Windows Mail discussion Web site.