Setting Up Multiple Email Accounts in Outlook Express

To set up more than one email account on a single computer, Outlook Express can be set up with a separate identity for each user so that the mail for each person is separate from the other. In Windows XP, it's easier to use the "User Account" option in the control panel to set the computer up for multiple users.

  1. Start Outlook Express.
  2. Select "File" menu and select "Switch Identities".
  3. Click the "Manage Identities" button.
  4. Click the "New" button to open the "New Identity" window.
  5. In the "Type your name" field, type the name of the second user. (This can be a login name, real name, or whatever is easy to remember.)
  6. If you want a password, you can check the "Require a password" box and put in a password in the pop up box. (NOTE: If you put in a password you must remember to LOG OFF when you’re finished. If you close Outlook Express without logging off it won’t ask for a password when you start it back up.)
  7. Click OK.
  8. Click Yes when the computer asks if you want to switch to the new identity.
  9. If the "New Acount Wizard" doesn't start automatically, click "Tools" and select "Accounts".
  10. Set up as usual, using the username/password of the second user.

If you want to add a password later, or change the name of an identity (to change "Main Identity" to your name for example), from the "Manage Identities" screen click on "Properties"

To switch between the two identities, click "File" and select "Switch Identity", then click on the identity you want to use and click OK.

When finished, click "File" and select "Switch Identity", and then click "Log Off Identity" to close Outlook Express.