When you first open your mail, by default Outlook Express shows your mail in 2 parts
An "upper part" & a "lower part"
The upper part is your Incoming Mail
The lower part is the Preview Pane.
It is not a good idea to have this Preview Pane open
because with it open, each letter that you click on always shows a preview of it on the bottom of the page
and this makes you more vulnerable to any mail that contains a virus
because if it is already open, that means the virus has already downloaded to your computer
To close the preview pane:
"Left" click on "View"
"Left" click on "Layout"
Uncheck~~"Show preview pane"
"Left" click on the word "Tools" at the left top of your screen
"Left" click on "Options", a new window will pop up
"Left" click on the tab that says "Signatures"
Put a checkmark in the "Add signatures to all outgoing messages" box
"Left" click the word "New"
Then enter text in the "Edit Signature" box
Hint: You can keep hitting your "Space Bar" or your "Enter" key on your keyboard to make your signature line up on your mail
When done, "Left" click on the word "Apply"
Then "Left" click on the word "OK"
"Left" click on the word "Tools" at the left top of your screen
"Left" click on "Options", a new window will pop up
"Left" click on the tab that says "Compose"
Put a checkmark in the box next to "Mail"
Then "Left" click on the word "Select"
A "Select Stationery" window will pop up
The "Stationery" folder which shows is the preset ones by Outlook Express
You may select any of these backgrounds
A hint here: put a checkmark in the box "Show Preview", this way you will see what you are picking out
To Make Your Own Background
"Left" click on the words "Create New"
This will open up the "Stationery Setup Wizard"
"Left" click on the word "Next"
Checkmark the "Picture" box
"Left" click on the word "Browse"
You can choose your own background by "Left" clicking on the tiny arrow
at the end of the folder and pick from any picture or background
that you have saved in any of your folders on your computer
Now just "Left" click on the word "Open"
At this point you select how you want the background to be positioned on your mail
and if you want it to tile the whole page
Just "Left" click where it says "tile" & pick "entire page"
You can also choose to have just a color by putting a checkmark in the "Color" box & pick color
When done, "Left" click on the word "Next"
Choose your font style, size and color
"Left" click on "Next"
Choose your margins
"Left" click on "Next" and name your new background
"Left" click on "Finish"
"Left" click on the word "OK"
When you are done creating your new background,
now this will be listed in the "Stationery" folder.
Now go back to your "Options" and click on "Select"
and select your new stationery
To Check Out How The E Mail Was Made
While you are looking at a mail
"Left" click on the word "File" at the left top of your screen
"Left" click on "Properties", a new window will pop up
There are 2 tabs on the top, "Left" click on the one that says "Details"
Then "Left" click on the words that say "Message Source"
Now just "Left" click on the little "X" to close out the screen
More Helpful Directions