Overview of identities in Outlook Express for Macintosh

This article describes how to use "identities" to enable multiple users to gain access to Outlook Express features.

Identities enable multiple users to gain access to e-mail messages and Contact information in a separate and uniquely configured environment.

Use identities in the following situations:

• When different users who have different e-mail accounts and personal information use the same computer. This scenario is most common for users who share a single Apple Macintosh computer.
• When one user wants to separate personal e-mail messages and contact items from items that are associated with work.

How to Create a New Identity

To create a new Identity:

1. On the File menu, click Switch Identities.
2. When you are prompted to close all connections and windows for the current Identity, click Switch.
3. In the Select an Identity dialog box, click New.
4. In the Identity Name box, type a name for your Identity.
5. Either click an existing Identity in the Base Initial Settings On box to use the settings of that Identity for your new Identity, or use the default settings. Click OK.

The Set Up Assistant is displayed to help you with account information for your new Identity, such as e-mail addresses and server names.

How to switch to your new Identity

Outlook Express uses the "Main Identity" by default. To switch to a different Identity, perform the steps in the "How to Create a New Identity" section of this article, but in the Select an Identity dialog box, click the Identity that you created, and then click OK.

Outlook Express creates a unique folder structure to store user information for your new Identity.

How to move Identities from one computer to another

Follow thse steps to move identities from one computer to another computer:

1. On the computer that you are moving the Identity from, make a copy of your Identity.
2. Rename the copy of your Identity to a neutral name. Do not use a name this is currently on either computer.
3. Move the copy of your Identity to the second computer by using a network, a CD-ROM, or a removable drive, and then put it in the Identities folder for Outlook Express.
4. Start Outlook Express, click File, and then click Switch Identity. The renamed copy of your Identity will be listed under Select an Identity.

Use the following steps to copy e-mail messages to another Identity:

1. Open the Identity from where you will take the e-mail messages.
2. Copy the items from the folders that you want to a folder that is on the desktop of your Macintosh computer. You may have to move the items one at a time.
3. Switch Identities to the Identity where you want to copy the e-mal messages.
4. Move the e-mail messages to the folder that you want.

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