How to create and configure an e-mail profile in Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003

This article describes how to create a new e-mail profile in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003. Additionally, this article describes how to configure Outlook so that it opens a specific profile and how to configure it so that it prompts you for a specific e-mail profile when you start the program.

This article is intended for beginning to intermediate users. You might find it easier to follow these steps if you print this article first.

How to create a new e-mail profile in Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003

E-mail accounts are contained in profiles. An e-mail profile is made up of e-mail accounts, data files, and information about where your e-mail is stored. A new profile is created automatically when you run Outlook for the first time. After that, the profile runs every time that you start Outlook.

Most people need only one profile. However, you might find it useful to have more than one profile. For example, you might use one profile for work-related e-mail messages and another profile for messages in your personal e-mail account. Also, if other people use your computer, their accounts and settings can be kept in separate profiles with different names.

Follow these steps to create a new e-mail profile in Outlook 2007 and in Outlook 2003:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Copy and paste (or type) the following command in the Open box and then press ENTER:
   control panel
3. If you are in Classic View, double-click Mail. The Mail Setup dialog box opens. Go to step 5.
4. If you are in Category View, under Control Panel, click Switch to Classic View, and then double-click Mail. The Mail Setup dialog box opens.
5. In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles.
6. On the General tab, under When starting Microsoft Office Outlook, use this profile, click Prompt for a profile to be used, and then click Add.
7. In the Profile Name box, type the name that you want to use for the new e-mail profile, and then click OK.
8. In the E-mail Accounts dialog box, click Add a new e-mail account, and then click Next.
9. Click the appropriate server type for your new e-mail account, and then click Next.
10. Type your account information in the required boxes, and then click Next.
11. Click Finish, and then click OK.

If these steps did not work for you, please see the "Next steps" section for additional help suggestions.

Note By default, both the Outlook Address Book and the personal folders (.pst) files are automatically added to each new e-mail profile, except for those e-mail profiles that are created in Microsoft Exchange Server. By default, .pst files are not added to each new e-mail profile in Exchange Server.

How to configure Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003 to open a specific e-mail profile

If you have multiple e-mail profiles on your computer and you want Outlook to open a specific profile every time that you start the program, you can configure Outlook to do this.

To configure Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003 so that it starts with a specific e-mail profile, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Copy and paste (or type) the following command in the Open box and then press ENTER:
   control panel
3. If you are in Classic View, double-click Mail. The Mail Setup dialog box opens. Go to step 5.
4. If you are in Category View, under Control Panel, click Switch to Classic View, and then double-click Mail.
5. In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles.
6. On the General tab, under When starting Microsoft Office Outlook, use this profile, click Always use this profile.
7. In the Always use this profile list, select the profile that you want to use, and then click OK.

If these steps did not work for you, please see the "Next steps" section for additional help suggestions.

How to configure Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003 to prompt you for a specific e-mail profile

If you have multiple e-mail profiles on your computer and you want Outlook to prompt you to select a specific profile when program starts, you can configure Outlook to do this.

To configure Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003 to prompt you for a specific e-mail profile, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Copy and paste (or type) the following command in the Open box and then press ENTER:
   control panel
3. If you are in Classic View, double-click Mail. The Mail Setup dialog box opens. Go to step 5.
4. If you are in Category View, under Control Panel, click Switch to Classic View, and then double-click Mail.
5. In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles.
6. On the General tab, under When starting Microsoft Office Outlook, use this profile, click Prompt for a profile to be used.
7. Click OK.

If these steps did not work for you, please see the "Next steps" section for additional help suggestions.

If these steps to create a new e-mail profile in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 did not work for you, you can use the Microsoft Customer Support Services Web site to find other solutions to your problem. Some services that the Microsoft Customer Support Services Web site provides include the following:

• Searchable Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1) : Search technical support information and self-help tools for Microsoft products.
• Solution Centers (http://support.microsoft.com/select/?target=hub) : View product-specific frequently asked questions and support highlights.
• Microsoft Customer Support Newsgroups (http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx) : Contact counterparts, peers, and Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs).
• Other Support Options (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=csshome) : Use the Web to ask a question, contact Microsoft Customer Support Services, or provide feedback.

If you continue to have problems after you use these Microsoft Web sites or if you cannot find a solution to the problem on the Microsoft Support Services Web site, click the following link to contact Support.