This article describes how to set Outlook Express as your default Simple Messaging application programming interface (MAPI) client.

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When you send a document from within a program by clicking Send on the File menu (such as in Microsoft WordPad), or by pointing to Send To on the File menu and then clicking Mail Recipient (such as in Microsoft Word), the e-mail program that is set as your default Simple MAPI client is used to send the document.

To set Outlook Express as your default Simple MAPI client, quit all other running e-mail programs, and then follow these steps in Outlook Express:

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Outlook Express 4.x and Windows 98

1.
2.	On the Tools menu, click Options.
3.	On the General tab, click the Make Outlook Express my default Simple MAPI client check box to select it.
4.	Click Yes when you are prompted to set Outlook Express as your default Simple MAPI client. NOTE: If you use another MAPI-enabled e-mail program such as Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Outlook 97, or Microsoft Windows Messaging, it is no longer your Simple MAPI client when you set Outlook Express as your default Simple MAPI client. To set your other e-mail program as the default Simple MAPI client, click the Make Outlook Express my default Simple MAPI client check box to clear it.
5.	Click OK, and then click OK again when you are prompted to restart your computer.
6.	Quit Outlook Express, and then restart your computer.

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Outlook Express 5

1.	On the Tools menu, click Options.
2.	On the General tab, click Make Default next to This application is the default mail handler.
3.	Click OK.

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