Test-drive Microsoft Outlook Express

To help yourself decide whether you want to make Microsoft Outlook Express your e-mail program, you can take it for a test-drive. Whether you're new to e-mail programs, or you currently use a different e-mail program, test-driving is an easy way to evaluate Outlook Express. If you're using another e-mail program, you can continue to use it during your test-drive; for example, you can receive the same messages in both programs.

If you use any of the e-mail programs listed below, Outlook Express automatically imports your existing data, such as mail, contacts, and rules, without affecting your other e-mail program and its data in any way. You can always access your data from either Outlook Express or your other program at any time during and after your test-drive. Outlook Express can import data from any of these programs:

Claris Emailer 2.0v3
Netscape Messenger or Communicator 4.0 or later
Qualcomm Eudora (all versions)
Outlook Express (all earlier versions)

If you are using an e-mail program that is not listed above, you can import your contacts to Outlook Express after you begin your test-drive.

You can test-drive Outlook Express for as long as you like, and when you're ready, you can end the test-drive and continue using Outlook Express or return to your previous e-mail program.

Things to know before you begin your test-drive

Ending the test-drive

Importing information from another program

Things to know before you begin your test-drive

You can continue to use your other e-mail program during your Microsoft Outlook Express test-drive. However, keep the following in mind when you switch back and forth between Outlook Express and your other e-mail program:

Although Outlook Express will become your default e-mail program and newsreader, you will be able to open your other program and use it at any time.
During the test-drive, Outlook Express leaves copies of your messages on your mail server. That way, you can receive messages in your other e-mail program even after you receive the same messages in Outlook Express.
Contacts that you create in one program won't appear in the other program. To keep both address books current, add new contacts to both address books.
Because Internet service providers (ISPs) can work with only one e-mail program at a time, you should always quit one e-mail program before you start the other.
Certain mail folders won't be updated in your other e-mail program. For example, if you keep sent messages in your Outlook Express Sent Items folder, these messages won't appear in your other program.
Changes that you make in one program won't appear in the other program. For example, if you create a new rule or subscribe to a different newsgroup in one program, the changes won't appear in the other program.

Importing information from other programs

Tips for users of other programs

End the test-drive

On the Help menu, click End Test Drive.