Protect Your Email in Outlook Express with a Password

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By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated January 07, 2020

Outlook Express was discontinued with the end of Windows XP in April 2014. The application is no longer available for download; it's been subsequently replaced with the Mail app for Windows 10. Outlook Express will not run on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10.

OE provided a simple and mild, but not entirely ineffective, method to prevent others from accessing the emails stored in folders through password-protecting an identity within the OE application.

Protect Your Email in Outlook Express with a Password

To protect your email in Outlook Express with a password:

  • Select File | Identities | Manage Identities from the menu.
  • Highlight your identity.
  • Click Properties.
  • Make sure Require a password is checked.
  • Type the desired password under New Password and Confirm New Password.
  • Click OK.
  • Click OK again.
  • Finally, select Close.

Remove an Outlook Express Identity Password

To remove the password you have set for an identity in Outlook Express:

  • Select File | Identities | Manage Identities from the menu.
  • Highlight the desired identity.
  • Click Properties.
  • Make sure Require a password is not checked.
  • Click OK.