Protect Your Email in Outlook Express with a Password

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by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated March 07, 2018

Outlook Express was discontinued with 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.