# How do I switch email accounts in Outlook Express without switching user profiles?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-switch-email-accounts-in-outlook-express-without-switching-user-profiles/118964>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 14, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-switch-email-accounts-in-outlook-express-without-switching-user-profiles/118964 "2002-07-14T23:38:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-switch-email-accounts-in-outlook-express-without-switching-user-profiles/118964/1 "2002-07-14T23:38:45Z")

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I know this is pretty basic, but I just quit email and am trying to set up Outlook Express to handle my new email.

Anyway, I have multiple accounts for different purposes, most of which I’ve typed into Outlook Express. My question is this. How do I switch between them to check my mail on the different accounts? I only have my own user profile on Windows.

Thanks. I know this is a bit basic, but I’ve been on AOL since 1994.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-switch-email-accounts-in-outlook-express-without-switching-user-profiles/118964/2 "2002-07-14T23:54:34Z")

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If you have checked the ‘include this account when checking for new mail’ option (wherever that is), then the account will be checked when you click ‘send and receive’, alternatively, if you click **Tools/send/receive** , you’ll see that you have the opportunity to check for new mail on a single account in the current profile.

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2002, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-switch-email-accounts-in-outlook-express-without-switching-user-profiles/118964/3 "2002-07-15T07:22:25Z")

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Not much more to add there, really. Seems to be covered.

But to find the “check this account while synchronizing” part that Mangetout alludes to, it’s under **Tools/Accounts/Mail/(choose each account)/Properties/General** - at the bottom of the window.

It is activated by default, though, so it should be already checking.

Also, when sending new mail, you can choose which email account it is coming from by using the dropdown **‘from’** box on the message window.

GuanoLad; your friendly ISP Tech Support guy who deals with this stupid piece of software every frickin day.