How to Stop Outlook Express from Prompting One to Compress Email

You should occasionally compact your Outlook Express mailbox.

Outlook Express is the default email client for all PCs running the Windows XP operating system. If you are storing a large number of messages in your Outlook Express mailbox, the program may occasionally warn you about the need to compress your email. The only way to stop these messages from appearing is to compact your Outlook Express email, which will improve the program's overall performance.

Instructions

1. Launch the Outlook Express application on your PC.

2. Make sure no other programs are currently running. When you compact your mailbox, Outlook Express should be the only program open.

3. Go to "File" in the top menu bar and choose the "Work Offline" option. This will ensure that no new messages arrive during the compacting process, because they could corrupt your mailbox.

4. Highlight "Local Folders" in the mailbox list on the left side of the main Outlook Express window.

5. Open the "File" menu again, go into the "Folder" menu and select "Compact All Folders." The compression process could take over an hour to complete, depending on how many messages are in your mailbox.

6. Wait for the compression process to finish and then choose the "Work Online" option from the "File" menu to begin receiving new messages again. Outlook Express will no longer prompt you to compress your email.

References

• Thunder Cloud: All You Ever Wanted to Know About Compacting Folders & Messages in Outlook Express