How to Delete an Email Address in Windows Mail

Many email users choose to use an email client program such as Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Incredimail or Windows Mail--the Windows Vista equivalent of Microsoft Outlook--to send and receive their email. Email client programs work by creating an account that saves all of your email server and login information and uses that information to send and receive email messages through your service provider's email servers. Frequently, users of client programs will need to add and delete accounts as they change email addresses or email providers. This is a simple process that only involves a few steps.

Things You'll Need

• Windows Mail software with at least one active email account

Instructions

1. Open Windows Mail. From the Start menu, click on Windows Mail. If you do not see it immediately in your Start menu, look under "All Programs" or look for a shortcut to Windows Mail on your desktop.

2. Navigate to Windows Mail's Accounts menu. Click on the "Tools" menu at the top of the screen. Towards the bottom of the menu, you will see the "Accounts" option. Clicking on this option will open Windows Mail's Accounts screen. The main part of the window will be divided into three sections, "E-mail,"' "News" and "Directory Service." All the email accounts that you have added to Windows Mail will be listed under the "E-mail" section. Select which of these accounts you wish to delete by clicking on it once (it should indicate it is selected by turning blue).

3. Delete the account. Before proceeding with this step, make absolutely sure that you have selected the correct account for deletion. Once an account has been deleted, every email saved in that account will be permanently deleted, and cannot be restored or undone. Once you are sure you have selected the proper account, click the "Remove" button on the right hand side of the screen. A dialog box will ask you if you are sure you want to delete this account; clicking "Yes" will permanently delete the account associated with that email address.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in mind that deleting an account from Windows Mail in most cases will not make that email address inactive. If you are contracted with an email service provider and use Windows Mail to send and receive email, deleting your email account from Windows Mail only means that you will no longer be able to send and receive mail using that address in Windows Mail; other people will still be able to send email to that address as long as you are still contracted with your email service provider. To delete an email address altogether, contact your email service provider about terminating your email service.

• It is always a good idea to contact your email service provider about any issues you are having with your email address before deleting any Windows Mail accounts. Again, removing the account from Windows Mail means any email messages associated with that email account will be deleted permanently and cannot be retrieved. Contact your email service provider and have them go over all your options before proceeding to delete accounts from Windows Mail.