Quickly Send Email Messages

Daniel Petri

Jan 8, 2009

How can I quickly open a new e-mail message and send it?

Method #1: Using Outlook

If you’re using Microsoft Outlook, you can send a quick e-mail message by using the mailto command:

Go to Start then choose the Run command.
Type

mailto:

in the Open text box and click OK. You’ll see a new message dialog box. Click Send when you’re ready to send the message.

You could also type the recipient’s e-mail address right after that command:

mailto: biilg@microsoft.com

And get this:

Note: Although Outlook doesn’t have to be running for you to create and send a new message using mailto, your message won’t be sent until you open Outlook.

Method #2: Using Outlook Web Access – OWA

If you have an Exchange 2000/2003 server in your organization you most likely also have Outlook Web Access.

To send mail through OWA you simply need to create a new shortcut on your desktop or Quick Launch toolbar that points to the following location:

http://server_name/Exchange/user_name/drafts/?cmd=new

Whenever you double-click this shortcut you’ll get a new OWA window:

Method #3: Using a script

See Send Mail from Script for more details and a variety of methods to implement simple scripting.

You could also download and use my own Send Mail.

Method #4: Via the Send To context menu

See Send To MAPI Recipient Shortcut for more details.

You could also run a tool like Send To Toys v2.3 that can customize the way your Send To context menu looks like (tool is 100% freeware and it’s darn good!)

Download Send To Toys v2.3 (495kb)