Outlook or Outlook Express: Which Do I Have?

In my opinion, Microsoft made a big mistake when they created two programs, one named Outlook (Microsoft Office Outlook) and one named Outlook Express. I teach Introduction to Outlook classes online, with a new session starting every month.

It's a rare month, where at least one student doesn't have to drop the course after discovering that the "Outlook" they have on their computer is Outlook Express instead of Microsoft Office Outlook.

Likewise, I'm sure that more than a few of the visitors to my Living With Outlook website have been baffled by trying to use the information on the site with Outlook Express.

So if you are at all unsure, it is worthwhile to find out whether you have Outlook or Outlook Express. Fortunately, this is really easy to do when you know how. Here's what you have to do:

1. Open your version of "Outlook"


2. In the main menu, click Help.


3. In the Help menu that appears, click the About option at the bottom of the menu. This opens the About dialog box.


4. Look at the title of the About box. If you have a version of Outlook Express, the title will say "About Outlook Express." If you have a version of Outlook, the title will say "About Microsoft Office Outlook."


5. Whichever version you have, click OK to close the About box.