Open Compose Only?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Foggy

Member
Outlook version
Email Account
POP3
Hello, I have Outlook 2007 on Windows 7. I use Notepad on occasion but would prefer using Outlook (in part because I love the auto-correct feature). I was wondering if it's possible create a link -- perhaps in the quick launch area -- to open only Outlook's compose window, i.e. without opening the entire program. Thank you! Foggy
 
Yes and no... you can create a link to create new outlook items but at the very least, a stub of outlook is runnng in the background. If you are composing email, outlook needs to be fully opened to send it, but it will work fine for everything else.

From Command lines switches for outlook, you want to use the /c messageclass switch - the shortcut will look like this:

"C:\Program files\full\path\to\Outlook.exe" /c ipm.stickynote

or take the easy route and use quickicons instead - http://www.sunflowerhead.com/software/quickicons/ - it creates quicklaunch icons but you can move them as needed.

note that with Outlook 2010 and Windows 7, you can right click on thedefault outlook shortcut and create new items from the jump list menu. (I have it pinned to my taskbar so its easy to use, not that i have outlook closed often.)
 
Thank you for the prompt reply. I downloaded the quickicons at the sunflowerhead site you linked to, opened the program and selected the email composition option. I clicked "create icons" and the program closed, but no icon was created in the quick launch area or the desktop or anywhere else that I can see. Did I do something wrong?
 
Hello. FWIW, I decided to try it the hard way, i.e. making the shortcut myself (first creating the desktop shortcut to Outlook.exe, then changing the path to: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE" /c ipm.email, then pinning it to the taskbar). I also found another thread in which you participated regarding this general issue here: http://www.outlook-answers.com/micr...new-appointment-short-cut-in-system-tray.aspx. And I managed to get things set up in a way that will work for me. Of course, I'm still curious why the easy way (of using quickicons) didn't work, but at least I'm up and running now. :) Thank you again for the information and the links.
 
Do you show the Quick Launch Toolbar in the taskbar? if its not listed when you right click on the taskbar and choose toolbars, choose New toolbar, browse to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer an choose the Quick Launch folder.
 
Yes, the QL toolbar is showing (and has a number of items there already). I went to the folder you indicated.... and the shorcuts were there!! I removed my manually created shortcuts and pinned the quickicons shortcuts to the taskbar instead (so I don't have so many identical Outlook icons there). Thank you again for your help! :)
 
You could have just deleted the ones in Quick Launch - the command lines were identical to what you created. :) (Or should have been.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
F Open Draft From Compose Window? Using Outlook 8
G Get current open draft message body from VBA Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
Rupert Dragwater How to get Outlook 365 to open from websites Using Outlook 5
Witzker Outlook 2019 Edit contact from email does not open the user defined contactform Using Outlook 3
S Leaving ActiveExplorer open for editing after Sub is done Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 0
Commodore PDF attachments started to open in Edge Using Outlook 0
T Outlook 2021 Cannot open attachments Outlook DeskTop 2021 Using Outlook 0
X Open Hyperlinks in an Outlook Email Message (Help with Diane's solution) Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 3
S HTML Code Embedded in String Within Open Outlook Email Preventing Replace(Application.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem.HTMLBody From Working Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 4
talla Can't open Outlook Item. Using Outlook 0
O Outlook on Android: after sharing / sending a news article, draft remains open. Why? Using Outlook 1
K Embedded photos no longer open with Photos or Photo Viewer Using Outlook 7
Witzker Open Contact missing in Outlook 2019 Using Outlook 2
L Cannot open PST file for first session each day Using Outlook 6
A How to open a specific link automatically with outlook 2016 Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 6
H Upon opening Outlook, make my popmail inbox open instead of outlook.com inbox Using Outlook 1
sahameed82 SharePoint calendar directly open in Outlook Using Outlook 0
N .pst archive from work will not open/import on Microsoft 365 Exchange Server Administration 0
C Outlook 2016/2019 hangs after being open for an extended period Using Outlook 4
M Where is the setting to *turn off* open calendar in a new window? Using Outlook 3
W Automatically open attachments without automatically printing them Using Outlook 0
Y Open and Save Hyperlink Files in multiple emails Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 9
J How to open OST file in Outlook 2019 & 2016 Using Outlook 1
C Can't Open Outlook 365 Using Outlook 0
D after delete mail, open the next one Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 0
N VBA Script to Open highlighted e-mail and Edit Message Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 5
M outlook won't open! Using Outlook 1
N Open & Save VBAProject.Otm using VBA Code Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
E Unable to open Outlook 2010 after adding new email account Using Outlook 4
M other user's mailbox won't open, forms disappeared Using Outlook 42
S SendFromAccount - Problem trying to test existing value in open email Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 2
J Open an outlook email by Subject on MS Access linked table with VBA Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 10
D Add Tetxbox at form open Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
U Catching ModuleSwitch events after "open in new window" Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 2
Andrew Quirl Open attachment, manipulate without add-on program? Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 5
S Reminder Dialog Open Button Using Outlook 2
A How to open a specific link automatically with outlook Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 13
S Outlook 2010 Cannot Open Attachments Using Outlook 14
N open the hyperlink in Outlook directly instead of browser Using Outlook 1
S Outlook does not open the .pst file created by the Outlook Using Outlook 5
A open Outlook with multiple windows. Using Outlook 0
K open calendar from address book Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
T Double clik behavior on agenda open a new meeting request Using Outlook 1
E Open olNoteItem Attachment Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 6
G Can't open .pst. Message could not access default folder (Outlook 2010 (.pst). Before that was backi Using Outlook 0
I Outlook 2010, 2013 will not open .msg or .eml files Using Outlook.com accounts in Outlook 1
Diane Poremsky Outlook VBA: Work with Open Item or Selected Item Using Outlook 0
O Windows 10 x64 Outlook 2013 - URL does not open (anymore) Using Outlook 3
Hudas VBA find and open an email without looping thru each email in the inbox Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
Diane Poremsky Rules & Alerts Dialog Won't Open Using Outlook 1

Similar threads

Back
Top