How to Create a "New Email Message" Shortcut in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
Information
This tutorial will show you how to create or download a shortcut that will open a new email message window in your default email client program with or without a specified recipient in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.
EXAMPLE: "New Email Message" window in Outlook 2013
OPTION ONE
To Download a "New Email Message" Shortcut
NOTE: This shortcut will open without a specified recipient to have the To: field empty. See OPTION TWO below if you want a shortcut with a specified recipient.
1. Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below.
New_Email_Message_Shortcut.zip
2. Save the .zip file to your desktop.
3. Open the .zip file and extract the New Email Message shortcut to the desktop.
4. Right click or press and hold on the New Email Message shortcut, and click/tap on Properties, General tab, and on the Unblock button.
NOTE: If you do not have an Unblock button under the General tab, then the shortcut is already unblocked and you can continue on to step 5 or 6 below.
5. In Vista or Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar (Windows 7) or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
6. In Windows 8, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
7. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.
OPTION TWO
To Manually Create a "New Email Message" Shortcut
1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area on desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.
2. Copy and paste the location below that you want to use into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (see screenshot below)
(For no specified recipient)
%windir%\explorer.exe mailto:
(To specify a recipient)
%windir%\explorer.exe mailto:EmailAddress
For example: If I wanted to have the new email message window open with JohnDoe@somewhere.com in the To: field as the recipient, I would type this below.
%windir%\explorer.exe mailto:JohnDoe@somewhere.com
3. Type New Email Message for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though.
4. Right click or press and hold on the new New Email Message shortcut on the Desktop, and click/tap on Properties.
5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab. To the right of New Email Message, click/tap on the drop down menu, select Minimized, and click/tap on Apply. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is so the command window will not be seen flashing quickly open and closed when you use the Windows Update shortcut.
6. Click/tap on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot above)
7. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the location below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
%ProgramFiles%\Windows Mail\MSOERES.dll
8. Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: You can use any icon you like though.
9. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 6)
10. In Vista or Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar (Windows 7) or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
11. In Windows 8, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn
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