Outlook 2016 for Windows is designed to make sending and receiving emails as simple as possible. It also has features such as Calendar, People, and Tasks, which make communications and scheduling easy. Still, you may have questions on how to perform some functions or troubleshoot other issues. This FAQ addresses common issues and provides solutions to resolve them.
Select a topic from the list below to find answers to your questions.
How do I create a signature?
How can I recover messages that I've deleted?
How can I add an attachment to an email I am sending?
What attachment file types are restricted or blocked?
What if I need to send a file that is on the blocked file types list?
If your attachment is blocked because of file type, you have several options:
- You don't need to email the file if you transfer the file through one of the cloud-based filesharing and storage services that the University offers UChicago Box, OneDrive, or Google Drive.
- Rename the file so that the file type is not one on the blocked list. For example, rename myfile.exe to myfile.exx. Be sure to tell the recipient of the email to change the file name back.
- Compress the file using a file compression program such as WinZip or WinRAR. This option has the added advantage of making your email smaller, thus taking up less space in the recipient's Inbox and your Sent Items, as well as conserving overall email system resources. Be sure your recipient knows how to uncompress the file once he or she receives it.
When I send a message with an attachment, why does the attachment icon appear in the body of the message?
If you select the Rich Text message format, the attachment icon displays in the message itself, instead of in the message header.
Note: Using Rich Text format is not recommended because it cannot be read or displays poorly in many non-Outlook email clients.
How do I turn on the Out of Office Assistant?
What is the URL to see my University of Chicago email and calendaring on the web?
The address for Outlook on the web is https://portal.office.com.
What happened to distribution lists?
Distribution lists are now called contact groups.