Communicator Help: Using AOL<sup><font size=-2>®</font></sup> Communicator Mail

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Using AOL Communicator Mail

Writing and Sending Messages

Attaching Files to a Mail Message
Spell Checking a Mail Message
Sending Blind Copies
Storing Messages to Send Later
Saving a Draft

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For an overview of basic mail tasks, see Addressing and Sending Mail.

Attaching Files to a Mail Message

Tutorial movies:

Attach Files to a Message
Open and Save Attachments

To drag and drop a file into a Write Mail window:

1. Locate the file(s) on your desktop.
2. Drag the file(s) into the Write Mail window.
3. When the pointer is located at the location in the body of the message where you want the attachment to appear, release the mouse button.
   If the file is a GIF, JPEG, or other common image format, the image will appear in your message where you dropped the file.
   If the file can't be displayed, a link will appear where you dropped it. The recipient can click this link to open or save the file.

To attach a file from within the Write Mail window:

1. Click at the point in the message where you want the attachment to appear.
2. Click the Attach icon near the top of the Write Mail window:
3. Use the Open Attachment window to navigate to the file.
4. Select the file and click Open.
   If the file is a GIF, JPEG, or other common image format, the image will appear in your message where you clicked in Step 1.
   If the file can't be displayed, a link will appear where you clicked in Step 1. The recipient can click this link to open or save the file.

Related topic:

Addressing and Sending Mail

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Spell Checking a Mail Message

When you're using the Write Mail window to compose an e-mail message, you can check the spelling of your message at any time:

1. Click the Spelling button on the toolbar, or open the Options menu and choose Check Spelling.
2. Use the Check Spelling window to correct misspellings and to edit or add words to the current spelling User Dictionary. Click Close when you are finished.
   Check Word: Click to check the spelling of any word you type in the "Change to" field.
   Ignore and Ignore All: Click to continue checking without changing the word, or without changing all occurrences of the word.
   Change and Change All: Click to replace the word, or to replace all occurrences of the word.
   Add Word: Click to add the word to your Personal Dictionary, so that Mail recognizes the word instead of highlighting it as a misspelled word.
   Edit: Click to add, replace, and remove words from the User Dictionary.
   Language: Choose the language that you want the spell checker to use.
   Recheck: Click to reset the spell checker and recheck words. This is useful if you switch languages and then want to recheck the message's spelling.

Related topic:

Addressing and Sending Mail

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Sending Blind Copies

A Bcc or "blind" copy of a mail message is one that is sent without adding the recipient to the list that's visible to other recipients.

To add one or more Bcc recipients to a mail message that you're writing:

1. If the Bcc field (just above the Subject field) near the top of the Write Mail window isn't already visible, open the View menu and choose Bcc Address Field.
2. Type the addresses to which you want to send a blind copy in the Bcc field.
   When you send the message, a blind copy will be sent to the addresses you type here.

Related topic:

Addressing and Sending Mail

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Storing Messages to Send Later

When you've finished composing a message while you're offline, you can store it temporarily in the Outbox under Local Mail. To do so, open the File menu in the Write Message window and choose Send, just as you would normally. (You can also choose Send Later to accomplish the same thing, even if you're online.)

The next time you go online, AOL Communicator Mail asks you whether you want to send your unsent messages. If you click Yes, all messages in the Outbox (potentially including messages from several different accounts) will be sent.

If you click No, you'll be reminded again later. While you're online, you can also open the File menu at any time and choose Send Messages in Outbox to send the stored messages.

Related topic:

Using AOL Communicator Offline
Saving a Draft

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Saving a Draft

If you're composing a message that you want to send later, but you think you might make further changes, click Save Draft. This saves the message in the Drafts folder for the account you're sending it from.

Draft of messages sent from an AOL account are stored in the Drafts folder under Local Mail.

To reopen a draft message and continue your work, open the Drafts folder where you saved it and double-click the message. You can keep saving and opening the draft as you keep working on it. When it's ready to send, click the Send button.

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Last Updated September 16, 2003