Open Two Different Instances Of Outlook With ExtraOutlook
Sure, normal people only need to be connected to one Exchange server or have open only one instance of Outlook. I guess that means I am not normal! I have several Exchange servers I use daily and sometimes I need to be connected to more than one in a clip - and until now this posed a huge problem. When you try to open a second instance of Outlook it would just open it within the current context.
In plain English it would open a duplicate inbox to the one I already had open. It was doing nothing for me when I need to multi-task.
I found this tool written by a hacker called TheHammerOfGod that does EXACTLY what I needed it to do and it was also FREE.
If you have a need to launch multiple Outlook windows and you ARE NOT using advanced plugin’s like Xobni than you should definately give this a shot. It is SUPER EASY to use and for those of us that wished we had this for years will find it VERY ADDICTIVE! Check out the download here and you can Visit the HOG website here.
I mean this couldn’t have been easier! I wish I would have found this a hell of a long time ago!
I downloaded the executable and ran it via Windows XP. I had my initial work installation of Outlook 2003 running and Windows shot back the above syntax screen.
So I dropped to a command prompt and changed directories into my ExtraOutlook.exe folder. and ran the following command to get my second instance of Outlook 2003 going:
And sure enough It worked just as advertised. It does use double the memory and processor power so this would be a no go if you are running 512MB of ram. And Outlook 2007 uses even more resources than 2003 and 2003 uses more resources than 2000 so plan accordingly!
Anyone else use something else to run double or triple profiles of Outlook?
By Karl L. Gechlik of http://www.askTheAdmin.com. Karl is a super hero of the IT industry and helps answer free tech support questions at his website. Stop by and tell him MakeUseOf sent you!
So outlook can use 200% of the CPU and 100% of the available RAM?
@ Karl
Nice app. A while ago Mark wrote about how to run multiple instances of the same program on Windows, I think it will work with Outlook as well.
HI i just modified these instruction in a simple way to suit my needs hope this helps.
Step 1: Download Extraoutlook.exe
Step 2: Save the Extraoutlook.exe file in your c: drive
Step 3: OPen Notepad and type the following in it (Excluding the 3 dashes at the begining and the end)
— @echo off
c:
ExtraOutlook.exe “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\OUTLOOK.EXE” —
Step 4: Save as “Outlook.bat” on the desktop.
Step 5: Double click on the Outlook.bat file on the desktop to open as many instances of outlook you want.
Simple
Wow, amazing app, especially for those out there with multiple monitors and the need to send from multiple accounts. Great find.
Great app. i was looking for this for months
Thanks.
I was waiting for this for a long time!
Now, if I was only smart enough to be able to understand how to install this app.
It’s not hard! Where are you getting stuck Jan?
I get stuck at the command line.
My ExtraOutlook.exe file is on my desktop, so I click/type: start run cmd
Then I go to: C:\Documents and Settings\Jan\Desktop>
at the prompt I type: >ExtraOutlook.exe “C:\Program Files\Microsoft OFFICE11\Outlook.exe” /profile “aNameILike”
then I get an error
(Comments wont nest below this level)ExtraOutlook.exe is not a valid Win32 application
Try copying the files to a new folder in the root of your hard drive and trying again. Make sure you use the full path like c:\folder\ExtraOutlook.exe ….
Hi Everyone,
Very nice approach! Thank you.
My Outlook is customized to hide to tray when minimized. Currently I use two instances of Outlook running, and both of them are minimized (i.e. hidden to tray). But there is only one Outlook icon in tray! When I try to restore it, only one instance restores. Can anybody advise how to restore the second instance?
Thank you in advance
I’m having the same problem as Alex. It would be great to have two Outlook icons in the system tray.
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Jurgen
Hi,
For those of you using the ExtraOutlook with the minimize to tray option enabled: there is currently no way to show two icons on the tray.
There is a way around this with the use of Sysinternal’s Process Explorer. While on the list of processes running, you will be able to see tow outlook processes. To bring the window of a particular Outlook instance, right-click on it and select Window -> Bring to Front.
Process Explorer
Howdy Guys and Thanks Karl. I have the account settings done.
And have some questions, hope someone can help.
NUMBER 1: Does the second session only works from command line interface? Cos right now to start the 2nd simultaneous session of outlook I need to start Run Cmd and enter the whole code c:Extraoutlook>…… and press enter and then it starts. Do I have to do this everytime to run outlook 2, 3, 4 sessions? if yes, then any easy way of doing it, or do I always have to Start Run Cmd and full command and enter to run more sessions? like a short cut to do this thing for me, so everytime I click on it this whole thing gets done automatically?
Number 2: Actually I already figured out # 2. Personal profile also has it’s own saving place in outlook folder named outlook1.pst… so just a little help with above question will be appreciated.
sorry Guys, if you see duplicates, hope karl can remove them…
Howdy Guys and Thanks Karl. I have the account settings done.
And have some questions, hope someone can help.
NUMBER 1: Does the second session only works from command line interface? Cos right now to start the 2nd simultaneous session of outlook I need to start Run Cmd and enter the whole code c:Extraoutlook>…… and press enter and then it starts. Do I have to do this everytime to run outlook 2, 3, 4 sessions? if yes, then any easy way of doing it, or do I always have to Start Run Cmd and full command and enter to run more sessions? like a short cut to do this thing for me, so everytime I click on it this whole thing gets done automatically?
Number 2: Actually I already figured out # 2. Personal profile also has it’s own saving place in outlook folder named outlook1.pst… so just a little help with above question will be appreciated.
nothin… just trying to clear my mess..
@RLes: you can make a batch file that does the trick for you. Here’s how:
- create a new empty text (.txt) file
- open the text file and type something like this: extraoutlook.exe “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE” (change the path if your Outlook is located somewhere else on your computer)
- save and close the text file
- change the extension .txt to .bat (for example: start.txt becomes start.bat)
- put the .bat file in the same folder as extraoutlook.exe
- double-click the .bat file
- tadaaaaaaaaa … extraoutlook is started and you don’t have to type a single word!
If you want, you can make a shortcut (for example, on your desktop) to the .bat file!
Enjoy!
Regards,
Jurgen
Where’d you get version 1.3? The download link above and the one on the author’s page both give me v1.2.
And whenever I add a command-line switch, like the /profile “blah”, it just pops up the Usage window and disappears. If I leave the cls off, Outlook pops up with no problems.
Coog
@Coogan
I left the /profile stuff out … I’ve set the option to let Outlook ask me which profile I want to open when starting Outlook …
Regards,
Jurgen
Hi all,
was anybody able to work with this stuff with 2 accounts in Exchange 2003 in AD env?
I logged as a domain user, I get my Outlook, and I want to use second Outlook to work as another AD user.
The ExtraOutlook.exe just starts another Outlook copy but with the same AD/mail account.
Did anybody solve this problem?
Nikolai.
yes, It even works with two different accounts.
All you have to do is ,
To set the profiles that needs to be opened.
start-controlpanel-mail-show profiles-select “prompt for a profile to be used” and thats it you have both different accounts weth extra outlook.exe.
Hurray, This is really a good one.
P.S. Fixed!
I used RunAs command in conjunction with ExtraOutlook…
Thanks a lot for the info about this magnificent tool!
Thanks for the guide on making the bat file. The trick worked wonderfully and very fast.
But unfortunately, I seem to have got some settings mixed up, so when the extra outlook opened, it overtook my main outlook and i lost my work outlook.pst, luckily I had made a copy few days ago, so only lost some not very important emails.
I did however used imap function of google and downloaded all my message from one of my account and played with this extra outlook function for a while, but until I am sure that it will not screw up my main copy of outlook I probably won’t pursue it further. it seems I have got some paths mixed up or perhaps put the files in the wrong directories. I remember that initially when I created the 2nd profile, I gave it same “pop email details” as my original and main work use one, which could have caused all this trouble. I know.. stupid of me…
Anyway, will give it another shot some other time. Thanks for the treat tip and help.
If anyone is interested, I created a small setup program for ExtraOutlook that extracts ExtraOutlook into your Outlook application directory, creates a script to execute ExtraOutlook, and creates shortcuts to the script on your Desktop, Start Menu or Quick Launch toolbar.
It is available for download here: http://www.happycynic.com/download/ExtraOutlookSetup.zip
I’m on Vistax64, running Office Professional 2007. Will this work?
Echoing what Coogan said, “Where’d you get version 1.3? The download link above and the one on the author’s page both give me v1.2.”
It appears that the “profile” switch is not available in v1.2 and that function would be very useful to me. Other people have found ways around this, but it would be nice to be able to use the “profile” switch.
Sorry I missed Coogan’s message!
I don’t know but, I have had it for a while now and I have uploaded it to AskTheAdmin’s server here
http://www.asktheadmin.com/2008/10/extraoutlook-13-download-link.html
Enjoy!
Thanks!
*** Let’s see if Mark or Aibek can add the above link to the article as it does not appear ANYWHERE on the web anymore.
i have downloaded the software and created a .bat file and i can not get the second instance of outlook to run. below is the code i used can any1 help please?
cd\
cd c:\ExtraOutlook
Extraoutlook.exe “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE12\Outlook.exe” /profile “user folder”
unless i type in the full path in a command windows a bat file does not work and i keep getting “cannot open file” has this been tested under office 2007
Its Really Great.
Thanks Mike
Anyone know if this works with POP3 accounts? I want to run multiple instances of Outlook with different POP3 accounts in each. Does this work? Also, does it manage separate address books and stuff?
Tested it out and yes, it does work with 2 profiles with pop3 accounts. So it works with POP3, and from others comments with Exchange too.
Great work.. i can able to access the outlook instance as many as i can… works really cool.
I think this is a great tool! Love it! I never went to the command line instead I had been using two desktop shortcuts with the switch for profile options… I just dumped the extraoutlook.exe in the office11 folder and now my path in the shortcut looks like follows.
“C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\ExtraOutlook.exe” “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\Outlook.exe” /Profile “fnf”
I tried to create an additional outlook.exe as outlook2.exe so that maybe I could tell which instance in process explorer I wanted to terminate if necassary but it didnt work out and I dont want to mess with it any more. glad I found a solution… curious how it might work on a terminal server…
GREAT TOOL! Took me a while to get the syntax just right but got it sorted, now I have a BAT file with a shortcut on the task bar right next to my standard Outlook shortcut. I’m using Outlook ‘07 with the option of prompting me for which profile to use on startup so it’s all pretty neat and simple. Will really make my life as a User Support bod much easier not having to close my own Outlook down to open up a users! THANKS HOG, KARL ET AL!
This is really handy!
Worked great…eventually - just incase anyone else trips up the same way i did though, do not copy and paste the {ExtraOutlook.exe “C:\Program Files\Microsoft OFFICE11\Outlook.exe” /profile “aNameILike”} bits above into notepad without altering them correctly, it took me a while to realise that the quotation marks were the wrong ones for DOS - doh! all good now though.
very many thanks!
Lenny
This does not work in Vista64 for some reason
It is working OK for me on Vista64
Note you really need two Mail Profiles set up.
To do that in Vista 64, you have to set your Control Panel view to Classic, then choose the “View 32-bit Control Panels” control item in order to get to the Mail setup control. Pretty icky.
Morris, thanks for the last post. I’m on Vista64 as well.
(Comments wont nest below this level)When I get to the New Profile window, I named it Outlook2. From here I am a bit messed up. I have been trying the suggestions prior to your post and that has me completely confused now.
Perfect.
I will echo Lennys comment above about not just copying and pasting the text to create the batch file. It also took me a while to figure out why I was having issues running it, and it all had to do with the quotes around the “C:\program files\etc…”.
This is a great program. What would be nice - I just haven’t figure it out enough - is a procedure to change the icon. For example the yellow one for one account, green for another, etc. So I can keep track of which account is open