Some of our readers asked us how e-mail contact groups can be created in Windows Vista. To answer their question we have created this tutorial in which we will show you how to do it.
In Windows Vista, contacts can be managed by using the Windows Contacts application which replaces the old Address Book from Windows XP. In April 2007 we published a quick overview of the new Windows Contacts application. Before reading this tutorial you might want to check out our previous article to get yourself familiarized with the new application.
You can access Windows Contacts directly from Windows Mail or from the Start Menu. In Windows Mail, click on the Contacts button located in the menu bar, right after the “Send/Receive” button.
In the Start Menu you can find the Windows Contacts shortcut directly under All Programs.
Once you open Windows Contacts, you will see in the upper menu bar the New Contact Group button. Click on it. In the Contact Group Properties window type the name of the new contact group and then click on the Add to Contact Group button.
Select the contacts that you want to add to this group and click on the Add button.
If you want to create new contacts and add them directly to the contact group, click on Create New Contact, add all the contact details and click on OK. You can also add new people to the contact group without adding them to your individual contacts. To do this, type the appropriate information in the Contact Name and E‑Mail fields, and then click on the Create for Group Only button.
To remove a contact from the group, select it from the list and click on the Remove Selected Contacts button. If you want to remove more than one contact, press and hold the Ctrl key and with your mouse select the contacts. Afterwards click on the Remove Selected Contacts button.
In the second tab of the Contact Group Properties window you can fill in some details about the group you created. Complete the fields you want and then click the OK button.
Now you will see the new group in the Windows Contacts list. If you want to make changes to the group, select it and click on the Edit, Delete or Print button.
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Hiding email recipients list…
All:
We recently installed Vista in our agency. We make extenive use of our contact list and Vista’s Contact Groups will go a long why with helping us manage our mailing list and email broadcast. Our issue is that we do not want to expose the email recipient list to each recipient (see MS Note below). How can we accomplish this.
Thank you and all help will be appreciated,
Bob
MS Note: When using contact groups, keep in mind that they do not hide the e‑mail addresses of the recipients. When you send a message to a contact group, all the recipients will be able to see the names and e‑mail addresses of the other recipients.
You can always put the group
You can always put the group in Bcc
Windows Mail Contacts
Not sure if I ‘m being a dullard but my version of Windows Mail does not show the tabs “New Contacts , New Contact Group, etc”. When I open up my contacts I only get the following options “Organise , Views, Slideshow & Burn” & I want to set up a group of contacts, can anyone help ?
Missing Tabs In Vista Contacts
G’day Pete, I had the same problem.
* Right click in the Contacts folder window (in the blank area at the bottom, not on an icon).
* Select “Customize This Folder” from the context menu to bring up the “Customize” tab of the “Contact Properties” window.
* Under “Use This Folder Type as A Template:” make sure “Contacts” is selected from the list.
*Click OK to apply.
This should hopefully fix it 🙂
Missing Tabs In Vista Contacts
Hey Chris that’s spot on!
Many thanks
Upper Menu Bar Missing
Your response to Pete back in November was a lifesaver for me! I’ve spent hours trying to retrieve that menu bar which I had used previously to set up a couple of contact groups so I knew it was there somewhere. Thank you! Thank you!
You are the best! I would
You are the best! I would have NEVER figured it out. Sometimes I hate VISTA.
Thanks for the tip.
I was futilely trying to find the contacts toolbar. Thanks for the info. VISTA is far worse than XP. A huge step backwards.
I only have “organize, views
I only have “organize, views and burn on my task bar. I have been going nuts trying to find the icon to make a contact group.
Fix
Read this tutorials:
//wintuts.com/Missing-buttons-from-Windows-Contacts-toolbar
Windows Mail
How do I show contacts list under local folders?
Windows mail Contact
How do I show contacts list under local folders?
Contacts Group Transfer
Hi,
Has anyone any idea of how to transfer the contact group to another Vista PC in Winddows Contacts. I’ve tried the export/import options but that does not transfer the Groups, only the individual email addresses.
I hope someone can help.
Cheers
address book vs contact folders
When trying to compose an email and wanting to select names, the whole contact list comes up. Is there anyway to just be able to select email address from the individual contact folders like in Outlook Express? If not, why even have the separate contacr folders?
Did you try to hold down the
Did you try to hold down the Ctrl key and make you random selections? The r-click one one and select ‘action’
VISTA Email
I just installed VISTA and put in a distribution list of about 80 email addresses. For some reasons, it keeps sending the same message to the list over and over again…
builting a email list (contact group)
when I add a name to the contact group and I need to add another name (actually several names), the contact list defaults back to the top of the list, instead of staying were I left off. So I am constantly scrolling down from “A” to the next person. Is their any way to be able to transfer these names without going back to “A”?
Addressing emails
If i open “new message” and click on To: the contact list opens but the individual contact folders that i set up are not displayed. How come??? Also, I get the option to send as: Cc or Bcc as well.
When i open my contact list I can view the ‘folders’.. open a folder/ highlight All or selectively/ click “action” /”Send mail” and all are placed in the To: panel. This is a new folder…not a “Group” folder.
In OE one can open individual folders and send mail as To: Cc: or Bcc…but apparently not with Windows Mail in Vista…or am i mssing a ‘setup’ of some kind.
Anyone having the same problem?…Solution???
Create Group
I could not find a way to quickly create a Dlist by copying n pasting email address in bulk to Create New Contact, in MAIL. Looks like I would be forced to type in each email … am I missing something here?
Who would want to sit and type or add contacts all day…?
problem with add new contact directly from inbox
dear all,
when i am trying to add a new contact from inbox i showing a error
” window can not add this contact ”
anyone help me
Whole list of contacts
I have about 100 contacts. 15 of which I want in one list and 85 in a 2nd list. Not group (as defined by meaning, send the same identical emails to a group). Just a prime list and a seldom used list. It was no problem in OE – how do you create 2 lists in Contacts?
Also like a previous reader, when you open an email and click To: the entire 100 names come up. I only want to see the 15 prime addresses come up. If pressing CTR is related, I don’t understand how?
Windows Vista Email Groups
After you remove all of the emails from a group, HOW DO YOU REMOVE THE GROUP??? THE GROUP NAME????
entering multiple email addys at one time into contact group
Is there a way to copy and paste from an email To: line directly into a contact group folder. It is very tedious if you are trying to enter email addys one by one into a contact folder, particularly if the group is large (like our local swim team). I would like to be able to just lump them together from an email and create a contact folder. When I do cut and paste, only the last addy will enter the system.
Exporting groups in windows mail
Hi,
On using export and than adressbook it exports only the contacts. Using nearly 50 different groups, i would also like to export those. Anyone some idea?
Cheers
contact groups
My tool bar in my contacts has changed and I have lost the button to create a new contact group…?????
Cath
Solution to Missing New Contact Group button
The solution can be found here:
//wintuts.com/Missing-buttons-from-Windows-Contacts-toolbar
question about Contact groups
A newbie to Windows Mail and I have noticed the first time I sent an email to my Contact group, the names now also show outside of the Contact group. Is there a way to change that?
Appreciate all response – Norm
Names outside of a Contact Group
New on Vista and Windows Mail. Setup a Contact Group with about 50 names, entered one at a time. Sent the Group an email and the next time I opened Contacts (without opening the Group) I noticed that all 50 of the names were shown outside of the Group.
What caused that and how do I prevent it from happening for subsequent Contact Groups not yet entered?
Appreciate all response. Norm
Names outside of a Contact Group
Is it necessary for names that are contained within a Contact Group to also be shown outside of the Group? If not necessary, I would like to know how to keep that from happening.
Thanks for the help. Norm
How to add contacts to groups in Windows Mail
Windows Mail really is a retrograde step with apparently no option in Vista.
In Outlook Express managing Groups was comparatively easy. If I wanted a group for example with all the same Company name I could gather them by listing by Company, Copy all of the same name and paste into Group. Simple!
Now I find selecting contacts excruciatingly laborious in Vista/Windows Mail.
Can anyone tell me how it can be done simply?
Gil
Windows Mail Broadcasting e-mails
Is there a limit to the number of e-mails that can be sent at one time; especially in BCC, or is the a limit to the number of e-mails that can be sent in an hour or in a day? Yahoo email does this and I am looking for a new ‘vehicle’ to send about a 1000 e-mails every other week.
Do I need to set up folders in a contact group that large???
Thanks for any help,
Don S.
Thanks fore the instruction
Thanks for the instruction on getting the Contacts information in the toolbar. Windows Mail help screens were of n help.