Microsoft Office Outlook has this AutoComplete feature which automatically remembers the most used email address which makes it easier for you find and email people with whom you connect often. By default this list is built as you use and by making a query to your Outlook Contact or most used emails.
Now what if :
- You want to add certain email address without adding it to contact list.
- Or you want to hide certain email address and dont want any body to see when they search it even with exact email address.
In Microsoft Office Outlook, when a contact is searched in Autocomplete, it uses certain criteria like display name, email address initials etc. These are captured and stored in a NK2 file and criteria is defined by Outlook itself.
E.G. For an email address [email protected] : T, Test are the search term.
Now if you can replace this with something which is only know to you like lets say I choose that Display Name is Aloha and Search String is “-X”, then even if you make a search using t or test or x it will not display here and it was never in contact list and hence it will be no where.!!
How to do it :
- Download NK2Edit from here ( scroll down to the end of the page, I mean really scroll down )
- Close Outlook if it is already open.
- Extract the NK2Edit program from downloaded zip file.
- Run it and if you had used outlook already you will see some contact listed already.
For New Contact ( which you want to be hidden )
- Click on Add New Record Icon ( The blue person with a plus on head )
- Select SMPT. This will work for most
- Enter Email Address
- Enter a Display Name
- Then when you switch to Drop-Down Name, it will create name combining email address and display name you choose
- Search String is also set using the exact email address.
Now Here is how you hide it :
Edit both Display name and Search string to something which you can remember. Though you can use any alphabet but it accidentally revile all the email address starting with that. So best is to use a hyphen or star or special character.
Now if you have multiple secret email address, you can use a special character at start and then appropriate alpahets so it helps you filter.
E.G.
- For email address [email protected] use *ceoexample.com
- For email address [email protected] use *managerexample.com
- For email address [email protected] use *ceoexample2.com
Now save all such address and it will automatically save it to the NK2 edit file.
Check if it works in Outlook
Launch Office Outlook and type in the email address first and see it works. In case it does, double-check your Display Name and Search String. In case it does not work, try with the special character and see if it displays.
Video Demo :
NK2Edit software lets you edit, create and completely manage your existing auto complete email address which you cannot do in your outlook. Even if you do not want to hide email address but its an excellent option to edit them quickly without using Outlook at all.
