Microsoft Outlook

[Canary]

I want to tidy up my desktop, but when I try to delete the Microsoft Outlook icon on the desktop, I get a warning that says it provides "special functionality", and I am advised to leave it where it is.

 

This isn't a major issue, obviously, but I wondered whether this is just Microsoft trying to get you to leave their stuff on your desktop or if it really is advisable to leave the link there.

 

(I don't use Outlook, by the the way.)

[acooldozen]

....just delete it.....the Microsoft police don't want you!

[Glenn]

You must have an older version of Outlook. If I recall correctly, the "special functionality" was just the ability to right-click to access control panels (similar to the Internet Explorer desktop icon). We had users in our office accidentally (don't ask me how) delete it and we just replaced it with an ordinary desktop shortcut icon. No one ever seemed to notice the difference.

 

I don't think anyone ever used the "special functionality" and Microsoft must have abandoned the idea. Outlook 2003 uses an ordinary desktop shortcut.

[Capman]

You could always get rid of it the proper way, download TweakUI from here.

 

When you run it, click Desktop in the left hand pane, then remove the tick from Microsoft Outlook in the right hand pane.