Removal of Windows 10 “Mail” app

What is happening?

We will be removing (i.e. uninstalling) the native Windows 10 and 11 “Mail” application from all University of Reading managed Windows computers in the next few weeks.

Windows Mail does not have the functionality or security that Microsoft Outlook provides, and for this reason we are going to remove it from all University of Reading managed Windows computers. Microsoft Outlook is the approved application for email and calendaring, and is already installed on all UoR computers as part of Office.

How do I know which I am using?

Most people will be using Microsoft Outlook. If you have a newer computer (particularly a Microsoft Surface) you may be using Windows Mail without realising. The easiest way to tell is to check your email programme icon on the taskbar, so open your email and see what the icon looks like.Taskbar with Outlook icon and Windows Mail icon. The Outlook icon is different. Outlook has an envelope icon with an “O”, whereas Windows Mail has a simple envelope icon.

Do I need to do anything?

The removal of Windows Mail will happen automatically. If you are using Windows Mail now, it would be wise to open up Outlook to familiarise yourself with the interface.

The first time you open Outlook,  you will be prompted for your email address. This will pull all the information needed for first time set up. You can find Outlook by putting “Outlook” in the search bar.

Further information and contact

DTS Outlook webpage

Microsoft Outlook training

Linked In Learning Outlook training topic

If you have any questions or need any advice, please contact the IT Service Desk.

Request your Curriculum Software now for Autumn 2023

Many software logosIn Digital Technology Services (DTS) we review all software packages each academic year. Our Application and Deployment team are now preparing to package software required for classes for the next academic year (23/24).

If you use any software in your teaching, we need your requests for curriculum software for the next academic year by 16th June.

What is happening?

For your software to be available for the start of Autumn term, you need to complete a software request form now for each software package required for your classes. You do not need to request Microsoft Office.

DTS coordinates curriculum software requests from within and across all Schools to ensure app configuration and any additional requirements requested are included in the deployed app, so please make sure you complete a form even if you think someone else might.

What do I need to do?

Complete the Software Request form on the DTS Self Service Portal 

(If the above link does not work, from https://uor.topdesk.net/ go to: Place a DTS request – Request software – PC and classroom support – Request software for labs/Apps Anywhere)

Apps Anywhere home page

This form can also be accessed directly from Apps Anywhere by selecting the “Request Software” tile.

Important information about completing the form

A complete form will enable DTS to action and work on your request without coming back to you if we have all the required information, including any licensing and test steps. If any fields are incomplete there is a delay while we try to contact you for this information and we may not be able to action your request in the specified time.

Please don’t put “same as last year” as we will need to look back through requests to see what you requested last year, and it also makes it difficult to coordinate this with new requests from across the schools.

Points to note:

  • An individual form is required for each software package.
  • You do not need to request Microsoft Office. 
  • You must complete the form whether the software has been used in previous years or not.
  • Please complete all fields in the form with as much information as possible so we can process requests promptly.
  • If you are planning on using new software, please discuss this with your DTS Business Relationship Manager (BRM) before completing the form.
  • Where possible, all software is made available via Apps Anywhere.
  • All software requested should be at a supported version, ideally the latest version (for the latest fixes and patches)

DTS do not make any assumptions about what software is needed for next year and anything not requested may be retired from Apps Anywhere.

Deadline

This information is required by Friday 16 June. Requests after this deadline cannot be guaranteed for the start of Autumn term. 

How can I find out the progress of my request?

Submitting the request form creates a ticket. You can view the progress of your ticket either by clicking the “Track my ticket” link in your confirmation email, or through “My logged calls” on the DTS Self Service Portal.

Further information and contact

If you have any questions, please contact the team through the IT Service Desk or your BRM through Ask a Question.

Emails: Advice for senders

How to stop your email being sent to the Junk Email folder or reported to us as phishing

If you receive an email that you are worried about, DTS are always happy to take a look and advise. Often these turn out to be legitimate emails which have raised red flags with the recipient as a potential phishing attempt. We also see people reporting missing emails, as the emails are being diverted to email Junk folders or sent to Microsoft Quarantine because they have been flagged as spam. 

Junk Email folder in Outlook

Junk Email folder in Outlook

Here we look at a few ways you can make sure emails you send avoid being deleted, quarantined or marked as spam or junk. 

Following these tips will help friends and colleagues determine whether your email is genuine. 

What can I do?

Help emails reach their intended recipient by following these tips: 

  • Proofread your emails and check grammar
  • Have a coherent and relevant subject line:
    • Don’t use CAPITALS, emojis 😀 or exclamation marks !!!!! in the subject line
    • Single word subject lines such as Urgent! or Information? are more likely to get sent to junk.
    • Avoid spam filter trigger words in the subject line e.g. Urgent!, Limited Time!, Available?
  • Don’t send the email content as a picture which may get blocked
  • Limit the number of colours and fonts you use, which also helps with Digital Accessibility. 
  • Address the email to the person you are emailing, e.g. Hi John
    • If you are bulk emailing, consider using mail merge to address people separately
  • If you have a link in an email, particularly to personal details, provide an alternative route to that information. For example, a link might say “Access your staff account“. If you add “or go to the Staff Portal and click the link to the Staff Self Service”, you are giving people an option of finding their own way without relying on the link. 

Emails from or on behalf of the University occasionally get trapped by the Microsoft spam filter. If you are sending emails, here is some additional guidance.

  • Sign off from a named person, rather than a department or team. This gives people a point of contact and someone they can look up on the staff directory.
  • Add your University email signature to the end of the email
  • Use the correct language and spelling for University terms; see the UoR House style guide
  • Send from an @reading.ac.uk email address where possible.

If an email will come from an external email address (for example a third party who are providing a service), make sure you check what they are sending also follows this guidance. 

Someone typing on a computer keyboard

 

You should pay particular attention to your email content if you are sending an email out to many people at once (which may look like spam), or if you want people to click a link (which may look like phishing).

Why does it matter?

Apart from the obvious that you want people to read your emails…

If people report University of Reading emails as spam to Microsoft, then all emails from @reading.ac.uk will start to be scrutinised and potentially held in quarantine. The same is true from a personal email address.

Further reading

We have a Cyber Security section on the DTS website, which also includes information about spotting phishing attempts.

Also check our Digital Accessibility Resources  which can help further with content and displaying images.

Contact

If you have any queries or require any advice, please contact the IT Service Desk.