Why do I get "No profiles have been created." when I try to use "Send Link..."?

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Summary: No Profiles means that a mail program has not been configured properly. The confusion is that it might not be the mail program you're expecting.

I recently switched to a new computer running Windows XP and when I try to send a link by right clicking and selecting that option, I get a message saying "No profiles have been created. To create a new profile, use the Mail icon in the Control Panel". I've followed that step up to the point of creating a profile, but I don't want to mess up my email program. Can you please explain in common English what this means and how to rectify the problem?

It simply means that you didn't set up Microsoft Outlook when you got your new machine.

You don't use Microsoft Outlook? Yes, well. Windows thinks you do.

So we'll fix that too.

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"Profiles" are Microsoft Outlook's way of setting up different configurations for a single installation; perhaps completely different sets of email accounts or behaviors. You can configure Outlook to ask which profile to use when it starts up. (Note: we're talking about the Outlook that comes with Microsoft Office, not Outlook Express, that's a different program completely.)

When you set up Microsoft Outlook for the first time it creates a default profile. If the system ever asks you to set up a profile, it's because it's attempting to run Microsoft Outlook, and Outlook was never configured.

This error can happen when used a "Send..." function in a browser or other program, or it can also happen if you click on a "mailto:" link on a web page. If you're not running Outlook (perhaps you use Thunderbird or Outlook Express or any of a number of other email programs), the system is simply misconfigured to assume that Outlook is your default mail program.

Fixing that is fairly easily dealt with. It's described in this article: How do I change the "mailto:" or default mail program?. Change that to the mail program you really use. Now when you click on "Send Link..." or similar functions it should simply bring up your mail program instead of trying to start an unconfigured Outlook.

As a side note, if you don't use Outlook there's actually no harm in creating a profile; it won't impact other mail programs. However, I'm sure you'll still want to change the default mail program since sending using Outlook probably wasn't what you had in mind.

Related:

• Ask Leo! - How do I change the "mailto:" or default mail program?

• Ask Leo! - How do Outlook and Outlook Express relate?

• Ask Leo! - Can I install Outlook twice with different accounts?

Article 11501 | Posted May 17, 2007