Most of us spend a painful amount of time in Microsoft Outlook, reading emails from the pointy-haired bosses and sending TPS reports around. Since you’re already in Outlook, why not browse the web a little?

Enable Outlook’s Web View

With Outlook open, click on View Toolbars and then check Web on the menu.

This will display the Web address bar which you can move to wherever you want in the toolbar area.

Now, just enter any Web address into the bar and the view pane will show the webpage within Outlook using the Internet Explorer engine.  If you’re just looking at the one page just click the Back button and it will return you to the Outlook view.  Or you can explore the entire site and / or surf the web.

View Your Email Messages in Internet Explorer 

An opposite way to go is view a email message in Internet Explorer versus Outlook.  With the email message open in the Actions section on the Ribbon click on Other Actions and View in Browser.

A security warning message will pop up asking if you’re sure you want to continue.

Internet Explorer will open up displaying the email message.

Be sure and also check out how to Get Maps And Directions In Outlook 2007