How to make e-mail better for you

Q: I use the Windows 10 Mail program to access my Comcast and Gmail accounts. But when I turn on the PC, I get a pop-up message that says "Either there is no default mail client or the current mail client cannot fulfill the messaging request. Please run Microsoft Outlook and set it as the default mail client." But I don't use Outlook. What should I do?

Ron Benson, Maple Grove

A: It depends on how you prefer to view e-mail. Let's look at your choices.

Client software: Windows 10 Mail and Microsoft Outlook are e-mail programs that run on your PC, known as "client software." You are receiving the warning message because you haven't designated either Windows 10 Mail or Outlook as your PC's "default mail client." (To do that, see tinyurl.com/y9vrkgec.)

Webmail: Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Outlook.com have popularized the use of "webmail," which exists only online. You log into a website to read and manage your mail, which is never stored on your PC. If you use webmail, you don't need Windows 10 Mail or Outlook.

Which method should you choose? If you want to simultaneously use two or more e-mail accounts, it makes sense to consolidate their messages in the Windows 10 Mail program. (To add other e-mail accounts to Windows 10 Mail, see tinyurl.com/yc5yrkam).

But if you would prefer to use a single e-mail account, or to keep your two accounts separate, you can log in to the Comcast or Gmail websites (Comcast is at my.xfinity.com; Gmail is at gmail.com.)

A: The answer is, not much. But there are some best practices you can follow to minimize the amount of spam you receive. They include:

• Mark objectionable mail as spam. This helps your e-mail provider improve its "spam filter," which is software that identifies which e-mail to block before it reaches your inbox.

• Never respond to spam, and never, ever click on a link in a spam message.

• Don't publish your e-mail address online. If you must include your e-mail address on a website, get a second e-mail address and list it instead of your main address.

• You can replace your current e-mail address, but that's hardly a cure-all. It's a hassle to inform all your contracts of a new address, and eventually your new e-mail address will get spam, too.

Ryan Badger, Colorado Springs, Colo.

A: It's easiest to use the Chrome browser instead of Microsoft Edge. But if you want to use Edge, try downloading the latest software driver for your PC's video card (aka graphics card), or reinstalling the driver you already have (see tinyurl.com/ya8bw88k). If that doesn't work, it's possible that the websites you are viewing aren't compatible with the latest update to the Edge browser.