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Can I make the Address Book show only e-mail addresses, not fax numbers?

Outlook considers fax numbers to be valid e-mail addresses. If you want to be able to send both e-mails and faxes from Outlook, there's no solution to this issue.

If you are keeping the fax numbers just as a matter of record, though, and don't use them in Outlook, then you can choose one of the non-fax phone number fields to store the fax number information. Unfortunately, you can't change the names of the built-in fields; you would need to remember which field contains fax numbers.

Another approach is to put text in front of the fax number, such as "W: " for a work fax or just "Fax:"; this causes the number to disappear from the Outlook Address Book, but keeps it easy to see the number in the contact record or Contacts folder.  The tools listed below add a prefix automatically and remove it when you need to dial the number.

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Tools
Hide Fax Numbers   Changes all fax numbers for a contact to have "Fax:" (or other text) before the number. This prevents Outlook from recognizing it as a valid address, so you won't see it in the Outlook Address Book. You can strip the prefix text at any time, for one contact or all of them at once, on demand or as numbers are added. Works on multiple Outlook folders for nested contact folders.
OL FaxPreFIXer   Changes all fax numbers for a contact to have "F:" before the number, which hides the number from the Outlook Address Book. Also can reverse the process to make fax numbers available in the address book again. Requires optional Collaboration Data Objects component from Outlook setup. Does not work with Outlook 2003. Free. Site is in German
Rsoutlook Hide Fax   This software will change all fax numbers for a contact to have a pre-pended character before the number so the address book won’t recognize it as a valid address. Then when you click "To:" and get the Address Book dialog box, you’ll only see email addresses listed.
WS:Fax Display Manager   Prefix all fax numbers for a contact with the text "Fax: " before the number. This has the effect of suppressing the fax address when addressing emails while still showing the fax number when the Contact is displayed. Version 1.01

More Information
  • Enabling the Outlook Address Book and Contacts folder
  • OL2002- Contacts with Both an E-Mail Address and a Fax Number Are Listed Twice When You Select an E-mail Recipient
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    Updated Feb 23 2009
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