An alternative way to create the hyperlink which should get around this issue as well as being far quicker would be to simply use drag and drop as follows:
Open Windows Explorer, navigate to a folder containing the thing you want to link to (a file, document or a sub-folder).
Right click and drag to your open e-mail message - you don't have to have them open side by side, you can drag to the task bar on the message, HOLD and wait for the message window to pop to the front. (don't drop on the taskbar, this does not work)
Move to where you want the hyperlink in your message and drop.
You will be asked what you want to do, just like when you right-click drag/drop in Windows explorer to create a shortcut. One of the options is "create hyperlink" which is what you want. Job done. Wash, rinse, repeat for multiple links, or use multi-select in the first place (Ctrl+click or Shift+click)
(Aside: a normal left click drag and drop will insert attachments without prompting, and you can also do this with no email open: select documents, drag and drop to Inbox and a new email will be created for you with attachments on and with subject line already set which you can edit of course).
Using %20 as a space works however I would really like the simplicity of these guys
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– Biff MaGriff – 2012-03-05T22:45:08.360Normal spaces works for me on Outlook 2010 sp1, tested just now. This worked on non-sp1 too,since I included this as a feature in training I wrote for a roll out over a year ago, and I have often used this feature as a sysadmin sending links to people throughout my use of Outlook 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010. Works for spaces in the share name or last folder name or middle folder names. Works whether I key space or enter after the closing >. Works in HTML and Rich Text format. I know this may not help fix your situation (hence a comment not an answer) but hope it encourages you to keep looking! – AdamV – 2012-03-24T09:47:38.073
I get the expected results in Word 2010 too (Outlook message composition essentially uses Word), is this is a clean installation? – Bob – 2012-03-24T10:08:05.027