Windows Live Mail

Used Windows Live Mail for Windows?

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Editors’ Review

Download.com staffFebruary 25, 2026

Windows Live Mail consolidates multiple email accounts and calendars into a single, user-friendly application. Manage your communications and schedule effectively, with offline access and robust security.

Top Recommended Alternative

VIMail

Trial version

Pros
- Integrates multiple email accounts from various providers.
- Includes a calendar for event management.
- Offers offline access to email and calendar.
- Provides enhanced email security features.
- Combines ease of use with fast performance.
Cons
- No specific limitations mentioned.

Windows Live Mail

Used Windows Live Mail for Windows?

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: March 26, 2014

Latest update: February 25, 2026

Version: 16.4.3528.331.0

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System

Windows 7
Windows 8
Windows 10

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 805,674

Downloads Last Week: 0

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Descargar Windows Live Mail

Last Updated

User Reviews

2.9/5

64 User Votes

This thing really sucks!!!!!
Rodney_j_hSeptember 25, 2015
Pros
Don't have one.
Cons
It doesn't allow all emails to be selected with in a folder so they can be deleted all at once anymore. When you are deleting a number of emails you have to refresh the page or it will stop checking and deleting emails. When did spell check become so unuseful that you guys decided to do away with it?
Summary
Can I have an option to return to the classic format?!! I've tried it for these few months and I absolutely hate it compared to the classic version. HATE IT!!!
It's okay if you NEVER need to send a photo
SuzieMachJuly 6, 2015
Pros
Works with POP accounts
Cons
Will not send attached photos Will not work with Gmail or other IMAP accounts No current help for issues and Microsoft has apparently abandoned this program
Summary
I made the mistake of updating to Office 2010, and in the upgrade, Live Mail upgraded too. Now, no matter what I do, all photos get stuck in endless "send" mode, and clog up my mail inbox and outbox, all emails, for all my 5 different addresses... stuck hopelessly for hours until the computer can be shut down. With no error message that pops up or warns you, the sending mail menu just acts like it will send the email, but then never completes. How wonderful! Unless you go looking for the sending menu, you may never know what is going on in the background. And, the Microsoft community forums are full of other people with the same problem, and no help, no fix, no one who cares. Sad, this program worked well until they hooked it to Skydrive as a required way to manage the photos. Now, nothing will make this program work with a photo. Some well meaning folks have posted very complicated work arounds, but the only way I have been able to send a photo is to convert it to a PDF, and disguise it. I have been able to sneak a few very small photos one at a time into an email, by use of the paperclip button to attach a file.... sshhhh... be very very quiet and don't let the program know it's really a photo! But when you use the tool bar button to send a photo, you are sunk. I gave it 1 and a half stars because it still will send emails.... just not all of them, and making it stop sending one with a photo by rebooting the computer, is just ridiculous.
crashes, loses emails, dysfunctional
adouifJanuary 31, 2015
Pros
no pros at all no pros at all
Cons
gotten worse. freezing when composing. does not have autocomplete when entering "to" email address for all familiar emails. yet does have autocomplete for same email address when searching. why the discrepancy? loses emails. does not locate them when searching. this email is awful and becoming useless
Summary
will soon switch. but already switched form yahoo )losing emails). dislike gmail. so which email to use? aol used to suck but it looked ok now. should i risk it? please suggest which email to use. thanks
Constant crashes
offerPop6396911May 16, 2014
Pros
Reads mails fine, but no undo.
Cons
Almost always crashes trying to compose a new mail or reply on a windows 7 laptop. Microsoft support is non-existent as usual and bugs are never fixed.
Summary
Stay away. Used to love microsoft but almost all products are unusable and if they are good they will take away the features you like in the next version.
Biggest step backwards yet !!!! Worthless nightmare
jimmythesnakeMarch 17, 2014
Pros
Not a single one
Cons
This is by far the worst step backwards for Microsoft yet. I cant believe they even put this out with so little functionality and so many bugs. To make it worse with windows seven and above you are stuck with it like it or not outlook express isnt compatible. Getting assistance from them to navigate it is impossible. I can not say any thing good about it and the list of negatives is too long to write.
Summary
Microsoft quit force feeding us crap we dont want and especially the crap that sets people back 3 steps instead of forward one.
A giant leap backward from Outlook Express
wenoelJanuary 13, 2014
Pros
none none none none none
Cons
Clunky, slow and cluttered interface constant freezing and crashing lost all my contacts deletes folders and email doesn't save sent items possibly the worst program ever written
Summary
I've had nothing but trouble with this since it was installed a year ago. It's driven me crazy everyday because it won't open properly and closes, crashes or freezes multiple times day. I put up with it as long as I could and tried to work with it but now it won't even open at all. I QUIT! I HATE Windows Live Mail with the passion of 1000 burning suns! Microsoft MUST have known it was a complete lemon yet they still released it. There is NO help or support for it. Microsoft should close their doors if this is all they have to offer. It totally sucks!
Crappy Software
kayceyJanuary 1, 2014
Pros
Free but this is nothing special as they are other free email clients around.
Cons
I think this program may have many serious bugs some of which are yet to be experienced by the user until he tries out all the functionality. See below of the few bugs and defects I have already found.
Summary
I gave this email program another chance after reinstalling my Windows 8 OS after the upgrade to 8.1 version caused my printer to fail amongst other problems. Here's my take: Previous Outlook Express emails when imported are dumped under a "Storage Folders" in the program in a messy way instead of being intelligently moved to the various accounts' folders. For some silly reason, those imported emails also cannot be dragged over to the new accounts' folders. However I am able drag an email to a folder under Storage Folders. Unfortunately when this is done that email completely disappears for good. I have 2 important emails vanished like that forever even after I tried re-importing the Storage Folders to see if they can be recovered. With a certain Windows update this program causes inserted image files - like jpg files - in your outgoing and sent emails to be unreadable with the warning that it is a security measure to hide it. This is ridiculous. The new icon-style menu items - that look nothing like the beautiful icons seen on iphone or ipad - at the top seems like a last minute attempt to cater to touch requirement rather than a carefully and intelligently thought-out design. For easier navigation, unfortunately there is also little option to change background color of the various panes and user folders. Upgrading from Outlook or Outlook Express to this program may complicate migration to another email program because its email, address and accounts files are not compatible with Outlook and hence currently un-importable to most other email programs. Microsoft should not have released this email program when it is so buggy because it just tarnishes the reputation of a company known for very strong programming skills -- the end-results of which are all encapsulated within its OS that caters to so many types of usage.
the ONLY free solution for desktop and phone
kakamomyNovember 22, 2013
Pros
A software client solution for desktop/phone sync for of your online/offline email pop-imap + online/offline calendar + online/offline contacts !!!!! Last version work perfect!!!
Cons
No one.. if you have bug you made a mistake. I did not find any since the last update
Summary
DO YOU realise you can, for free, you have a email pop/imap client +contact+calendar for your desktop to your phone... OFFLINE/ONLINE??? this is the only software that work OFFLINE and with 10 pop/imap accounts + offline contacts + offline calendar (when you need a urgent contact or email or calendar event and your net is down, or you are on the road.. google account is useless!!! because google dont have offline product! and you cannot pop/imap 10 accounts...anyway) And now on the phone... your right: built in email pop/imap client +google contacts+ google calendar work offline...as email pop/imap client + outlook contacts+ outlook calendar TOO! (thanks god, I do not always have 3g or wifi) BUT... when you going to be on the road, or on a internet down, with microsof, you will be able to SEE AND COMPOSE (waiting to send) on big screen and with big keyboard your email... as your calendar and contact to call etc... That THE only cross platform solution for desktop/phone online/offline... and it's free... Take that Apple, Google, Tunderbird... and name it.
Really excellent for normal one user purposes
theultrageoffJuly 11, 2013
Pros
Great interface Lets you block emails from sources not in your Contacts list.. NIRVANA on Earth!!! No junk!! At all!! Ever!!! Does everything you need and a bit more Fast to boot up Doesn't break every two weeks, so very unlike the open source alternatives Looks very modern, without Windows 8 failings Handles multiple accounts e.g. Gmail, Outlook.com, private, work...
Cons
Reminders are better than Outlook, but not as good as reminders used to be (when they used to stay on screen and you'd notice them) circa 1998.
Summary
If you want to stop fretting about your email program and just use a really good one, get it now. I own Outlook 2007, used Thunderbird and Lightning, am delighted with WLM. Looks work, boots quick, does it all really well.
Best email client there is available (v2012)
wipa1June 22, 2013
Pros
Intuitive, nice interface. Does what it promises, straight-forwarded, only one bug found. Nicer looking than Outlook and free. Integrates well in Windows. Easy to use.
Cons
When running a long time, it downloads the messages automatically from mail server, even when specified in settings to not to do it. (BUG)
Summary
Simply the best email client.

Developer’s Description

Access multiple e-mail accounts from one program.

Windows Live Mail brings together multiple e-mail accounts and calendars into one easy-to-use program. Access and edit your e-mail and calendar events, even when you are offline, and sync your changes later. Windows Live Mail helps to maximize your e-mail security across multiple e-mail accounts. Mail combines the ease of use of Outlook Express, with the speed of Windows Live. Get multiple e-mail accounts in one program - Hotmail, Gmail, and Yahoo. It also has a calendar. Mail combines the ease of use of Outlook Express, with the speed of Windows Live.