What is Windows Live Mail?

Windows Live Mail is a discontinued freeware email client developed by Microsoft. It is an updated version of Windows Mail on Windows Vista, which was a successor to Outlook Express on Windows XP. WLM has all the features of Windows Mail and Outlook Express with some additional features.

Features of Windows Live Mail

• It provides the facility to set up multiple accounts within it, encapsulating all the accounts at one place including the ability to use them offline.
• It has a feature of photo-email which allows the users to transfer good quality images without clogging the recipient's inbox.
• The user can include webmails like- Outlook.com, Gmail, etc.
• Improved and enhanced security features.
• Improved search features that let the user search content, title or sender of an email.

Microsoft announced that it is dropping its support for Window Live Mail by dropping support for Delta Sync protocol. Thus it positioned its Mail app as a bundle that was available with Windows 10 as a replacement for it.

Default Location of Windows Live Mail

Depending on where you have installed Windows Live Mail the default location of WLM files change.

• For Vista or Windows 7 - C:\Users\uname\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail
• For XP - C:\DocumentsandSettings\uname\LocalSettings\ApplicationData\Microsoft\WindowsLive Mail

Note: Where 'uname' is the name you use to login onto Windows.

How to configure Gmail Account with Window Live Mail Using IMAP

IMAP and POP are two different protocols available to access emails. Here we have provided steps to configure your Window Live Mail with them.

Step 1: To access Gmail as an IMAP account in Windows Live Mail first, make sure that IMAP is enabled in Gmail.

Step 2: From the menu of WLM select Go | Mail. Hold Alt key in case the menu bar is not visible.

Step 3: Click on "Add an e-mail account" present at the bottom of the list.

Step 4: Enter your Gmail email address and password, also your name under Display Name.

Note: Make sure to check "Automatically determine my login ID" & "Manually configure server settings for e-mail account".

Step 5: Select incoming mail server as IMAP and enter ''imap.gmail.com" under it. Enable the secure connection(SSL) for the Incoming Server Information.

Step 6: For the Outgoing Server enter "smtp.gmail.com". Enable the secure connection (SSL) for the Outgoing Server Information.

Step 7: Check Outgoing server authentication & enter the port no i.e. 465 under Outgoing Server Information. Click Next >> Finish.

As soon as your Gmail is synced with Windows Live Mail, you will be able to see your Gmail folders on the left side. On expanding it you would be able to see all the usual Gmail folders (All Mail, Drafts, Sent Mail, Spam, etc.)

Accessing your Gmail Account in Windows Live Mail using POP

• To configure your Gmail account with Window Live Mail using POP, make sure that POP access is turned on for your Gmail account.
• Go to Shortcuts | Mail in WLM & click on add an email account at the bottom.
• Enter your Gmail e-mail id, password and display name and assure that manually configure server settings for e-mail account is not checked.
• Click next >> Finish.
• Click Send/Recieve in Toolbar.

By now, the Gmail account is synced with WLM and the Gmail folder must have appeared in the side folder pane. Thus Windows Live Mail is synced with Gmail.

Conclusion

Windows Live Mail is freeware email program, but right now it is discontinued by the Microsoft. In this section, we have discussed this email application like its features, technical details & configuration with Gmail account, etc. If you want to know about WLM then gave information will helpful for you, we have covered all the information about this email client.