January 16, 2009 7:13 pm GMT
No native mail client on Windows 7 – What now?
by Gary IllyesThere is one issue with Windows 7. Better said Windows 7 reported only one issue during install and that was that
Windows Mail is no longer included in Windows; however your e-mail files and settings will still be available after the upgrade. To send and receive e-mail you will need to install a new e-mail program. You can get e-mail programs from other software manufacturers or from the Microsoft website.
For some reason, when a Microsoft operating system tells me that my settings and files will be preserved, I tend to just not believe it. >Skip to resolution <
After install, the first thing I was checking is whether there is some native software which can be used as mail client or I will really have to install a third-party app. It doesn’t have anything. Cool. The second thing was to check whether my files and settings were preserved. Usually Outlook stores these files either in the Windows directory in a hidden system folder or if I’m lucky, then in my user folder, again in a hidden system folder. OK, these folders were gone after install. I was on the point of throwing out the PC on the window with Windows 7 altogether. Since I needed an email client, after all the above things was that I choose an open-source, client: ThunderBird. Installed it, then tried to import the settings from the previous mail client; nonetheless to say that without any luck. Tried to search on Google about some info regarding what should I do. Without any luck… So I went to Microsoft and searched there. Nothing.
Then when browsing through the MS pages, I saw a link: Windows Live Mail. Went ahead and downloaded it.
During install it offered me to install amongst many things a toolbar for IE8, no thanks. Windows Movie Maker, I have Adobe Premiere, sorry. I ticked out all the boxes and selected only mail. And after install I was the most surprised man in the world: it imported everything from the old Windows Mail: passwords, filters, mails, saved mails, accounts, everything. So, if you need a mail client which will know how to import your old settings, I really advice you to download Windows Live Mail.
If you want my opinion about Windows Live Mail, it’s the same as my opinion about Windows 7: it rocks. Honest. It’s way faster than its predecessors and it brings some innovative ideas both in design and features.
Andrew Smith on Wed, 9th Sep 2009 3:25 am
So far Windows 7 has been the best Microsoft product yet. Most things worked straight out of the box, including all my videos that played in a new windows media player that resembles VLC. So I will take your word for it that windows live mail is worth a shot.
Curt on Fri, 23rd Oct 2009 3:13 pm
I just bought a new windows 7 computer and the first thing I looked for was a mail client.
I saw the Windows Live Mail, but the link took me to a website, so I assumed it was a web-based mail application like g-mail, which I didn’t want.
Thanks for this article, I’m going to try installing Windows Live Mail.
Tina Clarke on Sun, 1st Nov 2009 4:34 pm
hi I am thinking of moving to win 7 i use windows mail before that outlook express.. i dont like outlook because it does not have global preview shut down just folder by folder and having being caught with the first virus that presented on previewing way back when i cannot bring myself not to have global preview shutdown … which outlook express and windows mail has…. soooo i want to know how windows live mail works does it look and behave exactly like windows mail? can you tell us more about how it works and looks? thanks
tina
Ruth on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 4:50 am
I tried the windows live mail, and it still doesn’t work. Now what? How do I change the default email?
Richard on Mon, 30th Nov 2009 2:58 am
I was quite surprized that window 7 did not have an e-mail client. I do computer consulting to several older people and thats what they do mostly. I will not be surprized if they never purchase a new computer with windows 7. Most of whom I talked to do not want an online e-mail. They want it simple and on there computer. I just purchased a new desktop with windows 7 and was really shocked no email program was present besides window live mail. Well I ended up using Outlook for my e-mail program from office 2007.
Wendy on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 10:33 pm
So sorry if I seem clueless here …I have just upgraded to Windows 7 and was shocked to not see Mail there …
Can someone tell me, is Windows Live a web-based email program, or is it actually on your DESKTOP the way that Windows Mail or Outlook Express
I already have a web-based email service but I don’t want to have to go to my webmail to get my new emails.
I just want the mail to come into the thing that is on the desktop so that I can see, straight-way, if I have new email, and I want to see the new mail come in, whether or not I am in my web browser.
If Windows Live is not going to do that, then what are the alternatives. I tried Thunderbird when I used to have a Mac, but I found that when you had too much mail in the box, it didn’t behave properly … not sure if that has been fixed, but anyway, I would appreciate any suggestions for a client that actually shows up on the desktop.
Thanks!
P.S. I just cannot believe that Microsoft would build it’s much touted Windows 7 without a mail client, which is the thing that most people use the most.
I guess I should have read up on some reviews before installing Windows 7 … if I had known there was no mail client, I would have stuck with the Vista that I had.
Rick on Wed, 30th Dec 2009 8:20 pm
Followed this advice about windows live mail – However it is not an email client. It takes ages to down load, and the result is no different. It is just the same hotmail web client. Do not use this if you are looking for an outlook replacement.
Albert on Thu, 14th Jan 2010 2:28 am
I use Windows 7. I already had Windows Live Mail on my PC, but hadn’t signed up fo it. Now I have. But as soon as I log in, it tells me “You don’t have an inbox yet”, and it tells me that to get one, I have to sign up for Hotmail. This wasn’t what I bargained for. I wanted to keep my old E-mail address and not have to use Hotmail. so, as of now, I have not started using windows Live Mail yet. I used to use Outlook Express and before that, Eudora. I have not imported any E-mail from my old computer because I don’t know how.
Will on Fri, 22nd Jan 2010 3:32 am
Hello! You need an e-mail client to order things off websites, get info, use craigslist etc. Now what??? It amazes me how much everyone seems to LOVE Windows 7. I like it better than Vista, but I don’t like not having an e-mail client or the fact that my QuickCAD 7 program won’t install on it.
Chris on Sat, 30th Jan 2010 10:02 am
People, you don’t need to change your mail address to a hotmail one or use webmail! You just need to create a Windows Live account in order to download the Windows Live email client. You can register a new hotmail.com or live.com address OR use your own you@yourisp.com email addresses. Once you have a Windows Live account, download Live mail and use it just like Outlook Express, Windows Mail or any other mail client. I’ve just done that on my Mum’s laptop after upgrading it to Windows 7 and it’s imported all her email settings and emails. No problems!! And it’s faster and slicker that OE ever was.
Albert on Sat, 6th Feb 2010 8:23 pm
Will, I don’t know what you mean by having your own e-mail client, but you can order things off websites without having to use your own inbox (at least I do). I have ordered from Amazon and other sites simply by submitting my E-mail address.
Chris, Windows Live Mail is built into my computer, and I registered for it, but once I did, it told me than I would have to use either hotmail.com or live.com if I wanted to have an inbox.