Microsoft won’t support Windows Live Mail with MS-sourced email addresses… but Google will

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If you have an @outlook.com or @hotmail or @live or @msn.com address, you have to give up Windows Live Mail by June 30. @gmail, OTOH, will work fine I
[See the full post at: Microsoft won’t support Windows Live Mail with MS-sourced email addresses… but Google will]

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Thanks for this info, Woody.

I keep thinking I should doubtless be doing something about moving on from Windows Live Mail 2011 which I’m still using without any problems. I only use it for my ISP email client and use Chrome to access my hotmail and outlook accounts.

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Go to Gmail! It’s easy to put your @hotmail.com and @outlook.com accounts – and any other account – in Gmail. I’ve been doing it for years.

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I’ve been using @msn.com as my primary mail address for years (largely because I can type it quickly), yet have been under the assumption that behind the scenes it has been operating as web-based outlook.com. The mail path is outlook.live.com. Am I affected by this change?

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I switched to Gmail when I upgraded from XP to Win 7. The reason was that MS was abandoning Outlook Express. So I took the opportunity to install Live Mail on Win 7 to temporarily continue catching mail at my old POP mail accounts at my ISP.

Moving forward, migrating away from my ISP email domain, I discovered that Gmail was a win/win! I already had a Gmail account on my Android phone. Using the Gmail web mail, or Android version, all my mail was in sync. I found out that Gmail also supports the IMAP protocol, which is much better that POP/SMTP.

In seeking a new desktop mail app, I found out that Mozilla Thunderbird supports IMAP. So now my Gmail is always in sync between my PC, Android and Gmail web mail. All sent or received is automatically in sync across all platforms, with a local copy on my PC.

A happy camper now!!!

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Would I be correct in assuming that I can use the Outlook program that’s part of my Office Professional Suite for my Hotmail account? I have a LOT of emails in folders I’ve created over the years in WLM that I frequently reference while offline.

I was one of the first to hop on the Hotmail wagon the day it was released and I still use my Hotmail account daily through WLM. By the way… Hotmail will be 20 years old on July 4th this year.

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I’m not clear on the future of hotmail. I have a hotmail account and I access it using firefox. Will I still receive Hotmail after the cutoff date and be able to access it on Firefox?

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Sure, you won’t have any problem at all.

The problem is if you have a Hotmail account and try to access it with Windows Live Mail. Different kettle of fish entirely.

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Yes, that’s absolutely correct. The only program that gets the heave-ho is Windows Live Mail.

(FWIW, I own – but don’t often check – woody@msn.com and woody@outlook.com. I’m one of those earlier adopters, too.)

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Me, too. Google Calendar syncs like a charm on PC, Mac, Android and iOS – and I use them every day.

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Only affected if you use Windows Live Mail.

@msn.com is a great email address! I use mine through Gmail….

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There is an MS process that can be used to export WLM folders (stored locally) to Outlook, if the user wants to go that route. Exporting the main folder (in-box, sent, deleted, etc) most often works. However, it gets really unpredictable and complicated when it comes to exporting STORAGE folders into Outlook. Many users complain that no matter what they do, the STORAGE folders get left behind.

Users keep emails mostly for record keeping so Storage folders are very popular. The next few months may be prove very frustrating for those who choose to go with Outlook.

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I uninstalled Windows Live Mail 2012 from my computer to see what happens. I used Add & remove.
I still have Windows Photo Gallery 2012 (which I like). I go to OUTLOOK.COM to access my email address ******@MSN.COM and from that site I still have access to MY Calendar, One Drive, People (My Contacts), and One Note.
I presume this will not change so I do not see the advantage of having an email client on my computer. I have never used email off line. Can you advise me here?
Thank you, TomS

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So, I have an email address @cox.net, and one @gmail.com.

I use Windows Live Mail 2012 to send and receive the few emails I get.

From what you’ve written, it sounds like this will continue to work for me, but I just want to be certain.

Thanks

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If you’re using mail online, or offline without Windows Live Mail, you’re fine.

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It will work fine.

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Sounds like magic to this non-techie. How do you put your @hotmail.com in Gmail?

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I talk about it in my “For Dummies” books, but How-To-Geek has a very good write-up here:

http://www.howtogeek.com/80104/how-to-send-and-receive-hotmail-from-your-gmail-account-2/

It’s really very easy.

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Wait, so the piece of junk email client built info windows 8.x/10 is supposed to be a real email client now, and they don’t plan release anything else in the OE/WM/WLM line? What’s next office outlook is obsolete and not in office?

What’s next filesystems are obsolete and all your data is stored with microsoft, but don’t worry your data is encrypted with AES-256, also just so you don’t loose your data microsoft will keep a copy of your encryption key too. You also get to choose if you are billed yearly or monthly for this (mandatory) service…

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Great stuff. Thanks Woody.

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Hi Woody,
You write your article in the context of WLM 2012 – do your comments apply equally to WLM 2009? I still use this as I don’t like ribbons and incidentally it works fine on both Win7 and Win10. You can’t install it online from Microsoft any more but you can easily find an offline installer.

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I don’t know about WLM 2009, but my guess is that it’ll have the same problems.

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You know, it just occurred to me how really ironic it is that Microsoft’s own Live Mail program will not be backwards compatible with their own email servers. But, it will still work fine with their competitors. ROFL!!!

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I don’t use either but my Wife has used Windows Live Mail for years. Ever since Windows 7 didn’t come with a Mail app.
As you say, Microsoft’s solution to use the Windows 10 Mail app is a joke, while WLM was at least similar to a slimmer Outlook mail app from Office. Mail app on Win 10 is not only buggy but also a terribly handicapped simple app that can’t do half of what WLM did. Yet, Microsoft claims WLM is broken and can’t be fixed. Yea, that’s rich Microsoft. Note to Microsoft, all your stuff lately is at least partially broken or severely reduced in function over previous stuff. For me Windows 10 may eventually cause me to try Linux in a serious way, because OS X is not much better than Windows 10 in stability anymore, Chrome OS is too handicapped so that leaves either using an older Windows or move to Linux.

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Woody,
Do you know anything about INKY.COM email client? If not can you direct me to someone that does?
Thank you,
TomS

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Regret that I don’t know anything about Inky. Sounds interesting, though.

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If the product is EOL release it to open source microsoft. (not holding much hope on that one…)

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Hi Woody,

I’m getting to my wits end with flaming Outlook.com and Live/MSN/hotmail accounts. I run a repair business and am starting to get quite a few calls from customers feeling the “Microsoft Love” but I am still a bit unclear in my own head as to exactly what is happening and what the best solution is for my (mainly) elderly client base.

I have been going through the process of migrating people away from the appalling Windows “Mail” app and was (up until a few days ago) simply installing WLM 2012 for them as an alternative. In some cases I was installing em Client “Free” for them.

I have already posted this on the em Client support forum but would really really appreciate your take on my understanding and perhaps correct some of the assumptions I have made.

I think – going forward I will get my hotmail/live/outlook.com customers to either:

1. setup a gmail account and use the “send email as” feature. Some customers will not like this though and for them I think I will steer them towards the free EM Client V7 (when it is finally out of beta) as that group seem to have a good handle on things and it looks like the closest thing to Outlook for free and (in the main) seems to work well with hotmail accounts.

Anyway. This is my understanding. Please correct the mistakes/gaps if you have the time and inclination:

Hi (em Client forum),

As a local computer repair company I am starting to see a number of enquiries from customers about issues with Hotmail accounts, msn accounts etc. I am also getting some information (from google search) about some issues with AirSync and “Windows Live Mail” and its supposed demise on June 30th 2016 for all accounts that are outlook.com, msn.com, live.co.uk etc.

I am struggling to find the full story and cement a strategy in my mind for all my eldely customers who use a mixture of WLM 2011, WLM 2012, Webmail and a few on Em Client V6 (I migrated them some time ago as the Windows “Mail App” is such an abortion of a program). From the various sources I am surmising my shady understanding.

Can someone sanity check this for me and help me fill in the gaps and correct the errors?

1. Microsoft are soon to drop support for AirSync (June 30th) and are redesigning its service on the Outlook 365 platform (assume Exchange ActiveSync)

2. WLM 2012 cannot cope with the modern security protocol of Exchange ActiveSync and therefore you will have to stop using it 30 June 2016 if you have a hotmail, outlook, live or msn email address >>>> Q. If this is the case then why cant one simply keep using IMAP/SMTP with older mail systems like WLM (assuming you don’t care about contacts and caledar sync)???

3. em Client v6 has some issues with Exchange ActiveSync so we are advised to use v7 Beta in these scenarios which fully supports both AirSync for Calendar/contacts and IMAP/SMTP for mail. If you are not migrated (by microsoft) yet to the new system then em client v6 is fine to use still with Airsync alone. >>> Q. if emClient V7 supports IMAP/SMTP with Airsync then why will WLM 2012 stop working June 30th as that uses IMAP/SMTP too.

Also – and most importantly – If em Client V7 is the way to go and I install the Beta for them then what will happen when the Beta expires. Is there an automatic migration path from the Beta to the Final release that is painless and simple for non technical customers. Remember – these people pay me for my work and they will be most unhappy if I install a beta product and then have to return a month later and charge them for my work to upgrade them to the final release.

thanks
Paul

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Everything you say looks good to me. I, too, would steer them to Gmail, or Outlook.com. As long as they have reliable internet connections, local email programs are way too complicated and ponderous, except those who need very specific features – such as nested cubbyhole folders.

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🙂 agreed. But I am old school I’m afraid. I use Outlook 2010 calendar a lot (and sync it to Gmail using “Go Contact Sync Mod”.

Couldn’t be without it.

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Woody – Good Morning !
I am using WLM 2011 with Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit and a Firefox browser. My ISP is, as you can see from the email address, British Telecom.
I am still a little confused abut the changes to WLM. The 30th June deadline has passed and I am still using WLM without any problem for my three email addresses;***@which.net,****@btinternet.com and ****@hotmail.com. I have also set up an Outlook.com address as a fall back service. I would prefer to continue with WLM if I can .. will this be possible do you know ?. A British journalist the other day wrote ..”Windows Live Mail 2012 is clearly on the way out, but you can still use it if you really want to”
Thank you for any light you are able to shed on this

Ian Day

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I don’t know of any imminent plans to change WLM or the WLM access methods. I’ve heard from several people that it’s still working. Not sure why, but no sense looking a gift horse in the mouth. Just realize that, if you hit a bump, Microsoft won’t be much help.

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