How to Download and Install Windows Live Mail in 2026

Live Mail was ceased on Windows 7, but you can still download and install it on Windows 10 and 11. You’ll have to download from a third party, but we found one that’s safe to use.

Follow the steps below for installing Windows Live Mail on your PC:

How to Install Windows Live Mail on Windows 10?

NOTE

Windows Live Mail is discontinued and no longer supported by Microsoft, meaning it will not receive updates or security patches. Downloading it from third-party sources carries additional risks, such as malware and viruses. Ensure you trust the source and have up-to-date antivirus software installed.

Use third-paty sources to download Windows Live Mail 2012

1. Download Windows Essentials from this third-party source.
   
2. Run the installer.
3. When you run the installer, choose Windows Live Mail from the list of programs you want to install (of course, you can install other programs from the package, as well).
4. Wait until the installation is finished.

For a complete login walkthrough, see our Windows Live Mail login guide.

Once installed, you’ll need to sign in with your Hotmail account or your other email account. For detailed instructions, see our Windows Live Mail sign in Hotmail guide.

How do I switch from Windows Live Mail to Outlook?

If downloading a particular update (KB3093594) and setting up Windows Live Mail takes too much time, you can always switch to Outlook.

You can easily export all your Windows Live Mail data to your new Outlook account including your contacts, messages, and attachments.

For a complete walkthrough, see this step-by-step guide on moving Windows Live Mail to Outlook.

Outlook is the new Windows Live

Microsoft is moving away from both Windows Live Mail and the built-in Mail app, focusing on the new Outlook for Windows 10 and 11.

Outlook offers seamless integration with Microsoft services, enhanced security, and a user-friendly interface, providing a unified email experience across devices.

For those seeking alternatives, Mailbird is a strong option with customizable features.

It is a great email client app that supports multiple email accounts. You can open your HTML emails and search easily for a specific email from one of your accounts.

Summary

Before Microsoft introduced Outlook and Mail as a universal app, users were mainly using Windows Live Mail as their primary email client.

But even if it isn’t pre-installed in Windows 10, you can still download Windows Live Mail 2012 with these steps.

What’s your favorite email client for Windows 10? Are you using Windows 10’s Mail app, or you’d like to go old school, and receive your emails on Windows Live Mail?

Tell us in the comments and also make sure to check out our list of the best email clients for your Windows PC.

FAQs