Issues Using Windows Live Mail 2012 on Windows 10

Microsoft released an update for users of Windows Live Mail 2012 on Windows 10, but that update killed the program. Here’s why it might be time to move on.

People running Windows Essentials 2012 on Windows 10 received an email from the Outlook team yesterday informing them of an update for the bundled Windows Live Mail 2012 application required to continue sending and receiving emails on Windows 10. However, the update ended up crashing Mail 2012 for a lot of people.

Here’s a look at what happened, and why you might just be better off moving on to modern and supported apps if you’re using Windows 10.

Windows Live Mail 2012 Need to Update for Windows 10

According to the email Microsoft sent Live Mail users, the Outlook team said the following:

In a few weeks, we will be making some changes to our email services that might impact your @outlook.com, @hotmail, @live or @msn email account. These changes will prevent your email from being delivered to the Windows Live Mail 2012 application that you use.

In order to continue using Windows Live Mail 2012 to send and receive email for your account, you need to install the latest update published here.

If you use Windows Live Mail 2012 on Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, we recommend that you switch to the built-in Mail app in Windows to stay connected and get the latest feature updates on Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.

The email also noted that older versions of the Windows Live Essentials suite will no longer be supported, and users will need to upgrade to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 to continue receiving emails:

Windows Live Essentials 2009 and 2011 are not supported any more, and you will need to update to Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 10 and use the Mail app, or use www.outlook.com. To learn more about the Mail app, please click here.

We also recommend all Windows Live Mail users on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 to upgrade to Windows 10 and use the built-in Mail application to stay connected and get the latest feature updates.

We suggest saving this email so you can refer to it later.

Thank you for your understanding and continued use.

Yours sincerely, The Outlook team

Update: The Update Kills Live Mail

A few days after releasing the update for Window Live Mail 2012 (KB3093594), Microsoft received feedback that it was causing a lot of issues and killing the Mail app. is recommending

Microsoft’s advice at this point is not to install the update, and if you have, uninstall it. It’s also recommending that users just switch to the Mail app included in Windows 10 or 8.1 if you’re still on that.

There are also a couple of other workarounds you might want to try. Apparently the issue is being caused by calendar synchronization, and if you disable calendar sync, Live Mail 2012 will work without issues. Another option that has been reported to work is to run Live Mail 2012 in Compatibility mode for Windows 8.

We’ll continue to keep following this, and if you want to keep up with the news, we suggest following this Microsoft Community Thread.

Microsoft launched its Windows Live Wave of services in 2005 building and services extension to the Windows desktop. The Windows Live Essentials suite was developed to compliment those services and was largely a competitor to Apple’s iLife suite. The suite includes Windows Live MovieMaker, Writer, PhotoGallery, Mail, OneDrive, and Skype.

Many of these built-in apps are no longer developed with exception to OneDrive and Skype, which are built into Windows 10. Windows Live Writer recently got a new lease on life from a group of volunteers who are working on Open Live Writer.

But in the end, if you’re still using these legacy services, and plan on upgrading to Windows 10, your best option is to migrate to the built-in apps or find new supported programs.

19 Comments

OK, so if I use windows 8.1 is it safe and should I down load the KB3093594 so I can continue to receive my mail through WLM?

I had problems with Live Mail after the update – it wouldn’t connect with the server at all. As the Win 10 Mail app is inferior (no word wrapping to window for a start – wtf?), I persisted and found a solution that worked for me. Uninstall the Live Mail app via Programs/uninstall/Windows Essential, and then install.

It then synced both Mail and Calendar successfully, but was missing some folders. I removed the email account and added it again, and it now works as it did before this debacle.

If I didn’t know better, it’s as if MS are pushing us towards their still-in-beta-as-far-as-I’m-concerned Win !0 mail app….

i would agree with your last comment. there will be reasons to sabotage it.

The windows 10 email programs are HORRIBLE. Did they also change the outlook that you pay and arm and a leg for? Would hate to pay that price and find out they made it just like the crap they are expecting us to use. And the crappy thing does not like my email account. I have had this same one for 20 years. I have the gmail because of my phone. I have the Microsoft sign in web email for my computer. I don’t want to have it out in the cloud or do the web mail crap. I want to download it to my computer so I can do with it what I care not what they care! Just like their stupid photo programs deciding how I MUST sort my photos.

Thanks Mike Garner, your idea helped me get my live mail 2012 back in operation. I had uninstalled and reinstalled already without effect, but I did not delete my account and start a new one. That was important. Also very important, I think, for those many struggling with Microsoft’s incompetence and utter disregard for millions of users on this thing, is that live mail no longer works via an http: server. My old setup worked that way, and I could not figure out how to change it. It is now necessary to use an imap server for outlook. Here’s what I’m using, found somewhere online: imap-mail.outlook.com

It should default to port 993. Outgoing, smtp-mail.outlook.com, port 587.

The only way I could set this was by selecting manual server setup somewhere in the process of creating a new email account. This was a critical item for me.

I believe there is another protocol other than IMAP that also works for outlook, but can’t find it right now. That might even be better than IMAP.

Of course, after going through this and getting Live Mail 2012 back in operation, I now have to wait for thousands of old emails I had kept to download back into my inbox, sent folder, and drafts. And, for this, my processor is being overworked and the fan is howling.

This whole thing just infuriates me, it has to be totally unnecessary and a pure function of Microsoft disregard and incompetence. Wish I could sue them for my time and damage to my personal property.

Thank you for posting regarding this. I have spent days trying to find my contacts, which seem to have been lost. I share your feelings of wanting to sue them for time. and at this point, harassment. For months I have been receiving notices from Microsoft to update to Win 10. I was not happy with Win 8.1 but now it seems like a vacation. I just want my computer back, the ability to send emails without scrambling for the contact email address, and generally be stressed and frustrated.

I have just enough experience to be dangerous, apparently, because I have no idea how to fix this nor how to fix it without causing more damage to my computer. A friend suggested that you get what you pay for and perhaps the upgrade Win 10 is a smaller version of the version for sale.

I have delayed getting a new computer because of this issue. I need to use my existing Windows Live Mail email contacts and my many email folders – that I have created over the last 6 years. Additionally, I do not want to run an unsupported version of Windows Live Mail – where I may experience problems in the future.

My question … is there an easy way to convert my Windows Live “Contacts” and “E-mail Folders” to make them compatible with the Windows 10 versions of contacts and folders.

Very frustrating. I have been with Hotmail since 1998 but tired of not being able to log in to access when I need to get to info in my account. Just going to migrate ALL of my folders and files out and start using another email provider. Unfortunate that will have to start over with a new email address after all these years because no one can fix this and or put the word out to help people fix it — and sending it to our email which we can’t access is just not very helpful!

Sorry to hear the problems for Laura, Jim O and Gni Teid. For your information, as I explained above, I have been able to continue with my old hotmail account in Windows Live Mail via the process above. However, I also added the hotmail account to my Thunderbird client. That works well enough also, although I have had some problems with my contact list.

Here is the server that works for my old hotmail account: imap-mail.outlook.com The port is 993.
The outgoing server is: smtp-mail.outlook.com port 587

Along with the live mail problems, I also upgraded my 5 year old Toshiba Satellite with Windows 10 in December. That caused several irritating problems, one of which I just managed to straighten out a few days ago. The upgrade deleted my printer drivers, which took my time to reinstall. My scanner driver was trashed, I had to reinstall that. Worst of all, my speaker and headphone drivers were replaced by a generic windows driver, which did not work. Every time I booted up, I had to run the audio troubleshooter to get my speakers to work. Every time. The headphones would not work when plugged in unless I went to the speakers icon and deliberately selected them as default output. Then, the speakers wouldn’t work when I unplugged the headphones, unless I went back and manually reset them as default. Incredible. Finally, the other day, I found the original 2010 audio drivers on the Toshiba web site, installed them, rebooted a couple times, and now speakers and headphones work as intended.

Microsoft is a miserable, worthless company with zero regard for consumers.

Everything I read keeps referring to this issue with Windows Live Mail 2012, and as was highlight above M$’s only comment on previous versions is that they are “non-supported”. What I want to know is will they work or not? Is it only the 2012 version that is effected.

When it comes to M$ Support you are pretty much on your own anyway so who cares if the previous versions are supported or not.

I am running Win 7 on all my machines (18 unit) because I feel it is stable, whereas 8 and 10 are still battling through beta testing (in my opinion). I do not want to upgrade my machines to 10 or to use the M$ Mail App.

Just asking cause I cant find the answer anywhere.

Windows Live Mail not working on Windows 10 [Solved]

• It is fairly annoying when the Windows Live Mail fails to work on Windows 10. Assuming that’s your case too, you’ll find the below solutions useful.
• If you’re not convinced about sticking with this email client, you might want to give Mailbird a try.
• We did thorough research and performed repeated tests to find the best solutions to similar problems, so visit our Windows Live Mail section.
• Eager to discover other quick tips? You’ll find them all in this Windows 10 Apps Hub.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

Many users reported that Windows Live Mail won’t open on their PC. This can be a big problem, especially if Windows Live Mail is your email client of choice, so today we’ll try to fix this problem.

More than a year ago, Microsoft decided to discontinue support for Windows Live Mail, one of the most used e-mail clients.

And that’s when the majority of them run into a pile of issues, including the 0x800c013e error. There are various reasons why Windows Live Mail won’t function in Windows 10.

We considered various culprits and provided the list of possible solutions below. If you’re having a hard time with your favorite vintage e-mail client, make sure to check the enlisted fixes.

How can I fix Windows Live Mail 0x800c013e error?

1. Run the Windows Live Mail as Admin and in a compatibility mode
2. Try third-party alternatives
3. Reconfigure Windows Live Mail account
4. Check Windows Firewall and third-party firewall
5. Remove current and create a new Windows Live Mail account
6. Repair installation
7. Reinstall Windows Essentials 2012
8. Disable your antivirus

1. Run the Windows Live Mail as Admin and in a compatibility mode

1. Navigate to C:Program FilesWindows Live Mail or C:Program Files(x86)Windows LiveMail
2. Right-click on the wlmail.exe file and open Properties.
3. Select the Compatibility tab.
4. Check the Run this program in compatibility mode for box and, from the drop-down menu, select Windows 7.
5. Check the Run this program as an administrator box.
6. Confirm changes and restart the Windows Live Mail client.

Some users managed to get Windows Live Mail started with a rather simple workaround.

Namely, it seems that just a simple tweak in compatibility settings can resolve most of the issues that plague Windows Live Mail users.

The fact that Windows 10 and WLM are on the wrong foot from the start speaks for itself and, by switching to a different compatibility mode, the problems should be resolved.

In addition, it should help to run the application with administrative permission. If you’re unsure how to make those changes, follow the steps below:

2. Try third-party alternatives

If the above-mentioned solution couldn’t resolve your issues with Windows Live Mail, we advise you to leave it be and check for alternative solutions.

There are many great email clients available that you might want to consider. However, Mailbird is our main recommendation for today.

Since it is a leader on the market, it can meet all your needs in mailing management. Its thoughtfully designed interface, the fact that it gathers all accounts in one place and it includes Signature Management features should make a difference.

After all, like so many other programs from the past era, Windows Live Mail is discontinued. The sole fact it still works for some users today is no guarantee for the future.

Mailbird

3. Reconfigure Windows Live Mail account

Another obvious solution is to reconfigure Windows Live Mail account preferences. Things were much easier on the previous Windows iterations back in the days, however, Windows 10 brought a bag of issues.

Specific problems emerged due to the conflict between Windows Live Mail and newly introduced Mail and Outlook apps.

In order to avoid the conflict and configure Windows Live Mail thoroughly for Windows 10, check this article on how to configure Live Mail for Outlook.

We made sure to provide you with a detailed explanation.

4. Check Windows Firewall and third-party firewalls

1. In the Windows Search bar, type Firewall and open Windows Firewall.
2. Click on the Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall link.
3. Click on the Change settings button. You’ll need the administrative permission for in order to change Firewall settings.
4. In the Allowed apps and features dialog box, scroll down and enable these protocols for both Private and Public network:
   • Windows Live Communications Platform
   • Windows Live Communications Platform (SSDP)
   • Windows Live Communications Platform (UPnP)
5. Confirm changes and restart your PC.

Now, troubleshooting any connection-dependent application requires Firewall checkup.

Since, Windows Live Mail needs to connect to a dedicated server in order to access your inbox and sync it, make sure that it’s allowed to do so.

That, clearly essential action, depends on the Firewall that might block Windows Live Mail. So, follow the steps above to allow Windows Live Mail through Windows Firewall.

Since the procedure deviates on different third-party applications, we advise you to google your own, disable its firewall temporarily and look for changes.

Furthermore, if you’re unsure how to do it, you should remove a third-party solution completely from your PC.

5. Remove current and create a new Windows Live Mail account

1. Open Windows Live Mail.
2. Click on the Account icon and choose Sign out of Windows Live Mail from the drop-down menu.
3. Now, Sign in with an alternative email account and look for changes.

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

Due to aforementioned forced changes that Microsoft made, your old Windows Live Mail account might misbehave in Windows 10.

The sole fact that it’s not supported anymore and that can’t be obtained as easily as one would expect of Windows native app, makes us think that something is wrong with certain accounts.

In order to address this, you can at least try to sign in with an alternative account and look for changes. Even though this is, presumably, a long stretch workaround – it just might work.

Firstly, make sure that you use exclusively Windows Live Mail on your Windows 10 PC. If combined with other email clients, the WLM client won’t work.

Especially if you’re using one Microsoft account (Hotmail, MSN, Outlook, etc.) on multiple clients.

So, basically, there can be only one and that’s Windows Live Mail. So, make sure to sign out of all other e-mail clients. After that is settled, make sure to follow the instructions above.

6. Repair installation

1. In the Windows Search bar type Control and open Control Panel.
2. From the Category view, select Uninstall a program.
3. Double-click on Windows Essentials 2012.
4. Click on the Repair all Windows Essential programs and wait for the procedure to end.
5. Restart your PC and look for changes.

Experienced users recommend this as one of the best-suited remedies for various issues. Rather than reinstalling the whole Essentials Suite, it’s advised to turn to a repair function.

That’s analogous to reinstallation to some extent and it should resolve the problem easily. Follow the above steps to repair the Windows Live Mail installation.

If this solution fell short, you can always turn to reinstallation and move from there.

7. Reinstall Windows Essentials 2012

1. In the Windows Search bar type Control and open Control Panel.
2. From the Category view, select Uninstall a program.
3. Double-click on Windows Essentials 2012.
4. Click on the Remove one or more Windows Essentials programs.
5. Check the box next to the Windows Live Mail and click on Uninstall below.
6. Restart your PC.
7. Download Windows Essentials 2012.
8. Right-click on the setup and run it as admin.
9. Install either all Windows Essentials applications or select only Windows Live Mail. It’s up to you.
10. Look for improvements.

On the other hand, if you’re unable to resolve the issues with the reparation, the reinstallation is the next obvious step.

Namely, the main instigator for the majority of issues is the Windows Update that tends to break Windows Live Mail application in Windows 10.

In addition, Windows Essential programs are frequently affected by other, pre-installed applications that cover the same category.

So, if you’re able to, make sure to uninstall Outlook and use Windows Live Mail exclusively.

If you’re not sure how to do so with Windows Essentials 2012, follow the steps above.

8. Disable your antivirus

Another cause for issues with Windows Live Mail can be your antivirus software. Sometimes your antivirus can block certain applications from running.

So, be sure that Windows Live Mail is added to the list of exceptions in your antivirus. If Windows Live Mail isn’t blocked by your antivirus, perhaps you can fix the problem by disabling your antivirus.

Certain antivirus tools just aren’t compatible with older software, and if you’re unable to run Windows Live Mail, try removing or disabling your antivirus.

If removing the antivirus solves the problem, this might be a perfect moment for you to consider switching to different antivirus software.

There are many great antivirus tools on the market, but if you’re looking for a reliable antivirus that won’t interfere with applications such as Windows Live Mail, feel free to try out Bitdefender.

What’s the main trait you need from an e-mail client? Make sure to tell us in the comments section below.

Also, keep in mind that the above solutions are confirmed to work whenever dealing with: