Windows Live Mail: Switch to Outlook

Outlook is an email program from Microsoft’s Office package. You have to pay for this package, Outlook is not free. We do not recommend purchasing this package if you only want to use Outlook’s e-mail capabilities. It is not a cheap package.

On SeniorWeb.nl you will find a number of articles that explain the basics of Outlook. Written for Outlook 2010 versions, 2013, and 2016. Choose the correct version.

• Outlook 2016
  • Getting started with Outlook 2016
  • Continue with Outlook 2016
• Outlook 2013
  • Getting started with Outlook 2013
  • Continue with Outlook 2013
• Outlook 2010
  • Start with Outlook 2010
  • Continue with Outlook 2010

Emails from Windows Live Mail can be easily archived and consulted using the Mailstore program. It is also possible, for those who really want to, to subsequently import these e-mails into Outlook. You can read how to download and install the program in the Mailstore article.

When the program is ready for use, proceed as follows:

• Launch Mail Store.
• click on Archive emails.
• Under ‘Email Clients’, click Windows Live Mail.
• In the window that appears, click To end.
• In the next window that appears, click OK.
• Under ‘Profiles’, double click Windows Live Mail to start archiving.
• At the bottom right of the screen you will see a progress window. Depending on the number of messages you have, archiving may take some time. When the process is complete, click in the progress window on Close.

You can now consult all e-mails in the archive via the Mailstore program. But this program can also transfer the messages to Outlook:

• Click in the Mailstore program on Export emails.
• Under ‘Email Servers’, click Microsoft Outlook.
• In the window that appears, click Next one.
• Click again Next one.
• click on OK.
• Under ‘Profiles’, double click the given name to start transferring.
• At the bottom right of the screen you will see a progress window. Depending on the number of messages you have, the transfer may take some time. When the process is complete, click in the progress window on Close.

All mails are in a separate folder called ‘MailStore Export’.

Before transferring your contacts to Outlook, first create a special file that contains all your contacts. Save such a CSV file in Windows Live Mail as follows:

• Launch Windows Live Mail.
• Click on the bottom left Contacts.
• Click at the top Export.
• click on Comma Separated Values ​​(.CSV) File.
• click on To leaf through.
• Select a folder on the computer to save the file to.
• Think of a suitable file name, for example ‘Contacts Address Book’.
• click on Save.
• click on Next one.
• Decide what data, such as phone numbers, email addresses, and nicknames, you want to transfer.
• click on Complete.

The address book csv file is saved on the computer. Now we need to make the csv file readable by Outlook first.

• Open the Windows Explorer.
• Go to the csv file.
• Right click on it
• Select Open with.
• click on Notepad.
• Notepad opens. Click in the menu on To process.
• click on To replace.
• Next to “Search for,” type the semicolon: ;
• Next to ‘Replace with’, type a comma: ,
• click on Replace everything.
• Close the ‘Replace’ window by clicking on the cross.
• Click in the menu on File.
• click on Save.
• Close the notepad by clicking on the cross.

Now it’s time to transfer the contacts to Outlook:

• Launch Outlook.
• Click on the top left File.
• click on To open.
• click on Import/Export.
• click on Import data from another program or file.
• click on Next one.
• click on Comma separated values.
• click on Next one.
• click on To leaf through.
• Navigate to the CSV file you saved, click it, and then click OK.
• click on Next one.
• click on Contacts.
• click on Next one.
• click on Complete.

All contacts are now imported into Outlook.

If you use an e-mail address that you have received from your provider (eg Ziggo or KPN), you can link this address to Outlook and from now on receive all e-mail in one place.

• Launch Outlook.
• click on File.
• click on Add Account.
• Enter your name plus the email address and password that you received from your provider or that you created with the provider.
• click on Next one.
• click on Complete.

Your account has now been added to Outlook.

Once you’ve transferred everything, Windows Live Mail is no longer needed. It is recommended to remove the program from the PC. Don’t do this right away, but wait a few days. Until you are sure that all your mails and contacts have been transferred to Outlook.

Remove the program in the following way:

• Right click on Start.
• click on Programs and Features.
• Find Windows Essentials 2012 in the list and click it.
• click on Delete Change.
• Click on All Uninstall Windows Essentials Programs.
• Check all programs and click remove.