Outlook

Live Mail to Outlook: How to Make the Switch

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Today, Windows Live Mail (WLM) is a discontinued mail client. This successor to Outlook Express was designed to run on Windows 7. However, due to multiple flaws, the system has been slammed by users since 2013. If you still save your old emails in WLM, it is time to make the switch. Outlook is an obvious choice due to its wide functionality and popularity worldwide. 

However, the transfer is complicated because modern versions of Outlook recognize PST as the default storage format. WLM, on the other hand, only works with EML or EMLX. Today, the conversion is unavoidable. Learn more about transfer from Live Mail to Outlook and migrate in just a couple of minutes. However, without a converter, the process can be lengthy. Moreover, it can put your data at risk.

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Manual Methods and Why They Aren’t Recommended

There are many reasons to switch systems. Windows Live Mail is no longer supported. So, it is inferior to Outlook by default. The in-built export option does allow you to transfer correspondence. However, this method is imperfect, as data is prone to corruption when the files are large. 

Here is how to master exporting and importing to Outlook, if you are lucky. In the simplest scenario, the user moves emails between mail clients on the same computer. The first step is export, and the next one is import. Begin in your Windows Live Mail and do the following:

  1. Go to the File tab
  2. Choose exporting.
  3. Specify that you will export emails.
  4. Select Microsoft Exchange (the mail server WLM works with) and proceed further.
  5. Click OK in the wizard that pops up. 
  6. Specify the folders that must be moved and OK the operation.
  7. Wait for the process to finish (you will be notified).
  8. Finalize with Finish.
  9. Open Outlook and check if the emails moved. 

The process becomes more complicated when you need to move emails between different computers. In this case, you would start by exporting EML messages to your Outlook profile, which turns them into PST data. Then, you would need to copy this data on a flash drive and paste it to the other computer.

Finally, the converted emails can be imported into Outlook using the in-built import function. It may be accessed through the File menu. You would be importing PST from another program or file. 

Why Automated Conversion Is Recommended

This transfer scenario is simpler than MBOX to PST, since the same corporation developed both mail clients, WLM and Outlook Express. However, remember that large volumes of email may become distorted in the process. Besides, it is lengthy, requires time, and the data may get lost. 

A converter will transfer all of your EML files in a single batch, including all attachments. The folder hierarchy will also be retained. Also, you do not need to install Outlook on the same machine. In a few clicks, all of your old emails will land in their new destination.

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