Looking for Windows Mail?

You might have noticed that Windows Mail isn't included in Windows 7. However, you can install an e‑mail program from another company or Windows Live Mail—a free program that is part of Windows Live Essentials. Windows Live Mail works with most e‑mail accounts, and you can import your e‑mail, contacts, and calendar from Windows Mail into Windows Live Mail.

Windows Live Mail might already be installed on your computer. To see if it's installed, click the Start button Picture of the Start button, type Windows Live Mail, and see if it appears in the results. If it appears, see Import your e-mail, contacts, and calendar into Windows Live Mail to help you set it up.

If it doesn't appear, you can download and install Windows Live Essentials to get Windows Live Mail.

Connect when you want

You can use Windows Live Mail to manage e‑mail accounts, calendars, contacts, RSS feeds, and more. These are just some of the things that you can do with Windows Live Mail:

  • Read the important messages you've gotten in Outlook Express 6 and Windows Mail in Windows Live Mail and save messages on your computer so you always have a backup.

  • Use one program to manage your e‑mail accounts, such as Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail Plus, and more.

    Picture of multiple e‑mail accounts and a message in Windows Live Mail Windows Live Mail makes it easier to check your messages from popular e‑mail services like Gmail and Yahoo! Mail Plus.
  • Read and reply to e‑mail messages even if you're offline. Then the next time you connect to the Internet, your accounts will send the messages.

  • Detect phishing scams, block suspicious senders, and filter the junk for your e‑mail accounts—automatically.

If you add your Hotmail account to Windows Live Mail, you can:

  • Get all your Hotmail messages and no ads.

  • Send lots of photos without filling up your friends' inboxes. Photo e‑mail sends thumbnails of your photos, which your e‑mail recipients can use to view and download high-resolution versions from Windows Live.

    Picture of a photo e‑mail message in Windows Live MailIt's easier to send photos in Windows Live Mail.
  • See when your friends are online and start chatting with them without leaving your inbox.

Use the web

If you use Windows Live Hotmail, your e‑mail messages are always available from any computer that's connected to the Internet, plus there's nothing to install.

These are just some of the things that you can do with Hotmail:

  • Save as much e‑mail as you want. You get 5 GB of storage that automatically increases as you need it.

  • Spend less time copying and pasting. Use quick add to search for and add maps, directions, movie times and more to your e‑mail messages with one click.

    Picture of quick add search results in HotmailQuick add makes it easier to find the information you want and add it to your messages.
  • Sign in to one website, read all your messages. You can send and receive mail from any POP-enabled e‑mail account—like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail Plus, AOL and more.

For more information about Windows Live Mail and all of the programs in Windows Live Essentials, go to the Windows Live Essentials website.

Article ID: MSW700023

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