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Ever since Windows Live Mail was discontinued, many users have faced glitches and compatibility issues while working with this email client. Microsoft discontinued this email client back in 2017 and since then, it has neither received any new updates nor has it received any security patches. That’s why, facing compatibility issues and app crashes have become common for Windows Live Mail users.
One such issue that users face is “Windows Live Mail is not working”. The error message can be seen as:
“Windows Live Mail has stopped working. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.”
Since it doesn’t have support for modern security protocols like OAuth/Modern Authentication, it might crash when trying to connect with modern mail servers. In this blog, we’ll talk about the most common reasons behind this error and find the best possible ways to quickly resolve this issue.
Why is Windows Live Mail Not Working?
One of the reasons why Windows Live Mail stopped responding can be that it was discontinued back in 2017 and Microsoft no longer provides support for it. However, if you have a working version installed on your system and it isn’t working now, we’ve discussed some common reasons for this issue below:
- Network Issue: If you are working with an unstable or improper internet connection, then there are chances that you may face issues in working.
- Issues with the Application: Make sure all the application settings are correct, as incorrect settings may cause issues in your Windows Live Mail application sometimes.
- Configuration Issue: Sometimes the account settings are configured incorrectly, due to which your WLM application is not working properly.
- Windows Live Mail Installation Issue: If the email client wasn’t installed properly, it may crash, fail to open, or stop responding completely.
- Incorrectly Configured Mail Ports: If the incoming and outgoing mail ports are configured with incorrect settings, it can interfere with WLM’s startup process.
- Compatibility Issue with New Email Clients: Since Microsoft and other major providers have ended login support for this email client, it has major compatibility issues with newer email clients. Another reason is that it lacks important modern authentication and security protocols like token-based verification and OAuth 2.0.
Ways to Troubleshoot Windows Live Mail Not Responding
First, try these quick fixes to see if they resolve the Windows Live Mail not working issue. If the problem persists, identify the exact issue that you’re facing and follow the method that matches your situation.
- Restart Windows Live Mail.
- Check internet connection.
- Check Windows Firewall.
- Check compatibility with your Windows OS.
Try the methods mentioned below to resolve the problem of Windows Live Mail not responding. Let’s learn about them in detail.
Method 1. Check your Account and Server Settings
Improperly configured account or server settings can interfere with Windows Live Mail’s startup and overall functionality. Check the given settings in your Windows Live Mail account:
- Incoming & Outgoing mail servers.
- Mail port settings.
- POP3 and IMAP/SMTP configuration.
- Security authentication settings.
If you are unable to send/receive any email, check the settings of the Incoming and Outgoing email servers.
Method 2. Run Windows Live Mail as an Administrator to Check Compatibility
This method may resolve the WLM not working issue if there are any permission conflicts, UAC blocks, or compatibility issues with Windows OS. Follow the steps below to do so:
- Close all instances of Windows Live Mail.
- Right-click on the Windows Live Mail shortcut and select Properties.
- Go to the Compatibility tab and tick the Run this program in compatibility mode for
- From the dropdown list, select either Windows 7 or Windows 8.
- Tick the Run this program as an administrator option and click Apply to save changes.
Method 3. Repair Windows Live Mail
This method will only work if you already have Windows Live Mail installed on your system and the WLM not working error is caused by broken file associations or unregistered program files.
Step 1. Again, open Control Panel and click on Programs and Features option.
Step 2. Search Windows Live Mail and right click on it.
Step 3. Click on the Uninstall option to delete the application.
Step 4. Now, look for a reliable source where Windows Essential 2012 is available.
Step 5. Then, from there install the Windows Live Mail application.
What If Windows Live Mail Problems is Still Not Working After These Fixes?
If the Windows Live Mail issue is not resolved even after trying the given methods, then you should consider shifting all your data from it to a modern email client like Outlook. As Microsoft has already ended support for WLM, it’s better to go for any of its alternatives. If you have EML files stored on Windows Live Mail that you want to shift to a different email client, you can convert EML files into PST format using Kernel EML to PST Converter and then move them to a modern email client of your choice.
Conclusion
Your Windows Live Mail may have stopped working because of incorrect account settings, compatibility of email account, or configuration issues. But because it is not supported by Microsoft now, this issue might not be completely resolved if it involves compatibility issues with modern email clients. Try checking what’s the exact problem that’s causing the Windows Live Mail not working error and then choose any of the appropriate methods given in this blog. If it still doesn’t help, you can consider switching to any of the best Windows Live Mail alternatives available.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. Yes Windows Live Mail uses EML format to store files and these files can be opened on platforms or email clients that support EML format. If you want to open your EML files in Outlook, you can use an EML viewer to easily open and view them in Outlook without any difficulty.
A. Microsoft has officially replaced Windows Live Mail with the free Outlook for Windows application. Outlook email client has replaced both Windows Live Mail and Windows Mail/Calendar apps for mailbox data management.
A. It depends. You can still use Windows Live Mail to view locally saved offline emails, but you can’t actively connect to your old account.
A. Email clients like Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Mailbird are popular known alternatives to the Windows Live Mail email client.
