Importing Email Account Settings From Windows Live

Export from Windows Mail into Windows Live Mail

When Windows Mail gains the "Live" moniker, you don't need to lose your old emails. Importing Windows Mail folders and the messages is easy in Windows Live Mail, and you can copy your email account settings, too.

Windows Live Mail is a discontinued email client from Microsoft. This article remains for archival purposes only.

Smiling business owner working at laptop in office

Paul Bradbury / OJO Images / Getty Images

Import Mail and Account Settings from Windows Mail in Windows Live Mail

To import your Windows Mail email accounts, folders, and messages in Windows Live Mail:

  1. Start Windows Mail.

  2. Select Tools > Accounts from the menu.

  3. Highlight the desired email account.

  4. Select Export.

  5. Click Save to export the settings to a .iaf file named after the account in your Documents folder. Choose a network drive or portable medium to transfer settings from one computer to another.

  6. Close Windows Mail.

  7. Open Windows Live Mail.

  8. Select Tools > Accounts from the menu.​ You may need to hold down the Alt key to see the menu.

  9. Select Import.

  10. Highlight the .iaf file you just saved in Windows Mail.

  11. Click Open.

  12. Click Close.

  13. Now select File > Import > Messages from the menu.

  14. Make sure Windows Mail is selected.

  15. Click Next.

  16. Click Next again. To import mail from another computer, copy the entire Windows Mail store folder first and use the Browse button to find it.

  17. Choose specific folders to import under Select folders, or leave All folders selected to import all Windows Mail messages.

  18. Click Next.

  19. Click Finish. The imported mail appears under Storage folders in the Windows Live Mail folder list.

Considerations

Microsoft no longer supports Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail. If you have the option, upgrade to the Mail app in Windows 10, or use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook.com for messages instead.

Was this page helpful?