How to Restore Windows Live Mail from Backup

You can backup and restore your Windows Live Mail easily after reading the below tutorial! Also, this guide gives you one more pick to backup and restore your emails!

Maggie

By Maggie Updated on August 11, 2023

Share this: instagram reddit
   
   
   
       

Case: how to take backup/restore of Windows live mail

       

Is there any way I can backup mail from windows live mail to a flash drive and then restore it to the same computer after upgrading the operating system to windows7 from XP (which requires a drive format, erasing everything)?  I used to be able to do this (backup/restore) using Outlook Express but am not able to use the same procedure with Windows Live Mail.

       

- Question from Microsoft Community

   

About Windows Live Mail

Windows Live Mail is a free email program from Microsoft that many people use. It came out in 2007 along with other Microsoft apps like Messenger and OneDrive. It's like a tool for reading and saving emails, similar to older programs like Outlook Express and Windows Mail.

This program is helpful because it lets you move your emails, contacts, and calendars between different email apps easily. It keeps all your email stuff in one place on your computer, so you can find it easily and make copies.

Windows Live Email

Here are some things Windows Live Mail can do:

✿You can move your email stuff around easily.
✿It keeps everything in one place on your computer, which is handy.
✿You can choose what exactly to back up, like your emails, contacts, or calendars.
✿It can make backup files smaller so they're easier to save and share.

Like the above user case, a lot of users seek ways to perform Windows Live Mail backup and restore, maybe you are one of them. So next section I’ll answer “How do I restore my Windows Live Mail”.

How to perform Windows Live Mail backup and restore

Part 1. Backup your email messages

Step 1. Please open your Windows Live Mail.

Step 2. Locate at File and click on it. Then you can see a lot of options here. Choose Export email> Email messages.

Email Messages

Step 3. The first screen will ask you to Select the format you want to export e-mail to, then just choose Microsoft Windows Live Mail and go on with Next.

Microsoft Windows Live Mail

Step 4. Then choose the destination path. If you want to backup Windows Live Mail to external hard drive, you can click Browse button to find the specific location you need. Then press Next.

Step 5. Then you can choose the folders that you wish to backup, click the relevant folders, or click All Folders. Once you have done so, press the Next button.

Step 6. The Export process will now start, please be patient as the process can take a while depending on how many messages you have.

Finish

Part 2. Restore your email messages

Step 1. Open your Windows Live Mail.

Step 2. From the File menu, choose Import Messages.

Import Messages

Step 3. The first screen will ask you to Select the format you want to import e-mail from, then just choose Microsoft Windows Live Mail and go on with Next.

Choose Windows Live Mail

Step 4. Then you need to find the location where your messages are stored by clicking Browse button. If you stored your email backup in external hard drive, then find and open it.

Step 5. Select the relevant folders or click All Folders to restore. Once you have done so, press the Next button.

Select Folders

Step 6. The Import process will now start, once this is complete, click Finish.

Your mail will now have been restored, you can find your messages under Storage folders > Imported Folder.

Bonus tip: best email recovery software in Windows

Restore Windows Live Mail from backup is feasible when you plan to upgrade your system or for other reasons. However, the potential safety risks of using Windows Live Mail are enormous because this software is no longer upgraded and supported by Microsoft company since 2017. Considering such limitations, we recommend you choose well-functioning email backup software, like AOMEI Backupper Professional. This is a comprehensive backup and restore software that enables you to customize your needs.

❖It offers an Email Backup feature to back up various mail services, including Yahoo Mail, Gmail, iCloud Mail, Exchange, Outlook Mail, Zoho Mail, etc.
❖It can create auto backups for emails with options like Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event triggers, or USB plug-in. Furthermore, you can schedule tasks to wake your computer at specific times for backup purposes.
❖It is compatible with a wide range of Windows PC operating systems, including Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista. And for Server users, try AOMEI Backupper Server.

Please download this software via the below link, then I will show you how to restore emails  from backup effectively.

Download Free Trial Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download

How to restore email backup via this software

Caution: backup your email in advance for further email restoration.

Step 1. In the left tab page, choose Restore and then choose Select Image File to find your email backup.

Select Restore

Step 2. Select a backup point based on the created time and backup type,  then Select the email lists in the image file that will be restored. Then select the email that want to restore followed by the Next button to continue. 

Select Email Files

Step 3. Select the Destination. You need to select the target storage path to store the mailbox files.

Select Destination

Step 4. Click Open to begin the restore from backup, then you have successfully finished Windows Live recovery.

Click Open to Restore

Conclusion

I believe you can restore Windows Live Mail from backup successfully after reading the above tutorial.  However, Windows Live Mail has its limitations, so why not choose the best email backup software AOMEI Backupper? It can help you preserve your email data into another location and easily access it when you are in need. Now let’s download this software and have a try!

Maggie
Maggie · Editor
Maggie is a technical editor from AOMEI and troubleshoots technical problems against data protection. She has received professional and systematic technical training. With a focus on user experience, security, and problem-solving, she always puts herself in the readers' shoes and provides them with valuable technical insights.