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Summary: Outlook Express 6 is part of Internet Explorer 6. But if you've moved on to IE7, then Outlook Express 6 can be difficult to locate and download.
I need to reinstall Outlook Express, but I can't find it on the Microsoft web site. Where do I get it?
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Note: this article is a major revision of a previously posted article. Why? A reader pointed me at new information that fundamentally changed the answer. The previous article can be found here.
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Apparently the answer is "you can't".
But you can download its replacement.
Let's look at what happened, and what you should probably do.
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The Way It Was
Outlook Express (OE) was never a stand-alone install. Up until Internet Explorer (IE) version 7, Outlook Express was a component of Internet Explorer. The way to install or upgrade Outlook Express was to install or upgrade Internet Explorer. There simply was no separate download or installation program for OE by itself.
But things were even slightly more complex than that.
Internet Explorer is part of Windows XP. That means that Outlook Express is a part of Windows XP as well. If you have Windows XP, then you have Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. Which is all well and good until something breaks. More on that in a moment.
The Way It Is
With the introduction of Internet Explorer 7, Outlook Express was apparently removed from the installation package. You can download IE7 all you want, but there's no updated Outlook Express with it. In fact, from what I can tell there's no way to get Outlook Express from Microsoft at all.
Windows Vista users already have a replacement: Windows Mail. It's the new version of Outlook Express, except it's available on Windows Vista only.
For the rest of us, there does now appear to be a replacement for Outlook Express: Windows Live Mail (marked as being in Beta at this writing).
Windows Live Mail is more like a new mail program that you download and install onto your machine. Outlook Express is not affected, it's not updated or removed. However when you fire up Windows Live Mail for the first time it does automatically import all your Outlook Express mail, contacts and settings. (Though it does appear to remove the Outlook Express menu item from your Start Menu, even though Outlook Express is still installed.)
Even though Windows Live Mail is installed as a new program, and has a new name, at it's core, it really is just Outlook Express. Most of the UI has been changed significantly, which you may or may not like. Once you get down a level or two - say, the options dialog - things start to look very familiar for Outlook Express users.
So it looks like this:
If you're running IE6 on pretty much any operating system, then you have the Outlook Express 6. You can download an Internet Explorer 6 SP1 package, and be as up to date as is possible.
If you're running IE7, but not on Windows Vista you can download and install Windows Live Mail.
If you're running IE7 on Vista, then you have Outlook Express. It's just called Windows Mail instead.
The Way It Will Be - I Think
Outlook Express is dead. Long live Windows Mail. Or is it Windows Live Mail?
Microsoft has apparently replaced one naming confusion (the infamous "Outlook" versus "Outlook Express" debacle) with another: "Windows Mail" versus "Windows Live Mail". They're quite different, but this time they at least appear to have Outlook Express as a common ancestor.
It's clear that Microsoft has decoupled Internet Explorer from any mail program. I would expect that not to change, and I consider that a good thing.
What You Need to Do
What you need to do depends on what problem you're attempting to solve. Many people look for an OE6 download or reinstall when in fact they don't really need it.
You're running Windows XP, Outlook Express 6 is broken and you want to install a new copy: Run the System File Checker instead. It will look for missing or corrupt operating system components and replace them. As we noted, OE is part of the operating system, so it's included in this. You may need your Windows install CD.
You're running an older version of Windows, Outlook Express 6 is broken and you want to install a new copy: You can download and install Internet Explorer SP1 from the Microsoft web site. As we noted, OE6 is part of IE6 and is included in that download.
Back on Windows XP, Outlook Express 6 is broken, the system file checker didn't work, and you still want to install a new copy: Perform a repair-install of Windows itself. OE6 is part of the operating system, and will be reinstalled as a part of this operation. You'll probably need your Windows install CD, and you'll want to visit Windows Update afterwards to make sure you get all the latest patches as well.
You're not sure what's broken, you're not running Vista, and you just want Outlook Express back. Or something as close to it as possible. Download Windows Live Mail. As discussed above, this is the OE replacement that works on Windows XP.
You're not sure what's broken, you just want a working mail program. Download and run Thunderbird. Particularly if the suggestions above don't work for you, just switch. Thunderbird is free, fairly similar to OE to use, and actually somewhat more powerful. It's free, downloadable, it's being updated, works on Windows XP and Vista as well as the Mac and Linux, and there are many add-ons available for it.
Thanks to reader Jason Edward for pointing me at Windows Live Mail. There are several changes over Outlook Express (DBX files appear to be a thing of the past, and the ability to download your Hotmail account seems to have returned), so I'll be looking more closely at Windows Live Mail in upcoming articles.
Related:
Microsoft - Windows Live Mail
From where can I download Outlook Express 6? (old version) - the previous version of this article. Outlook Express 6 is part of Internet Explorer 6. But if you've moved on to IE7, then Outlook Express 6 can be difficult to locate and download.
How do Outlook and Outlook Express relate? Even though they share similar names and do similar things, Outlook and Outlook Express are actually not related to each other at all.
Article C3129 - August 25, 2007
Where can I download outlook express 7. I tried to install internet explorer 8 and appear to have lost outlook express. Although I have deleted IE8 now my out look express programmme has disappeared along with the facility to restore my computer to an earlier date.
Posted by: iris kelly at June 7, 2009 6:07 AMI would be grateful for any help.
Many thanks Iris
Thank you for saying that I do not need to load Outlook express since I have Windows Mail which comes with the Vista OS. I have been experiencing problems with picking up emails on Virgin webmail as most emails are not getting through, and thought this might be because I did not have Outlook Express installed on my laptop, now that you have ruled this out as a cause it looks as if the problem lies with Virgin webmail.
Posted by: John at June 8, 2009 3:08 AMMessage to Karen Nay.
Posted by: Henry Krohn at June 12, 2009 7:50 AMFor sending pictures no program I find better than Picasa3 free f=from Google.
Install it, open it, it will establish a link to evry picture in your PC library.
You select the picture, put it on hold, click email and your Outlook or Windows Mail will open up, enter the address and you send it.,
It is the most consumer friendly program I have found to handle pictures. Easy to learn.
(1) Can I copy dbx files into Windows Live Mail for reading of old emails from Outlook Express?(2) Since Outlook Express is being phased out, which is the better alternative, Microsoft Outlook or Windows Live Mail, assuming requiring large emails volume but no need for advanced features? Thanks.
08-Aug-2009
Posted by: Edward Ng at August 7, 2009 10:29 AM
When changing or upgrading programs the most critical question is whether or not you can transfer over the old, existing content to the new program without losing it. You mention importing OE files to Thunderbird and I will try that, but it would be very helpful if you could address this point in detail, for each program mentioned, for everyone's benefit.
Posted by: Paul Palmer at September 5, 2009 10:27 PMBut thank you for the article. I searched everywhere on the Net and all over Microsoft without finding anything nearly as explicit and useful as this article.
Your article was very helpful, a million thanks.
I was struggling to make my OE 6 run, and nothing from MS support worked. MS is coy about how to repair or install OE6 when you have installed IE 7. My IE 7 refused to get properly uninstalled, and I could not run the downloaded IE 6.0 setup.
Finally I 've downloaded Win Live and its working fine!
Posted by: Anand at October 5, 2009 5:52 AMPlease help. I am having trouble with my scrippy program which I love. I have installed it on my Vista computer and am currently running Windows Live Mail. Can anyone either lead me to a trial version of a new scrippy program or one similar so I can continue with the hobby of making my own stationery?
Posted by: Stephanie L. at October 17, 2009 9:22 PMWindows Live email sux. You can't insert photos! You can only attach them. What a waste!
Posted by: Blue1 at October 21, 2009 2:57 AMWindows Live Mail is crap, it redirects to hotmail! The best part of outlook express was you could have seperate profiles. Yes I know they said it was a security issue incase others read your mail on your pc. But what about if you are the only person who uses your own pc!
Posted by: jon at November 3, 2009 4:13 AMGood comments BUT here's my problem...I need OE in order to use Outlook2002 which is part of my Office XP Pro package. I just reinstalled windows xp pro then reinstalled Office. I tried to enter Outlook and got a message that it didn't recognize OE, that Outlook uses some OE files to operate and that I needed to download IE5setup to get outlook express.
Since I'm use IE7 now, windows update wouldn't let me download IE6setup which also contains a copy of OE.
Bottom line is I can't use Outlook! I tried system checker but it didn't help. I don't know what to do other than a complete reinstall.
Do you have any other suggestions to help with my predicament? Any help would be a blessing.
Thanks,
Posted by: mike at November 7, 2009 5:46 PMMike