Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Windows Live Hotmail has no POP3 or SMTP settings with which to download your mail. However if you use certain mail programs, you can still download.
What are Hotmail's POP3 and SMTP settings? I want to download my email into my desktop email program instead of using the new Windows Live Hotmail user interface.
•
|
Update Microsoft has apparently started to roll out true POP3/SMTP support. Please read: What are Windows Live Hotmail's POP3 and SMTP settings? for the latest informaion. |
That's actually a representative question that brings together a couple of things that people have been asking for:
|
There is an answer, but unfortunately the answer won't make everyone happy.
•
In the past, users of Outlook Express were able to download email from their MSN Hotmail accounts directly into OE. Unfortunately, Microsoft began phasing this out some years ago without providing a suitable replacement. Essentially, MSN Hotmail users were left out in the cold - the official line was that they had to use the web interface and only the web interface.
In recent months things appear to have changed.
Windows Live Mail, which is a free downloadable desktop email program that effectively replaces Outlook Express, officially supports Windows Live Hotmail accounts. In other words you can configure Windows Live Mail to download your Windows Live Hotmail mail.
Microsoft Office Outlook Connector is a free downloadable add-in for Microsoft Outlook 2003 or 2007 that adds support for downloading your Windows Live Hotmail directly into Outlook.
This is great news for users of those email programs, or those willing to switch to those email programs. Among other things, it means that there's now an official way to download and backup your Windows Live Hotmail.
However if you use another email program things are still not so rosy.
If, like me, you use Thunderbird, there is the WebMail extension. Using this extension you can download not only Windows Live Hotmail, but also several other web-based email accounts into Thunderbird. The downside is that it's naturally not supported by Microsoft. And of course it requires that you run Thunderbird. All that being said, it's a fine solution for Thunderbird users.
I'm not aware of solutions for other mailers.
Specifically, where this comes up short for many people, is that I'm not aware of a solution for mobile devices such as Blackberry or Palm PDA and phones. Those require standard POP3/SMTP email settings, which Windows Live Hotmail does not supply. Naturally you can view your Hotmail in a web browser, but on portable devices that's often very difficult to manage.
However, there is a workaround.
Windows Live Hotmail will now allow you to forward your email to another address. So, to receive your email using a mailer that requires a POP3/SMTP connection, you can:
-
Open a GMail account.
-
Configure your email client to use GMail's POP3 and SMTP services.
-
Configure your Windows Live Hotmail account to automatically forward all incoming email to your GMail account.
That's all there is too it. Now you can access all the email sent to your Windows Live Hotmail account on whatever device you prefer. If your device supports the configuration, you can even change it to set your return address to be "From:" your Hotmail address, even though you might be sending through GMail.
Article C3166 - October 3, 2007 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
November 20, 2010 11:33 AM
I cannot download the free Windows Live Mail. It gives me the error message Documents&Settings/admin/localsettings/temporary internet files/content.IE5/+CHC73TU/wlsetup-web[1].exce is not a valid Win32 application and then stops processing. I was trying to download because my Live Mail no longer signs me on automatically. I've clicked save my name and password yet I always have to reenter the same info. On the new "sweep" which is suppose to block further junk mail from a specific sender, forget it. It simply does not work....
January 11, 2011 12:05 PM
Difficulty in sending and downloading e-mail in Windows Live Mail.
I am currently using Microsoft Outlook on my laptop which is windows 7. I also have a hotmail.com account and work with msn as well. I have recently uploaded / downloaded Windows Live Mail and it worked briefly in downloading and sending mail.
When logging in again it gives me an error.
This is the message i keep receiving "Unable to send or receive messages for the Hotmail (theobotha1963) account.
Server Error: 0x80070057
Server: 'http://mail.services.live.com/DeltaSync_v2.0.0/Sync.aspx'
Windows Live Mail Error ID: 0x80070057"
Is there a solution?
I want to keep these 2 e-mails seperate at all times if possible.
On windows XP i was able to use Outlook Express and Microsoft outlook together.
Hoping that somebody can assist and would like it if somebody can mail me back with an explanation.
Thanking you.
Theo Botha
September 28, 2011 11:06 AM
thanks Leo I need to use live hotmail (same acc.) on my win7 lap. and my xp desk. I havent done it yet but with your info., I'm feeling good. I could not get an answer from microsoft or any of many help sites. Regards, David.
November 10, 2011 1:53 AM
i send letters to my daughter abroad
June 29, 2012 10:35 AM
You can use Live Mail Downloader available from: http://www.appup.com/app-details/live-mail-downloader