Upgrade Outlook Express? this many not be possible if you are already using the latest version. Try the alternatives instead.

Upgrade Outlook Express

Posted on September 18, 2009 under Email, Outlook Express  |  9 Comments

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I’ve been using the same computer for 5 years now. Email was working fine but past few days Outlook Express has been giving me several problems. Do you think I should buy a new computer or should I just upgrade Outlook Express program? Where can I find the latest Outlook Express version?
Leslie

Leslie is not the only I know who’s having Outlook Express problems – there are tons of distressed users who write to me every day. Leslie, however, fails to describe the exact trouble she is having with the email client. She asks (amongst other things) if upgrading Outlook Express would solve the issue; so this is the question I shall be tackling in this post – I’ll also briefly answer the others.

You cannot upgrade Outlook Express!

Unfortunately, if you are running version 6, you cannot upgrade the Outlook Express program because Microsoft has stopped its development! Ignoring my tongue-in-cheek references to Windows Mail as Outlook Express 7 and Windows Live Mail as Outlook Express 8, the truth is that the program has been shelved – and please don’t complain to me… I don’t make the rules!

However, if you are using an older version of the email client (Outlook Express 4 or 5), you can download the installer file from the Microsoft web site and try to install Outlook Express on your computer.

Download Installer file

Outlook Express on Vista

Another question I am frequently asked is how to install Outlook Express on Windows Vista. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news (once again) but as far as I know there is no way you can use this email client on the Vista operating system. As you would have noticed, Outlook Express is missing on Vista because it has been substituted with another program called Windows Mail that looks and functions quite like its predecessor. Windows Mail too has been replaced by Windows Live Mail which can be downloaded for free from the Microsoft web site.

Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail – Outlook Express alternatives

To continue, there are many alternatives to Outlook Express. In addition to Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail, which are Microsoft products, there are tons of other email clients that you can use on both Windows Vista and Windows XP.

Solution to Outlook Express problem

Since Leslie does not mention the exact problem, it kind of hard to provide a solution. However, based on my experience, I can suggest the following:

Finally, let me answer Leslie’s questions directly:

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9 responses to “Upgrade Outlook Express”

  • jack Saxon November 21st, 2009

    My Outlook Express emails won’t download. Is the best plan to uninstall (how?) my Outlook Express on Windows XP and try to install a new (free!) one?

  • Manish November 23rd, 2009

    Jack, you need to download Windows Live Mail which is also free just like Outlook Express. This new email program from Microsoft works on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.

  • Ron Hoffman December 16th, 2009

    Does Live mail use stationery? Can you get rid of the bar on the left that shows the email folders like in Outlook Express?

  • Manish December 30th, 2009

    Ron, the ‘bar’ that shows email folders cannot be removed completely. You can, however, decrease its size. Choose “Use compact view for Folder pane” from the “Folder pane” section under “Layout“. And yes, Windows Live Mail uses stationery just like Outlook Express. Click Format -> Apply Stationery -> More stationery and then choose one.

  • Barbara Anne Coughlan March 21st, 2010

    Hello, I use Outlook Express on my desktop computer, Windows XP. I have bought a laptop and I believe (being practically computor illiterate) it is ‘Vista’. What I need to do is access my Outlook Express emails on my desktop computer whilst I am away from home using my laptop, I also need to respond to them. How do I put Outlook Express onto my Vista laptop?

  • Manish March 21st, 2010

    Barbara, there is no Outlook Express for Vista. You can use the pre-installed Windows Mail program which is quite similar to Outlook Express. Or, better still, download and install Windows Live Mail.
    Once you decide on which program to use, transfer the email account settings, Outlook Express address book and old emails to your new computer – refer other articles on this web site for instructions.

  • Ed March 24th, 2010

    My Windows XP computer takes ages for Outlook Express to start; if I upgrade to Windows Live Mail, will I need to know my passwords etc. or can will they be transferred on their own?

  • Manish March 27th, 2010

    Ed, Outlook Express may be loading slow on your XP computer because it’s storing tons of email. I may be wrong because there are just too many variables to consider but this is generally the most common cause of the problem.
    Any way, if you want to use Windows Live Mail, go ahead. This program can be installed in just a few minutes and it should automatically get the email account settings and messages from Outlook Express… at least that’s what I experienced. If this doesn’t happen refer the following:
    Copy Outlook Express email account to Windows Live Mail
    Copy old Outlook Express email to Windows Live Mail

  • Beverly April 7th, 2010

    Thanks for posting the information. I was able to import Outlook Express email messages from old XP computer to my new Win 7 computer (after I downloaded Windows Live Mail). Thanks for your help.


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