Windows Mail was the default email client on the Vista operating system. It replaced Outlook Express whose further development and support was stopped by Microsoft. Very soon Windows Mail itself was shelved and the company started to promote a new email program, Windows Live Mail. On this page, I will be providing instructions on how to transfer an email account from Windows Mail Vista to Windows Live Mail, the default email program on Windows 7.
Once you’ve transferred the old email accounts from Windows Mail to Windows Live Mail, the next step is to transfer the messages and then, finally, the contact data. Instructions for these procedures are detailed on separate pages.
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An email program can only be used to send and receive email once an account has been setup in it. This can be done in two ways. You can either configure the email account manually when you know (and remember) the username, password, incoming and outgoing email server settings. Or, if you are already using this email address on Windows Mail Vista, you can simply transfer the email account settings using the import-export functions.
Import and Export to transfer email account from Windows Mail to Windows Live Mail
The email account settings (username, password, incoming and outgoing server information) can be exported from Windows Mail (on Vista) to a file which can then be moved and imported in Windows Live Mail on Windows 7. The instructions for this simple process are below with accompanying screenshots in a slideshow.
Remember to delete the .iaf files once your work is done. Why? Because they contain important login details (username and password) of your email accounts. Needless to say, that this information should be kept secure.