★ 4.6 / 5
from 230 verified reviews on G2, Capterra and Trustpilot
Windows Live Mail Migration Tool
Migrate discontinued Windows Live Mail mailboxes to modern destinations. Reads WLM 2009, 2011, 2012 profiles and orphaned folder structures; outputs PST, MBOX, EML, PDF, plus direct migration to Gmail and Outlook 365. Standalone Windows tool. WLM not required.
The Migration Story From Windows Live Mail to Modern Email
Microsoft discontinued Windows Live Mail in 2017, but millions of Windows users still have years of mail stored in WLM Mail folders, configured profiles, and orphaned backups from old workstations. The migration story usually starts the same way: Windows update breaks WLM, the user discovers WLM is no longer supported, and suddenly years of email need to move somewhere modern. The converter handles every part of that story in three phases. Source ingestion reads WLM mailboxes from configured profiles or orphaned folder structures without WLM installed. Format selection picks the destination based on where the mail is going next: Outlook (PST), Thunderbird (MBOX), archival (PDF), or directly to webmail (Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP). Output writes the converted mail with folder hierarchy retained.
Reading WLM Sources Long After the Client is Gone
When users open the converter, the most common situation is that WLM is already broken, usually after a Windows feature update, sometimes after a clean install on a new machine. The migration tool handles both halves of that story. Configured Live Mail profiles auto-discover via the Windows registry path under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail and the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail directory. Orphaned WLM Mail folders (Storage Folders, Local Folders) parse via direct EML-file walk through the WLM-specific folder tree, so even mailboxes copied off a retired workstation read cleanly without any WLM trace on the migration system.
Auto-discovers configured Live Mail profiles via registry
Reads orphaned WLM Mail folder structures directly
No Windows Live Mail installation required on this machine
Picking the Destination That Matches Where Mail Is Going
The migration story branches at destination choice. Users moving to Outlook on a new Windows machine pick PST output, which imports cleanly into modern Outlook. Users moving to Thunderbird pick MBOX output. Users archiving for compliance or retention pick PDF or HTML. Users abandoning desktop email entirely pick direct migration to Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP servers, or Yahoo Mail. The converter writes the output in whatever format the next chapter of the email's life calls for, instead of forcing one universal output that the user then has to convert again.
PST output imports cleanly into modern Outlook
MBOX output imports into Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Postbox
Direct upload to Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP webmail
Folder Hierarchy and Attachments Carry Through to the New Home
WLM users typically organized mail into folders over many years (project folders, year folders, archive folders nested several levels deep). Migration that flattens that hierarchy is destructive even if every individual message survives. The converter retains source folder structure in every output format: PST output reproduces the WLM folder tree as Outlook folders; MBOX output writes one MBOX file per source folder mirroring the directory hierarchy; direct webmail upload creates matching folder labels (Gmail) or folders (Outlook 365). Attachments follow the messages, embedded inline as in the source, never silently dropped during conversion.
Source folder tree reproduces in destination output
Attachments stay embedded with their parent messages
WLM users often have thousands of messages accumulated across years, scattered across dozens of folders. Migrating one folder at a time, or one message at a time, would take days. The wizard processes the entire WLM mailbox in a single operation: load the source, pick the destination, click Save. The converter walks every folder in the source, converts every message, writes to the destination with folder hierarchy reproduced. A 10,000-message WLM mailbox typically completes migration in under five minutes on standard hardware.
Auto-Discovery of WLM Profiles Still Configured Locally
If the user still has Windows Live Mail installed (or had it before the most recent Windows update broke it), Open > Desktop Email Clients > Windows Live Mail Accounts queries the Windows registry for configured profile paths, walks the standard %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail directory, and surfaces every profile found. The user picks from a dropdown rather than typing in a file path. Multi-account WLM setups (work + personal + family) all surface together so the user can migrate any or all of them.
Quick Search Across the Loaded WLM Mailbox
Migration scenarios often need selective conversion rather than full-mailbox transfer: only mail from a specific sender, only mail in a date range, only mail with attachments. Quick Search at the top of the navigation pane filters the loaded mailbox by sender, recipient, subject, body content, or attachment filename. Advanced Search exposes structured filters with combinations. Filtered results carry through to migration: only matching messages contribute to the destination output.
Five-Mode Preview Before Migration Commits
Before triggering a multi-thousand-message migration, the user wants to verify the loaded mailbox contains what they expected. The preview pane offers five modes for inspecting source messages: content view (rendered message body), properties view (metadata table including attachment list), header view (full RFC 5322 headers), hex view (byte-level message audit), raw view (unparsed source). Useful for confirming that orphaned WLM Mail folders parsed correctly before committing to the migration.
Direct Migration to Gmail, Outlook 365, and IMAP
For users abandoning desktop email entirely, the converter writes directly to webmail destinations rather than producing intermediate files. Sign in to the destination account through the wizard's authentication dialog (Gmail OAuth, Outlook 365 OAuth, IMAP username/password), pick the destination folder structure, click Save. Messages upload to the webmail account with folder labels matching the WLM source folder hierarchy. Useful for users who do not want PST or MBOX files to manage afterward.
Standalone Operation Without Windows Live Mail
The converter parses WLM mailbox files directly through its own EML parser plus the WLM-specific folder-structure handler. Windows Live Mail is not required on the migration workstation. Useful for the very common scenario where WLM no longer works after Windows feature updates, for migrating WLM mailboxes copied off retired workstations, and for one-off migration on Windows 10 or Windows 11 systems where WLM was never installed at all. Compatible with WLM 2009, 2011, and 2012 source mailboxes.
3WLM versions handled
9Years post-WLM-discontinuation
10+Output destination formats
230Verified reviews
Simple 3-Step Process
The Migration Workflow in Three Phases
Load the WLM source, pick the destination format, save the converted output. The detailed walkthrough later on this page covers every dialog. Most migrations complete in seconds for small mailboxes, under a few minutes for full-mailbox bulk transfer.
01
1. Load the WLM Source
Click Open, then pick source type: Desktop Email Clients > Windows Live Mail Accounts for a configured WLM profile auto-discovered from registry, or Email Data Files > EML Files for direct EML/folder source from orphaned WLM Mail directories on backup drives or copied off retired workstations.
02
2. Pick the Destination Format
Click Export in the toolbar. The dropdown lists destination categories: Email Files (PST, MBOX, EML, MSG), Document Files (PDF, HTML), or Email Services (Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP, Yahoo Mail). Pick the destination based on where the migrated mail is going next.
03
3. Save the Migrated Output
Browse to the destination folder (or sign in to the destination webmail account if migrating to Gmail/Outlook 365/IMAP), click Save. The converter writes every message to the destination with folder hierarchy reproduced and reports completion with message-count and total-byte stats.
Software Compatibility
WLM Source and Destination Output Reference
Source: Windows Live Mail 2009, 2011, 2012 mailboxes, read from configured WLM profiles (auto-discovered) or orphaned WLM Mail folder structures. Destination output: PST (Outlook), MBOX (Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Postbox, Mailbird, Mailspring), EML (universal, single-file-per-message), PDF (long-term archival), MSG (Outlook single-message), HTML (web-readable). Plus direct webmail upload to Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP, Yahoo Mail.
Input File Formats / Servers
Specialized and Tested Across Every Common Email Source
The Windows Live Mail Converter reads WLM mailboxes from configured profiles or orphaned WLM Mail folder structures, then writes the migrated output in any of nine destination formats. Whether the source is a still-configured WLM account on a Windows 7 / 8 machine, an orphaned folder copied off retired hardware, or a backup-share recovery from a deceased relative, the wizard handles every situation natively without needing WLM installed on the migration system.
Browse the full list of input file WLM source types the wizard reads (configured profiles, orphaned WLM Mail folders) plus output destinations (PST, MBOX, EML, PDF, Gmail, Outlook 365).
Email File Formats8 formats
Format
Full Name
Type
Description
PSTInput & Output
Personal Storage Table
Microsoft Outlook
Primary Outlook data file containing emails, contacts, calendar, tasks, and notes.
OSTInput
Offline Storage Table
Microsoft Outlook
Offline cached copy of Exchange mailbox data. Supports inaccessible or orphaned OST files.
MBOXInput & Output
Mailbox Format
Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Eudora
Universal text-based mailbox format used by dozens of email clients and servers (see IETF RFC 4155 specification).
EMLInput & Output
Email Message
Multiple clients
Individual RFC 822 email message files. Widely supported by Windows Mail, Outlook Express, and others.
MSGInput & Output
Outlook Message
Microsoft Outlook
Single Outlook email message in Compound Document File format. Preserves all metadata.
OFTInput
Outlook File Template
Microsoft Outlook
Outlook email template files. PCDOTS converts OFT templates to any supported format.
OLMInput
Outlook for Mac Archive
Mac Outlook
Native archive format for Outlook on macOS. Contains emails, contacts, and calendar data.
DBXInput
Outlook Express Mailbox
Outlook Express
Legacy email storage format used by Microsoft Outlook Express (discontinued in 2006).
Desktop Email Clients9 clients
Email Client
Platform
Storage Format
Migration Support
Microsoft Outlook
Windows / Mac
PST, OST, OLM
Full: emails, contacts, calendar, tasks, notes, attachments
Mozilla Thunderbird
Windows / Mac / Linux
MBOX
Full: all folders, subfolders, attachments, filters
Mailbird
Windows
Local profile store
Full: all mailbox data including multiple accounts
eM Client
Windows / Mac
Local database file
Full: messages, contacts, calendar, attachments
Mailspring
Windows / Mac / Linux
Local profile store
Full: all email data and account configurations
Postbox
Windows / Mac
MBOX
Full: Thunderbird-compatible MBOX format
Windows Live Mail
Windows
EML + WLMX
Full: all message folders and account data
Eudora
Windows / Mac
MBX (MBOX variant)
Full: legacy Eudora mailbox files
IceWarp
Windows / Linux
Proprietary
Full: direct IceWarp server data export
Cloud & Webmail Services7 services
Service
Type
Direction
Auth Method
Gmail / Google Workspace
Cloud Webmail
Input & Output
OAuth 2.0 / App Password
Microsoft Office 365
Cloud Business
Input & Output
OAuth 2.0 / Modern Auth
Yahoo Mail
Cloud Webmail
Input & Output
App-specific Password
iCloud Mail
Cloud Webmail
Input & Output
App-specific Password
Hotmail / Outlook.com
Cloud Webmail
Input & Output
OAuth 2.0
Google Takeout
Export Archive
Input
Takeout ZIP / MBOX
Any IMAP Server
Universal Protocol
Input & Output
IMAP / SSL / TLS
Email Servers5 servers
Server
Type
Storage Format
Notes
Zimbra
Open Source Server
Zimbra TGZ
Supports Zimbra Community & Enterprise editions
MDaemon
Windows Mail Server
MDaemon MAI
Direct MDaemon user folder access, no export needed
Kerio Connect
Business Mail Server
Kerio IMAP Store
Converts Kerio data stores directly without server access
Communigate Pro
Enterprise Server
Communigate CGP
Supports all Communigate mailbox folder structures
Lotus Notes / HCL
IBM/HCL Platform
NSF
Via intermediary tools. Contact support for enterprise scenarios.
Output Destinations13 outputs
Output Format
Category
Best Used For
PST
Email File
Importing into Microsoft Outlook on any Windows PC
MBOX
Email File
Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Postbox, or any MBOX-compatible client
EML
Email File
Windows Mail, individual email archiving, or web uploads
MSG
Email File
Saving individual Outlook messages with full metadata
PDF
Document
Legal archiving, compliance, sharing non-editable email records
HTML
Document
Web-based email viewing, readable in any browser
CSV
Spreadsheet
Extracting email data for analysis in Excel or Google Sheets
vCard (VCF)
Contacts
Exporting contacts to any address book or CRM
ICS
Calendar
Exporting calendar events to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar
TXT
Plain Text
Simple archiving, text analysis, or importing into databases
Gmail
Cloud Service
Direct migration. Emails appear in Gmail inbox immediately
Office 365
Cloud Service
Direct migration to Microsoft 365 business mailboxes
IMAP Server
Protocol
Any IMAP-compatible server: Dovecot, Postfix, Exchange, etc.
Advanced Filters
What the Migration Story Surfaces Beyond Bulk Conversion
Real WLM mailboxes ship with edge cases that simple format conversion does not handle gracefully. Embedded contacts (vCard attachments stored inline in old WLM messages) need to land somewhere sensible at the destination. Account-folder distinctions (mail organized under per-account roots like [email protected] vs [email protected]) need to either flatten or carry through depending on what the user wants. Calendar entries (some WLM versions stored .ics calendar items in mail folders) need separate handling so they end up in the destination calendar rather than as confused mail items. The wizard surfaces these as preview-time decisions before committing the migration.
Source handling stays read-only through the entire migration. The converter opens WLM Mail folders via OS-level read-only file handles, walks the EML files in memory, and writes only to the separately-specified destination location. Source mailbox bytes do not get modified at any point during conversion. The user can rerun the converter against the same source repeatedly with different destination formats as many times as needed (PST one run, MBOX a second run for backup, Gmail upload as the live mail home) without making the source any worse. Useful when the WLM source is the only remaining copy of the user mail.
Selective migration via the search filter narrows the bulk operation to a subset of the loaded mailbox. Filter by sender (only mail from a specific correspondent), by date range (only mail received in a specific year), by subject pattern (only mail matching a search term), by attachment presence (only messages with attachments). Filters combine with AND/OR logic. Useful when users want to migrate only the mail that still matters (recent business correspondence, contacts kept active) and leave the bulk archive in WLM format on a backup drive without converting every legacy message.
PCDOTS Windows Live Mail Converter v3.4
Smart Search
Why Users Switch to PCDOTS
Five Migration Blockers and How the Tool Handles Each
WLM migration runs into specific blockers that other email-conversion scenarios do not. WLM is no longer supported. New Windows machines refuse to install it. Native exports require WLM working in the first place. Five recurring blockers and how this tool routes around each.
Problems You're Facing
WLM no longer installs on Windows 10 / 11Microsoft removed Windows Live Mail from official distribution in 2017 and the installer fails on modern Windows feature levels. Users on new machines cannot install WLM to migrate from WLM. The wizard reads WLM Mail folder structures and EML files directly via its own parser, so the migration source machine does not need WLM installed at all. Useful for Windows 11 systems where WLM never installed and for users who already moved to a new machine before realizing the WLM mail was still trapped.
Native WLM export flattens folder hierarchyWhen WLM still ran, the native export feature flattened nested folder structures into single-level output. Years of carefully organized email lost the organization at export time. The wizard reads the WLM source preserving the original folder tree and reproduces the hierarchy in the destination output: PST output keeps Outlook folder nesting; MBOX output writes one MBOX per source folder mirroring directory hierarchy; webmail upload creates matching folder labels.
Manual EML-file copy works only if you know the WLM folder layoutPower users sometimes try to migrate by copying EML files directly out of %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail into Thunderbird or Outlook. The approach works in theory but requires understanding the WLM-specific folder naming convention (Storage Folders, Local Folders, per-account roots), and the messages land as a flat dump in the destination. The wizard's structured migration handles the WLM-specific layout automatically and preserves folder hierarchy in the destination.
Migration Triggers When WLM Has Already Stopped WorkingThe most common migration trigger is exactly the wrong moment to use WLM-dependent migration: WLM stopped working after a Windows update, or stopped syncing with the modern email server, or stopped opening at all. Tools that require WLM running cannot help. The wizard parses WLM Mail folders directly from any backup or live source location regardless of WLM operational status on the workstation.
Orphaned WLM mailboxes from retired workstationsOld workstation gets retired, the disk image lands on a backup share, and somewhere on that backup share is a WLM Mail folder that turns out to contain mail still relevant to the business. No WLM is available on the helpdesk machine, and no helpdesk technician wants to install a discontinued client to extract one user mailbox. The wizard reads orphaned WLM Mail folder structures directly from any path, walks the EML files, and writes a standard PST or MBOX output that any modern mail client can open.
How PCDOTS Fixes It
Reads WLM mailboxes without WLM installed at allThe wizard ships its own EML parser plus the WLM-specific folder-structure handler. Windows Live Mail is not required on the migration workstation. Useful for forensic builds, Windows 11 systems where WLM never installed, and one-off migration on machines copied from retired workstations. Compatible with WLM 2009, 2011, and 2012 source mailboxes.
Folder hierarchy reproduced in every output formatSource WLM folder tree (Inbox, Sent, Drafts, plus user-created project / year / sender folders) reproduces in the destination. PST output keeps Outlook folder nesting. MBOX output writes one MBOX per source folder mirroring directory hierarchy. Direct webmail upload creates matching folder labels. Headers, timestamps, sender / recipient fields, attachments all stay intact.
Selective migration via search and structured filtersQuick Search filters loaded mailbox by sender, recipient, subject, body content, attachment filename. Advanced Search exposes structured filters (specific year, attachment size threshold, recipient list). Filters carry through to migration. Useful when the user wants only the mail that still matters and leaves bulk archive untouched.
Direct webmail upload skips intermediate file managementGmail OAuth, Outlook 365 OAuth, IMAP username / password all available through the wizard's authentication dialog. Sign in to the destination, pick folder structure, click Save. Messages upload with folder labels matching the WLM source folder hierarchy. Useful for users who do not want PST or MBOX files to manage afterward and want mail to land directly in the new home.
Real-World Applications
Six Migration Stories That Recur Year After Year
Windows Live Mail migration shows up across recurring scenarios that have only intensified since Microsoft discontinued the client in 2017. Home users on new Windows machines. Small offices that never planned for WLM retirement. IT helpdesks dealing with retired workstation mailboxes. Six stories that walk through what triggered the migration and which destination made sense at the end.
Home User on a New Windows 11 Machine
Windows 11 will not install Windows Live Mail at all. The user buys a new laptop, sets it up, tries to install WLM the way they did on every previous machine since 2009, and the installer fails. Years of personal email sit on the old laptop in WLM Mail folders. The story usually ends with the user picking Outlook (PST output) or Gmail (direct upload) as the destination, walking through the migration once, and getting the mail into a place that actually works on the new machine.
WLM to PSTWindows 11 migration
Small Office After WLM Stopped Receiving Mail
Small offices that ran on WLM through the late 2010s eventually hit the wall: WLM stopped syncing with the modern email server, support tickets piled up, the office manager realized WLM was officially deprecated. Migration to Outlook 365 (direct webmail upload) typically becomes the answer because Outlook 365 also covers the office calendar and shared contacts. The wizard reads each user's WLM profile, walks the folder hierarchy, and uploads to the matching Outlook 365 mailbox folder by folder.
WLM to Outlook 365Office migration
IT Helpdesk Recovering Mailbox From Retired Hardware
When an employee leaves and the workstation goes back to inventory, the WLM mailbox sometimes turns out to contain compliance-relevant correspondence that should have been archived. The retired workstation gets imaged, the WLM Mail folder lands on a backup share, but no Thunderbird or Outlook on the helpdesk machine can read WLM Mail folders directly. The wizard reads orphaned WLM Mail folder structures directly, outputs to PST for compliance archiving, and the records team gets a standard mailbox file that any modern mail client can open.
Orphaned WLM MailRetired hardware
Migration From Windows to Mac After Family Member Switches
A retiree on Windows for two decades buys a Mac. WLM mailboxes from the Windows machine need to make the platform jump. Mac does not have any direct way to read WLM Mail folders. The story ends with MBOX output: Mac Mail and Apple Mail import MBOX cleanly, Thunderbird on Mac imports MBOX cleanly, the WLM folder hierarchy carries through, and the family member ends up with their email on the new platform without needing to maintain a Windows machine just to read old mail.
WLM to MBOXWindows-to-Mac
Long-Term Archival to PDF for Compliance Retention
Compliance and audit scenarios sometimes call for email retention in formats that survive future software changes. PST and MBOX are mail formats; both depend on mail clients to read them. PDF output produces archival files that any platform reads forever. The wizard converts WLM messages to PDFs that include full headers, body, and attachment manifests. The archival output sits in long-term storage independent of any mail client, ready for retrieval years later when neither WLM nor Outlook may be the dominant email format anymore.
WLM to PDFCompliance archive
Digital Estate Cleanup After a Family Member Passes
Family members sometimes need to migrate or archive a deceased relative's WLM mailbox during estate work, to look up financial-account contacts, to find correspondence with attorneys, to preserve sentimental conversations. WLM may not even open on the family member's machine. The wizard reads the orphaned WLM Mail folder from the deceased's machine, outputs to PST or PDF, and the family ends up with a searchable archive without needing to find someone who knows how to operate WLM.
Estate cleanupWLM legacy mailbox
Why Customers Choose This Tool
Eight Reasons This Migration Story Ends Well
Improvised WLM migration usually fails halfway. Importing an exported WLM file into Outlook works for individual messages but loses folder structure. Manually copying EML files from WLM Mail folders into Thunderbird sometimes works but only if the user knows the WLM folder layout. Hoping a Windows update unbreaks WLM never works. Eight reasons the structured migration story ends with mail in a place that actually works.
Reads WLM Mailboxes Without WLM Installed
Most migration triggers happen because WLM is already broken. Improvised paths require WLM working to export anything. The wizard parses WLM Mail folder structures and EML files directly, so the migration source machine does not need WLM installed at all. Useful for the most common scenario: the new Windows 11 machine where WLM never installed, the retired workstation backup share where WLM stopped working, and the family-estate cleanup where WLM is broken on the deceased's machine.
Folder Hierarchy From WLM Carries Through to Destination
Years of WLM-organized folders (project folders, year folders, sender-name folders, archive trees nested several levels deep) reproduce in the destination output. PST output reproduces WLM folders as Outlook folders with the same nesting. MBOX output writes one MBOX file per source folder mirroring directory hierarchy. Direct webmail upload creates matching folder labels (Gmail) or folders (Outlook 365). Migration that flattens the hierarchy is destructive even if every individual message survives.
Output to Whatever the Next Chapter Calls For
Different users land at different destinations after WLM. The wizard writes PST (modern Outlook), MBOX (Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Postbox, Mailbird, Mailspring), EML (universal, single-file-per-message), PDF (long-term archival), MSG (Outlook single-message), HTML (web-readable archive), or direct upload to Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP, Yahoo Mail. Same source mailbox; pick the destination that matches where the migrated mail is going next.
Read-Only Source Handling for Migration Confidence
Source WLM Mail folders open via OS-level read-only file handles (Win32 CreateFile API with FILE_SHARE_READ + GENERIC_READ access flags). Source bytes do not change at any point during migration. The user can rerun the wizard against the same source repeatedly with different destination formats (PST one run, MBOX a second run for backup, Gmail upload as the live mail home) without making the source any worse. Useful when the WLM source is the only remaining copy of years of personal email.
Direct Webmail Upload Skips Intermediate Files
For users abandoning desktop email, the wizard writes directly to webmail destinations rather than producing PST or MBOX intermediates. Sign in through the OAuth flow (Gmail) or username/password (IMAP), pick destination folder structure, click Save. Messages upload to the webmail account with folder labels matching WLM source folders. Useful for users who do not want intermediate files to manage afterward and just want their mail to land in their new mail home.
Five-Mode Preview Catches Surprises Before Migration
Migrations that go wrong often go wrong because the source contained something the user did not realize was there. Five preview modes (content, properties, header, hex, raw) surface the source mailbox contents before migration commits. Useful for confirming that orphaned WLM Mail folders parsed correctly, that attachment counts match expectation, that calendar entries got identified separately from mail items, and that no WLM-specific quirks will surprise the user mid-migration.
Compatible With Every WLM Version Released
The wizard reads source files from Windows Live Mail 2009, 2011, and 2012, the only three released versions before Microsoft discontinued the product. The WLM Mail folder structure varied subtly across versions; the wizard handles every variant. Useful for legacy archive recovery where the source predates current Windows by a decade or more, and for hand-me-down workstations where WLM was never updated past whatever version the original owner installed.
Selective Migration via Search and Filter
Users do not always want to migrate everything. Quick Search filters by sender, recipient, subject, body content, attachment filename. Advanced Search exposes structured filters with combinations (mail from a specific year, mail with attachments above 1 MB, mail to a specific recipient list). Filtered results carry through to migration: only matching messages contribute to the destination output. Useful when the user wants to migrate only the mail that still matters and leave bulk archive untouched.
Technical Specs
System and Software Requirements
What you need to run the Windows Live Mail Converter for Windows, plus the trial limitations.
Software Name
PCDOTS Windows Live Mail Converter
Current Version
3.4
Processor
Pentium-class or higher
RAM
Minimum 2 GB
Hard Drive Space
100 MB free space
Operating System
Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP. Server 2019, 2016, 2012, 2008, 2003 and earlier.
Trial limitation: the demo edition migrates up to 25 items per folder; all source types and output formats work without restriction during evaluation so you can verify accuracy on real data before purchasing. The full edition has no limits and ships with a lifetime license.
Trial vs Full
Trial vs Licensed Edition for WLM Migration
Trial and licensed editions ship the same binary, identical WLM source ingestion (configured profiles + orphaned folders), identical output format range, identical folder-hierarchy reproduction, identical preview pane and Quick Search. Trial caps migration at 25 items per folder for evaluation; everything else works unrestricted so the user can verify the wizard handles their specific WLM source successfully and that the destination output looks correct. Licensed edition is $49 one-time per workstation, perpetual, includes lifetime updates and 24x7 support. Multi-seat business licenses available on request.
WLM migration approaches split across three improvised paths and one proper category. WLM native export only works if WLM still runs and flattens folder hierarchy. Importing exported EML files into modern clients works message-by-message but loses WLM-specific folder organization. Microsoft documentation forums mostly recommend reinstalling Windows 7 / 8 in a VM. Standalone WLM migration tools include PCDOTS plus a few smaller utilities; the matrix below isolates this category and surfaces capability differences.
Feature
Best ChoicePCDOTS
Other Paid ToolsAid4Mail, Stellar, etc.
Free Tools / Online
WLM Source Versions Read
25+
10 to 40+
2 to 5
No WLM Installation Required
Yes
Partial
No
Bulk Migrate Entire WLM Mailbox
Yes
Yes
No
Direct Webmail Upload (Gmail, O365)
Yes
Partial
No
Five-Mode Preview Before Migration
Yes
Partial
No
Reads Orphaned WLM Mail Folders
Yes
Partial
No
Quick Search and Advanced Filters
Yes
Limited
No
Folder Hierarchy Reproduced
Yes
Partial
No
Free Trial Available
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lifetime License
Yes
No
N/A
Read-Only Source Handling
Yes
Varies
No
24x7 Customer Support
Yes
Limited
No
30-Day Refund Policy
Yes
Varies
N/A
Starting Price
$49
$49 to $149+
Free (limited)
Matrix sourced from competitor product documentation as of October 2025. Standalone field includes WLM-aware migration tools published as commercial Windows tools. Improvised paths excluded (WLM native export, manual EML-file copy, Microsoft documentation forum recommendations) since they are not standalone products specialized for WLM migration. Reviewer count: 230 verified responses across G2, Capterra and Trustpilot.
Video Tutorial
See the WLM Migration Workflow in Action
A short walkthrough of the Windows Live Mail migration workflow: loading a WLM source (configured profile or orphaned WLM Mail folder), previewing messages with attachment counts in the navigation pane, picking the destination format (PST, MBOX, EML, PDF, Gmail, Outlook 365), and verifying the destination output.
5 min walkthrough
YouTube
Real Performance Numbers
WLM Migration Tool Performance Reference
Two data sources feed the numbers below. The first is internal regression test runs against synthetic WLM mailboxes spanning 2009 / 2011 / 2012 source layouts and across multi-account WLM profile configurations, with output verified against ground-truth message counts and folder-hierarchy reproduction across PST / MBOX / EML / Gmail / Outlook 365 destinations. The second is post-migration user survey responses (230 valid responses) reporting on migration completeness, folder-hierarchy fidelity, and destination-import success.
85%
Customer Satisfaction
93%
Output Accuracy
99%
Successful Test Runs
How It Works
Eleven-Step WLM Migration Walkthrough
The walkthrough below covers every dialog the wizard puts in front of the operator from launch through verified destination output, with the matching screenshot for each step. Total time per migration ranges from a few seconds (small mailbox, single source) to several minutes (10,000+ messages, full-mailbox bulk migration with direct webmail upload across multi-account profiles).
Launch the Windows Live Mail Converter
Run the wizard from the Start menu shortcut or desktop icon. The application opens with the source-selection panel and the Open button at the top of the toolbar. Navigation pane on the left stays empty until a WLM source is loaded.
Pick the WLM Source Type
Click Open. The dropdown offers two categories that fit WLM migration scenarios: Desktop Email Clients > Windows Live Mail Accounts for a configured WLM profile auto-discovered via Windows registry, or Email Data Files > EML Files for orphaned WLM Mail folder structure from backup share or copied off retired workstation.
Load the WLM Source Mailbox
For configured profiles: pick the WLM account from the auto-discovered dropdown (the wizard already walked the registry and the standard %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail directory). For orphaned WLM Mail folders: browse to the folder root, click Open. The wizard parses the WLM-specific folder structure (Storage Folders, Local Folders, per-account subfolders) under OS-level read-only handles.
Verify the Loaded Mailbox in the Preview Pane
Loaded folders render in the navigation pane with message counts inline. Click any message to render it in the preview pane. Five view modes (content, properties, header, hex, raw) verify what is in the mailbox before migration commits. The properties view in particular surfaces attachment counts, MIME types, and folder paths per message so the operator can confirm the WLM source parsed correctly.
Run Quick Search to Filter the Migration
Quick Search filters the loaded messages by sender, recipient, subject, body content, or attachment filename. Advanced Search exposes structured filters with combinations (specific year, attachment size threshold, recipient list). Filtered results carry through to migration: only matching messages contribute to the destination output. Useful when the user wants to migrate only the mail that still matters.
Tick Source Folder Checkboxes for Selective Scope
Source-folder checkboxes in the navigation pane control which folders contribute to the migration. Default state: all folders selected (full bulk migration). For folder-scoped migration, untick everything except the target folder (Inbox only, one project subfolder, archive year). The migration operation only walks messages in the checked folders.
Click Export and Pick the Destination Format
Click Export in the toolbar. The dropdown lists destination categories: Email Files (PST, MBOX, EML, MSG), Document Files (PDF, HTML), or Email Services (Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP, Yahoo Mail). Pick the destination based on where the migrated mail is going next.
Configure Migration Settings
Export dialog opens with destination configuration. Folder hierarchy toggle (default: mirror source structure to destination). Filename collision behavior (default: numeric suffix). Attachment handling (default: embedded with parent message). For direct webmail upload, an authentication panel opens for sign-in (Gmail OAuth, Outlook 365 OAuth, IMAP credentials).
Browse to Destination and Click Save
For file output: browse to the destination folder, click Save. For webmail destinations: pick the destination folder structure inside the webmail account, click Save. The converter writes messages one folder at a time, mirroring the WLM source folder hierarchy. Trial caps at 25 items per folder; licensed wizard migrates unlimited counts.
Watch the Live Migration Progress
During migration, the live progress report updates every second. For very large WLM mailboxes (10,000+ messages), the run can take several minutes. Output writes incrementally so partial output is recoverable if the run gets interrupted. The wizard logs every folder migration and write operation for audit purposes.
Spot-Check the Destination Output
When migration finishes, the wizard's Open folder when complete toggle (default ON) opens the destination in Windows Explorer (for file output) or returns to the wizard summary screen (for webmail destinations). Spot-check the output: folder hierarchy from the WLM source carries through correctly, message counts match, sample messages open natively in the destination application (Outlook for PST, Thunderbird for MBOX, the destination webmail for direct upload).
Independent Validation
Reviewed and Awarded by Trusted Software Sites
Independent third-party verification of PCDOTS Windows Live Mail Converter against documented WLM-migration criteria: source-format coverage across WLM 2009 / 2011 / 2012, output-format range, folder-hierarchy fidelity, attachment retention, direct webmail upload reliability. Each award sources from the original publisher (Software Informer, Softpedia, Soft32, FileHippo). The aggregate 4.5-star rating combines 230 verified reviewer responses since the most recent major release.
4.5
Average across all reviews
230
Verified user reviews
4
Editor's Choice awards
Editor's Pick
5.0
Software Informer
"100% Clean Award for error-free WLM migration across versions and across PST/MBOX/Gmail destinations."
100% Clean Award
5-Star Rated
5.0
Softpedia
"Earns a 5-star rating for ease of operation and reliable WLM migration to modern destinations."
100% Free Award
Top Rated
4.5
Soft32
"4.5 stars: an all-in-one solution for converting email files to multiple output formats."
Editor's Review
Verified Safe
5.0
FileHippo
"100% Clean Award for secure WLM migration with read-only source handling."
Safety Verified
100% authentic. Every award above is verified directly from the issuing publisher's site. PCDOTS does not pay for placement, reviews or ratings.
Quick Definition
What Is the Windows Live Mail Converter?
The Windows Live Mail Converter is a desktop Windows tool that migrates Windows Live Mail mailboxes to modern destinations after Microsoft discontinued WLM in 2017. PCDOTS Windows Live Mail Converter reads WLM 2009, 2011, and 2012 mailboxes from configured profiles (auto-discovered via Windows registry) or orphaned WLM Mail folder structures (Storage Folders, Local Folders) directly. Output to PST, MBOX, EML, PDF, MSG, HTML, or direct upload to Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP, Yahoo Mail. Folder hierarchy from the WLM source carries through to the destination, attachments stay embedded with parent messages, and source mailboxes stay byte-identical throughout migration.
Quick Verdict
Best for: Windows Live Mail migration on Windows for users moving off the discontinued WLM client to Outlook (PST), Thunderbird (MBOX), Gmail, Outlook 365, or archival PDF, including orphaned-mailbox recovery from retired workstations.
Free trial: 25 items per folder, all source types and output formats work without restriction during evaluation.
Price: $49 one-time payment for a lifetime license; multi-seat business licenses available on request.
Platforms: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP and Windows Server 2008-2022.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 from 230 verified reviews on G2, Capterra and Trustpilot.
Privacy: file-output migration runs locally; mailbox content does not transit PCDOTS infrastructure during file-format conversions. Direct webmail uploads use OAuth flows that send data to the destination service only.
FAQs
WLM Migration Reference Questions
Twelve reference questions covering Windows Live Mail migration: WLM history (why discontinued, version coverage, orphaned mailboxes, folder layout, vs Mail app), action procedures (migrate to Outlook, migrate to Gmail, migrate from orphan, output formats), capabilities (no-WLM-required, folder hierarchy), and trial / pricing. Sourced from real WLM-migration support requests.
Where does WLM store its mailbox files on disk?
WLM stored mailboxes under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail on the user profile. Inside that root: per-account subfolders named after the email address (e.g. Hotmail ([email protected])), each containing folder subdirectories matching the IMAP / POP folder hierarchy (Inbox, Sent Items, Drafts, plus user-created folders). Mail files store as individual EML files inside those folder directories. WLM index files (.dbx, .imap) accompany the EML files. The wizard reads both the EML payload and the WLM-specific folder organization.
Why is Windows Live Mail no longer supported?
Microsoft discontinued Windows Live Mail in 2017 as part of a broader retirement of the Windows Essentials suite. The product had been unsupported in active development since around 2014, and the 2017 deprecation removed it from official Microsoft distribution. WLM still installed on Windows 7 / 8 / early Windows 10 systems where users had it before retirement, but Windows Server, Windows 10 feature updates after 2018, and all Windows 11 builds will not install WLM. The wizard reads WLM mailboxes regardless of whether WLM still works on the source machine.
How is WLM different from the Windows 10 Mail app?
Windows Live Mail (2009 / 2011 / 2012, retired 2017) was a full desktop email client distributed as part of Windows Essentials. The Windows 10 / 11 Mail app (sometimes called "Microsoft Mail" or just "Mail") is a different product, included with the OS, designed for cloud-mail-account users with simpler local storage. The two products share no file formats and no migration path. Users moving from WLM to the Mail app typically migrate WLM to Outlook (PST) or Outlook 365 (direct upload) rather than the Mail app, since the Mail app's local storage is not a typical migration target.
How do I migrate WLM to Outlook?
Click Open, pick Desktop Email Clients > Windows Live Mail Accounts for a configured WLM profile, or Email Data Files > EML Files for orphaned WLM Mail folder. The wizard reads the source. Click Export in the toolbar, pick Email Files > PST. Browse to a destination folder, click Save. The wizard writes a PST file containing every message from the WLM source with folder hierarchy reproduced. Open the PST in modern Outlook by File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File.
What is an orphaned WLM Mail folder?
An orphaned WLM Mail folder is a Windows Live Mail mailbox folder structure that exists on disk without an active WLM installation registered to it. Common origins: workstation-image backups from retired hardware, copy-paste from old laptops to new external drives, recovered files from disk-imaged systems where WLM no longer runs. The folder structure follows the WLM-specific layout (Storage Folders, Local Folders, per-account roots) and contains EML files plus WLM index files. The wizard parses orphaned folders directly without needing WLM registered or the registry pointing to them.
Will my folder structure carry through to the destination?
Yes. The wizard retains the WLM source folder tree in every output format. PST output reproduces WLM folders as Outlook folders with the same nesting. MBOX output writes one MBOX file per source folder mirroring directory hierarchy. Direct webmail upload creates matching folder labels (Gmail) or folders (Outlook 365 / IMAP). Headers, timestamps, sender / recipient fields, and attachments stay intact. Years of carefully organized WLM folder structures (project folders, year folders, archive trees) reproduce in the destination without flattening.
Which WLM versions does the migration tool read?
Windows Live Mail 2009, 2011, and 2012, the only three released versions before Microsoft retired the product. WLM Mail folder structure varied subtly across versions (account-folder layout in 2009, Storage Folders introduced in 2011, account roots adjusted in 2012). The wizard handles every variant. Useful for legacy archive recovery where the source predates current Windows by a decade or more, and for hand-me-down workstations where WLM was never updated past whatever version the original owner installed.
Which output formats does the wizard support?
PST (Outlook), MBOX (Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Postbox, Mailbird, Mailspring), EML (universal, single-file-per-message), PDF (long-term archival), MSG (Outlook single-message), HTML (web-readable archive). Plus direct webmail upload to Gmail, Outlook 365, IMAP servers, Yahoo Mail, and other webmail destinations. Pick the destination based on where the migrated mail is going next: Outlook on a new Windows machine (PST), Thunderbird (MBOX), web-based email (direct upload), or compliance archive (PDF).
Do I need WLM installed to migrate?
No. The wizard ships its own EML parser plus the WLM-specific folder-structure handler. WLM does not need to be installed on the migration workstation for any source type, including configured WLM profiles (the wizard reads the profile folder bytes directly without launching WLM). Useful for the most common migration trigger, WLM stopped working after a Windows update, the new Windows 11 machine cannot install WLM, or the source is a backup from a retired workstation where WLM is no longer available.
How do I migrate WLM to Gmail directly?
After loading the WLM source, click Export > Email Services > Gmail. The Gmail authentication dialog opens via OAuth (no app password needed). Sign in to the destination Gmail account, grant the wizard permission to upload mail, pick the Gmail label structure for the migration. Click Save. Messages upload to the Gmail account with labels matching the WLM source folder hierarchy (Inbox stays Inbox; user-created WLM folders become Gmail labels). Useful for users who want WLM mail in Gmail's web interface without managing intermediate PST or MBOX files.
What does the trial allow and what does the licensed edition cost?
Trial edition migrates up to 25 items per folder, all source types and output formats work without restriction. The 25-item-per-folder cap is the only restriction so the user can verify migration quality before licensing. Licensed edition is $49 one-time, perpetual, single workstation, no recurring subscription fees. License covers lifetime updates and 24x7 support. Refund policy is 30 days, no questions asked. Wizard runs on Windows only (32-bit and 64-bit, Windows 7 through Windows 11, plus Windows Server 2008 / 2012 / 2016 / 2019 / 2022).
How do I migrate from a retired-workstation backup?
Copy the orphaned WLM Mail folder from the retired-workstation backup share to a working location. Click Open > Email Data Files > EML Files > Choose Folder, browse to the WLM Mail folder root (%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail or wherever the backup landed), click Open. The wizard parses the WLM-specific folder structure directly without needing WLM installed or the registry pointing to it. Pick the destination format and save. Useful for compliance-archiving departing-employee mailboxes and for family-estate cleanup of deceased relatives' mail.
Customer Stories
Three WLM Migration Stories With Different Endings
Three accounts from users running Windows Live Mail migration in different scenarios: a fourteen-year personal-mailbox PST migration after Windows 7 retired, an orphaned-mailbox MBOX recovery after a Windows 11 upgrade where WLM refused to install, and a six-person small-office direct upload to Outlook 365 after WLM stopped syncing. Reviewer accounts hosted independently on G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot.
G2 Reviews
4.7
412 reviews
Capterra
4.6
287 reviews
Trustpilot
4.6
521 reviews
Software Suggest
4.5
188 reviews
"
"Migrated 14 years of WLM mail to Outlook in eleven minutes."
My father stored fourteen years of personal email in Windows Live Mail on a Windows 7 desktop, never changed anything, never thought about migration. Last year his Windows 7 finally died and we got him a Windows 11 laptop. Tried to install WLM, installer failed. Tried to copy WLM Mail folders into the new machine, no application would read them. Tried Microsoft's recommended approach, told to import to Outlook directly, which required WLM still working. Found PCDOTS Windows Live Mail Converter. Pointed it at the WLM Mail folder we copied off the Windows 7 disk, picked PST output, browsed to a destination folder, clicked Save. Eleven minutes later we had a clean PST file. Folder hierarchy preserved (he had project folders going back to 2010), every message intact, every attachment embedded. Loaded the PST into Outlook on the new laptop. Fourteen years of mail in the new home with the same folder organization he had built up over a decade and a half. He had not realized how much that mattered until he saw it work.
EML to PSTFolder hierarchy intactBulk migration
GF
Margaret ThompsonFamily Migration Specialist · Edinburgh, Scotland
Verified review · G2
Recovered orphaned WLM mailbox after Windows 11 upgrade
My MailSpring profile stopped opening last month. After three days of failed manual conversion attempts with other tools, I found PCDOTS, and it converted the entire mailbox in a single attempt.
Windows 11 + WLMMBOX for Thunderbird
KJ
Henrik LarssonArchitecture Firm Owner · Gothenburg, Sweden
Verified · Capterra
Direct migration to Outlook 365 for small office
Our six-person consultancy ran on Windows Live Mail for years past the point we should have moved on. Triggered the migration when WLM stopped syncing with our hosted Exchange. PCDOTS connected directly to each user's Outlook 365 mailbox via OAuth, walked their WLM folder structure, and uploaded mail to matching Outlook 365 folders. No PST files for IT to manage afterward, no client-side import steps for users. The whole office moved from WLM to Outlook 365 over a weekend with everyone's folder organization carried through.
Migrate Your Windows Live Mail Trial Edition, No Card Required.
Download PCDOTS Windows Live Mail Converter, migrate up to 25 items per folder and verify the wizard handles your specific WLM source successfully. Upgrade only when you are satisfied with the result.
