How to restore windows live mail storage folders

The nostalgia of Windows Live Mail!

Restoring Windows Live Mail storage folders can be a bit tricky, but I'll guide you through the process. Before we begin, please note that Windows Live Mail is no longer supported by Microsoft, and it's recommended to use alternative email clients like Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird.

Method 1: Restore from a backup

If you have a backup of your Windows Live Mail storage folders, you can restore them. To do this:

  1. Go to the backup location and find the folder containing your Windows Live Mail storage files (usually named "Windows Live Mail" or "WLM").
  2. Copy the entire folder to a safe location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage.
  3. Open Windows Live Mail and go to "File" > "Options" > "Data Files".
  4. Click "Browse" and navigate to the location where you copied the backup folder.
  5. Select the backup folder and click "Open".
  6. Windows Live Mail will restore your email data from the backup folder.

Method 2: Restore from a system image

If you have a system image backup of your Windows installation, you can restore your Windows Live Mail storage folders from the backup. To do this:

  1. Restore your system image to the same computer or a new one.
  2. Once the restore process is complete, open Windows Live Mail.
  3. Go to "File" > "Options" > "Data Files".
  4. Click "Browse" and navigate to the default location of your Windows Live Mail storage files (usually "C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail").
  5. Look for the "Windows Live Mail" folder and copy it to a safe location.
  6. Open Windows Live Mail and go to "File" > "Options" > "Data Files".
  7. Click "Browse" and navigate to the location where you copied the "Windows Live Mail" folder.
  8. Select the folder and click "Open".
  9. Windows Live Mail will restore your email data from the backup folder.

Method 3: Manually recreate folders

If you don't have a backup or system image, you can try manually recreating your Windows Live Mail storage folders. To do this:

  1. Open Windows Live Mail and go to "File" > "Options" > "Data Files".
  2. Click "Browse" and navigate to the default location of your Windows Live Mail storage files (usually "C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail").
  3. Look for the "Windows Live Mail" folder and delete it.
  4. Create a new folder with the same name ("Windows Live Mail") in the same location.
  5. Create subfolders for each email account you had in Windows Live Mail (e.g., "Inbox", "Sent Items", "Deleted Items", etc.).
  6. Move your email files from the backup location (if you have one) or manually recreate your email folders and files.
  7. Open Windows Live Mail and go to "File" > "Options" > "Data Files".
  8. Click "Browse" and navigate to the location where you created the new "Windows Live Mail" folder.
  9. Select the folder and click "Open".
  10. Windows Live Mail will recognize the new folder and restore your email data.

Remember to be patient and cautious when restoring your Windows Live Mail storage folders, as this process can be time-consuming and may require manual adjustments.