If you use a Windows Live email address, that being any address that ends in @hotmail.com, @msn.com or @live.com, you can access the account right now in the Windows Live Mail client.
The immediate advantages of using WL Mail:
- No ads anywhere in the client
- No ads sent on outgoing mail
- Allows for local caching of mail for faster access and being able to read your mail offline
- Easier to attach files
- Faster than using the web interface
There are more but those are the biggies.
The way a Hotmail account is configured in WL Mail by default is to download a copy of every mail in your account (and no that does not mean once downloaded it deletes from the web version.) This unfortunately includes the Junk and Deleted folders, so every time your perform a mail check, anything in those folders is downloaded as well.
You can easily configure Hotmail to download only the headers by simply right-clicking on the folder and choosing the appropriate option.
It’s as simple as this:
Pictured above is done by doing the following:
- Right-click the Junk e-mail folder.
- Hover over Synchronization settings.
- Click Headers only.
What this will do is download just the header and not the actual message. You will see the subject line but the mail will not be downloaded unless you actually open it.
I suggest doing this for both the Junk and the Deleted Items folder, because when you delete something you obviously don’t want it locally cached. Don’t worry, your deleted mail will still be there on a server level for 30 days unless you specifically choose to empty the Deleted Items folder.
Any folder in your Windows Live mail account can be set to Headers Only. This may prove to be an advantage for those that have bandwidth caps imposed by their ISP, or a slow internet connection. Headers are nothing but very small files and download almost instantly.
The WL mail client has no ads anywhere in it. Using it in combination with the headers only option makes it one of the speediest mail systems you can use.
Quick questions answered
Does the Windows Live Mail client use IMAP for Windows Live accounts?
No. Windows Live mail uses a proprietary protocol by Microsoft called DeltaSync. It allows for two-way synchronization of mail/contacts/calendar/notes, so it in fact does a whole lot more than just mail.
If I have a folder set to headers only and I delete a mail, does it get moved to the Deleted Items folder even though I don’t have to re-download it?
Yes. The way in which it works is that the WL Mail client has seamless synchronization with the web-based version. When you delete a mail and then click the Sync button (or just wait until the client performs another mail check), what you do on a local level will be reflected exactly in the web-based version, and can be loaded the same way on either platform. Even if you did not read the mail and deleted it, it will still be moved to the appropriate location.
Is there any way I can turn off the reading pane so I don’t automatically download an email when I click on it?
Yes, you can turn off the reading pane. First it should be noted that the reading pane is by design disabled whenever viewing the Junk e-mail folder. So even if you have it enabled and go inside the Junk e-mail folder, it will turn itself off when in there. However if you want it off all the time, press ALT+V to bring up the View menu, then click Layout.
You will see this:
Simply uncheck the box for Show the reading pane, then click Apply then OK.
Will adjusting synchronization settings for my Windows Live account affect any other Live or other POP/IMAP accounts I have in WL Mail?
No. Whatever you adjust for sync settings will only affect that specific account. It does not "carry over" to others.
Are headers re-downloaded every time I start the WL Mail client?
Yes. WL Mail ordinarily performs a mail check (what it called a "Sync") on startup unless you configured it otherwise. Being that headers are so small in size this will not be a cause for concern.
Will choosing headers only for specific folders affect the way I search mail in WL Mail?
Yes. Any search performed in a folder you have set to headers only will only search to/from addresses and subject line, but not the body of the message since it isn’t downloaded locally at that point. To perform full searches that include the body of the message, you will have to have full synchronization or use the web-based version.
If I currently have a folder set to full synchronization and switch to headers only, are the local copies removed for the mail in that folder?
No. If you want to configure a Live account with headers only for everything, remove the account from WL Mail and re-add it. On first check of mail, stop the process (click "Sync" twice to see the window and hit the stop button), set all folders to headers only, then perform another sync.
Got another question about Live mail and the WL Mail client? Leave a comment and ask.
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