Windows Live Mail is an email client which comes with all the Windows devices. Due to its minimal but useful functions, many people utilize the Windows Live Mail for their personal and work-related emails. But after the recent update, many users started complaining that Windows Live Mail won’t open or start. Even though users are able to check the email with the help of other email clients, but still, many users want to get rid of the issue because they are used to the Live mail user interface and don’t want to use other mail clients. So, if you are also one of them and having a hard time dealing with your favorite email client, then no need to panic anymore. In this article, we are gonna provide you some hacks which can help you to get rid of the issue without the need for any third party application.
Common Reasons for the Windows Live Mail Won’t Open Issue
Windows Mail won’t open is a very frustrating problem for the users because the error notification does not indicate what exactly is causing the issue. Thus troubleshooting this error becomes very long and complicated. That’s why, after doing some research, we have found some potential causes which can trigger the issue. These are:
- Most of the time, Windows Live Mail won’t open due to the graphics card driver conflicting with the Windows OS, especially after the update. That’s why when the graphics card does not work correctly, users are not able to open the Windows Live Mail in that particular device.
- At times, this issue can also occur when the Windows Live Mail cache is corrupted. That’s why, when the user clicks on the Windows Live Mail icon it shows loading but nothing comes up even after a long time.
- This problem can also occur if the computer’s disk is full.
Hacks to Fix the Issue of Windows Live Mail Won’t Open
Even though this particular problem is quite irritating for most of the users but the methods to fix the problem are quite easy and flexible. In this article, we have only added the most effective and simplest methods. So, even if you don’t have much technical knowledge, you can still fix the issue by following this article.
Method #1: Delete Windows Live Mail Cache
If the problem is occurring due to the corrupted cache, then the best way to fix the problem will be to delete the Windows Live Mail Cache from the current device. In the Windows devices, all the programs and applications contain a cache folder. This folder contains all the temporary files which are frequently used by the applications. If any malware corrupt the files in this folder, it will directly affect the function of Windows Live Mail. If you don’t know how to locate a cache folder of a particular application, then follow the steps below.
- At first, turn on your device and then press Windows Key + R key to open the Run dialogue box.
- Now type %localappdata% in the Run dialogue box and then hit the Enter button to open the Local folder. Alternatively, you can also open the Local folder by following the path:
Windows Explorer->This PC->Local Disk (:C)-> Users-> Your Account Name->AppData-> Local.
- Next, from the Local folder, double click on Microsoft and then click on the Windows Live folder to open it.
- After that, select the cache folder and press Shift+Delete to permanently delete the folder from your device.
- When the cache folder is removed, reboot your computer and then launch the Windows Live Mail to check if the problem is solved or not.
For information, when you delete the cache folder and then try to open the file, your system will automatically download all the necessary files to run the Windows Live Mail.
Method #2: Run the Windows Live Mail
Sometimes, the problem can be fixed by some simple tweak in compatibility settings. If the Windows and WLM are on the wrong foot from the start, then it clearly explains why you are not able to open the Windows Live Mail service. So, switching to a different compatibility mode solves the problem within split seconds. So, if you are interested to use the method then follow the steps below.
- At first, turn on your device and then open the Windows Explorer from your device. After that, select Local Disk (C:) from the left panel and click on Program Files or Program Files (x86).
- Now, from the current folder, open the Windows Live Mail and after that right-click on the wlmail.exe file to launch its Properties windows.
- Once the Properties window opens, locate and click on the Compatibility tab from the top of the window.
- Next, check the box “Run this program in compatibility mode for” and open the drop-down menu to select the correct Windows Operating system.
- After that, from the same window, check the “Run this program as an administrator” box and press the apply button to save the changes you have made.
- Now, press the Ok button to exit from the current window and restart the Windows Live Mail to check if the issue is solved or not
Method #3: Check Windows Firewall and Third Party Firewalls
Checking the Firewall settings is a must for fixing any kind of connection related issue and Windows Live Mail won’t open is not an exception. Windows Live Mail needs to connect to a dedicated server in order to access your inbox and sync it. So, if you are using the wrong settings for firewall then it can block Windows Live Mail service. If you don’t know what settings you need to change then follow the steps below:
- Turn on your device and then open the Start menu in order to locate and launch the Windows Firewall.
- Once the Firewall window opens, click on Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall and then select the Change settings option. Keep in mind that you need administrator rights in order to change the Firewall settings.
- Now, in the Allowed apps and features box, you have to find and enable the below-mentioned protocol for both Private and Public network
- Windows Live Communications Platform
- Windows Live Communications Platform (SSDP)
- Live Communications Platform (UPnP)
After completing the above changes, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved or not.
If the problem is still present after using the method or if the above-mentioned protocol is already enabled, then disable or uninstall the third party antivirus you are currently using. Third party application like Avast or AVG also filters the connection for all the programs in the device. So removing it can also help you to get rid of the problem. If the problem is really resolved after disabling your current third-party application then we will recommend you to replace it with a different anti-virus program.
Method #4: Repair Windows Essentials
Windows offers built-in tools to fix any minor and major issue of all the essential program present in the device. To use the method, follow the steps below.
- Press Windows + X key to open the Quick access menu and then select the Control Panel.
- After that, click on Uninstall a program button and then find the Windows Essentials option.
- Once you locate the option, right click on it and then select the Uninstall/Change button.
- When the new window opens, you will see Repair all Windows Essentials programs button. Click on it and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair process.
After completing the above steps, simply close the current window and then reboot your PC.
Method #5: Create New Windows Live Mail Account
If the problem is occurring when you are trying to open an account which you recently created, then it’s possible that the Windows Live Mail won’t open due to the wrong setup of the account. In this case, you can follow the below guidelines to create a new Live Mail account with the proper setup:
- At first, run the Live Mail function and click on the File button in the top left of the window. After that, select Option, then choose Email accounts and finally click on the Add button to open the Add your email accounts window.
- Next, fill in your name, email address, password and then press Next button to open the Configure server settings.
- This is the main part of the whole setup. Making a minor mistake in the Configure server settings can land you to the same problem as below. That’s why we have provided a sample of correct configuration down below
Fill in the Incoming server information:
Server type: IMAP
Server address: imap.fastmail.com
Port: 993
Require a secure connection (SSL): Yes
Authenticate using: Clear text
Log in user name: Your full FastMail username, including the domain.
Fill in the Outgoing server information:
Server address: smtp.fastmail.com
Port: 465
Require a secure connection (SSL): Yes
Require authentication: Yes
After following this setup, your problem will be resolved if it’s occurring due to the wrong configuration.
Wrapping it Up
Hope our guide is able to solve your query regarding the problem Windows Live Mail won’t open. If you know some better method to fix the problem then you can share it with us. Somehow, if the above methods are unable to solve Windows mail won’t open issue, then we will highly recommend you go for expert guidance.
