How to Upgrade Outlook Express in Windows XP

By Daniel Hatter

i Siri Stafford/Digital Vision/Getty Images

The Microsoft Outlook Express eMail program is included with the Windows XP operating system. Microsoft has since come out with an updated program known as Windows Live Mail, which is based off of the original Outlook Express but with multiple updated features and a new, sleeker interface. Upgrading your Windows XP Outlook Express to Windows Live Mail is recommended as the original Outlook Express is no longer updated. Once installed, Windows Live Mail can import your saved emails and contacts from Outlook Express.

Step 1

Download and install Windows Live Mail (see "Resources" for link).

Step 2

Import your Outlook Express eMails. Start Windows Live Mail (Start > All Programs > Windows Live > Windows Live Mail), then open the "File" menu and go to Import > Messages. Select "Microsoft Outlook Express 6" from the program list, then click "Next." Follow the onscreen prompts. Your messages will be placed in the "Storage folders" folder tree.

Step 3

Export your contacts from Outlook Express. Start Outlook Express (Start > All Programs > Outlook Express), then open the "File" menu and go to Export > Address Book. Select "Text File (Comma Separated Values)," then click "Export." Click on the "Browse" button, then select the location and name for the file. Click "Next," then check the desired checkboxes for the contacts you wish to export. Click "Finish," then "OK" and "Close."

Step 4

Import your Outlook Express contacts to Windows Live Mail. Start Windows Live Mail. Click on the "Contacts" button (bottom-left corner), then open the "File" menu and go to Import > Comma Separated Values (.CSV). Navigate to the location of the file you saved in the previous step, then select it and click "Open." Your contacts will now be imported.

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