Applies to: All versions of Windows 10, and explains how email works
Hello
This week I want to spend a bit of time discussing emails. I thought I’d write a quick post to answer some common questions, give my views on the latest Windows 10 “Mail” app. And what I suggest you do to keep emails working as you expect, as simply as possible.
It turns out email is far far more complicated to describe than I first thought. So let’s start off with some quotes from the Helpful Book Company’s very own Dictionary. I have changed / added some of these from the printed edition to be even more relevant to the email topic…
A non-email example of how email works…
- You pop into the bank and your balance is £1000.
- You then transfer (send) £100 to some guy called Mike.
- You get home and decide to check your balance on the bank website. It is now £900.
- Mike checks his balance and it has gone up by the £100 (received)
- You decide, while out on a long walk, you want to check your balance on your phone. You load up their Bank App (Bank Program) and your balance is still £900.These are all ways to check the same thing, but using different methods (a program, a website and in person). Email is very similar. If you have an email waiting for you from your email provider you can (usually) choose different ways to view it, the most common are Email Programs or webmail.
Email Jargon To Plain English
- Webmail or Web-Based Email – Instead of running an email program or App (like Thunderbird or Windows Mail) to access your emails, you visit a website and manage your emails on there.
- Email Program (or Email App) – Sometimes referred to as an Email client, this is software installed on your computer or device and it receives the email from your provider. In Windows 10 the default email program is called “Mail”, other examples are “Windows Live Mail” or “Thunderbird”. There are also many apps for tablets which allow you to access emails, such as “Inbox” from Google, or the “Mail app” on Apple devices.
- Email Provider – This is the company who you use to send and receive emails, for example Google, Yahoo, BT or TalkTalk. It can be different from the Email Program. Most email providers have Webmail available to customers. An email provider often allows access to emails via multiple methods (for example Email Programs or Webmail).
- Email – short for Electronic mail. It’s a way of sending messages through the internet to another person.
How Windows 10 has changed email, and my view on their “Mail” app…
- Windows 10 now comes with an email program (they call it an app) called simply “Mail”.
This is a very basic Email Program which allows you to send and receive emails, and that’s about it! - Previous versions of Windows had an email program called “Windows Live Mail” which is different from “Mail”. This does not [despite what Tim might say :-] work on Windows 10.
My Recommendations:
- Don’t use the Windows 10 “Mail” app.
Now this sounds a little drastic, but my thinking here is that although it is a simple program, it also lacks very basic email tasks (such as making a new email folder[update 2 – see below], e.g. for work emails). It also struggles to connect with some email providers (such as TalkTalk [1])- they just don’t work with it. - Use Webmail. Your Email Provider most likely provides a webmail website to manage your emails. Generally these are very good and work well across computers and other devices.
I can’t list all the different webmail addresses here, I have listed the 3 most popular below, but if you are stuck just leave a comment and I’ll get back to you. - If you want to stay using an Email Program, I would recommend you try Thunderbird, from the makers of Firefox.
It’s completely free and works like you would expect an email program to work! It has folders and everything…
(Number 2 is how I manage my own email, Number 3 is how we manage work email.)
Useful links
- Get the Thunderbird Email Program from here https://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/thunderbird
- Jargon Dictionary – http://www.helpfulbooks.co.uk/jargondictionary.htm
Most popular webmail website addresses:
- Gmail from Google https://mail.google.com
- Outlook.com / Hotmail from Microsoft https://www.outlook.com
- Yahoo Mail https://mail.yahoo.com
- Is yours missing? If you know it, drop it in a comment below. If you’re not quite sure, then just ask.
Happy emailing
Mike
[email protected]
[1] Thanks to David for the tip.
[2] Update 2016-08-25, After the Windows 10 anniversary update it is now possible to create folders in the Mail app if you have some supported email providers (Outlook.com or Hotmail for example)
December 7, 2016 at 11:15 am
I am a very old female and find all PC functions and explanations confusing. I note that you have an article about fixing Thunderbird up for emails but it can be difficult to do. However you recommend Webmail but do not say how to get that into the PC. I am frightened by hearing that Windows Live Mail will shortly die. What am I to do, Thunderbird or Webmail?
December 8, 2016 at 11:49 am
Hello
It looks like you are with PostOffice for your email…
Their webmail login appears to be at this website address
https://account.pobroadband.co.uk/
try logging in with your email username and password and see if it gives you their webmail.
There should be nothing to download or install you should just see all your emails in the web browser.
Let me know how you get on .
If you don’t like their webmail offering then we should give Thunderbird a try and see how we get on with that.
the PostOffice have a help page on webmail here: https://account.pobroadband.co.uk/SelfCare.UI/ContentManagement/FAQs?topic=UsingWebmail#005
Let me know how you get on
Thanks
Mike
October 5, 2016 at 4:48 pm
Sorry Mike, please bear with me but where exactly do I type in netplwiz?
October 6, 2016 at 9:50 am
Hi Jeannette
I am so sorry, I missed the key bit of info there…
When you open the start menu you can just start typing and Windows picks this up and gives you a search box.
If you want to wait a little time I think I will put together a proper how-to guide for this as it comes up quite often as a question, I will pop a link in a reply to your question when I have written it.
Many thanks
Mike
October 5, 2016 at 3:43 pm
Yes, yes and yes. That’s what I seem to have done. If you can tell me how to get back to how it was before I’d be very grateful.
October 5, 2016 at 3:58 pm
Thank you for getting back to me, sorry I just wanted to be sure before I gave instructions…
The easiest way (but it doesn’t actually remove the password as such, it just stops asking for it):
1. Open the start menu and type (or copy and paste from here) the word netplwiz
2. Open the program of the same name
3. Unclick “Users must enter a password…” at the top of this box.
4. It will ask you for your password, type it in twice and click OK
5. Do a shutdown and start up again and you should be logged in without being asked for a password
6. Keep a note of this password as you might need it in the future
Watch the video – the instructions are slightly different but with the same result. (not made by us) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONAKzmS5hbI&feature=youtu.be
Let me know how you get on
Mike
October 5, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I seem to have made things worse for myself. I seemed to have signed up to more than I bargained for! I went to Mail and now I have to sign in with my Microsoft password every time I want to go online. I have been trying to cancel this arrangement but can’t find how to do it. I think I would rather leave things as they were for the present-until I get more proficient and learn the jargon. I’d be very grateful if you could tell me how to get back.
October 5, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Hello
Sorry just to I can be clear what is happening. Do you mean when you login to your computer it asks you to sign in?
It could be that you signed up for a Microsoft Account? And this applied it’s self to your whole computer?
If this is what has happened let me know and I can provide instructions to stop it asking you.
If this is not what has happened please could you send a screen shot or explain a bit further.
Many thanks
Mike
October 3, 2016 at 6:39 pm
Dear Mike, I have just read what you say about Live Mail and Windows 10! I do have trouble frequently. I keep getting a pane come up with “Error…..” with a message I don’t understand – my provider is Talktalk-but I’m scared to start trying to change! What do you suggest I do? I don’t want to change my email address- do I have to?
October 4, 2016 at 9:42 am
Hello
It is possible to stay with your TalkTalk email address and not change it.
The only thing we might need to change is how you actually view your TalkTalk emails.
It seems like you have two options:
1. Use the TalkTalk webmail, here you login with your TalkTalk username and password and view the emails in a web browser. This is the method I use, but I have a Gmail account. You can login to TalkTalk webmail here: https://www.talktalk.co.uk/mail/
2. Switch your email client (Windows Live Mail) to another one
A. Mail App: As you have Windows 10 you have one already installed called the “Mail” app, you can open this from the start menu and type in Mail, then wait for “mail” to show up as a trusted app.
B. Thunderbird: You can use Thunderbird which is what we use at work, it works in much the same way as Windows Live Mail. (Read more on the Thunderbird set up here.
Unfortunately neither the Mail app or Thunderbird allows you to (easily) import mail from Windows Live Mail which might mean (depending on the settings) some old emails are stuck in Windows Live Mail.
Frustratingly email remains a complicated thing.
If you have a think about the options and let me know which sounds the best for you then I can provide more detail on the setup / switch.
The easiest one is to use the webmail option, but this does not save your email offline.
Let me know your thoughts
Mike
July 14, 2016 at 10:52 am
A Follow up post about installing and setting up Thunderbird can be found here:
https://www.pcinnercircle.co.uk/index.php/2016/07/thunderbird-email-client-installing-and-setting-up/
June 20, 2016 at 11:38 am
A Follow up from Tim about how email programs actually check for new emails…
http://helpfulbooks.co.uk/emailnewsletter/?p=933
June 14, 2016 at 10:38 am
Using Windows Live Mail with a Microsoft email address? Read why you need to change your email program…
http://helpfulbooks.co.uk/emailnewsletter/?p=930
Email addresses affected outlook.com, live.com, hotmail.com (and .co.uk variations)
May 25, 2016 at 12:01 pm
TalkTalk – https://www.talktalk.co.uk/mail/
BT – https://www.bt.com/btmail