Thunderbird works with standard protocols POP/IMAP/SMTP. You'll need to ask this question to Microsoft whether they'll continue to support these protocols.

I would respectfully disagree. Microsoft has announced that Windows Live Mail will no longer receive emails starting July1. It would be in Thunderbird's best interest (as well as the many, many people who depend on it) to ascertain whether there are going to be any issues at that point. If Thunderbird ceases to work on July 1, as is the case with Windows Live Mail, there are going to be thousands of very unhappy users. Thanks, though, for your quick reply

RHH12 said

I would respectfully disagree. Microsoft has announced that Windows Live Mail will no longer receive emails starting July1.

and Windows live mail is a mail client, just as Thunderbird is, just as outlook is and just at many other desktop programs are.

You are asking a question akin to Ford will be closing July first. Will my Mazda still work.

It would be in Thunderbird's best interest (as well as the many, many people who depend on it) to ascertain whether there are going to be any issues at that point. If Thunderbird ceases to work on July 1, as is the case with Windows Live Mail, there are going to be thousands of very unhappy users. Thanks, though, for your quick reply

I think I have addressed all your points.

The problem for WLM users is that the default sync method -- DeltaSync -- is not compatible with the new infrastructure for Live Mail, now called Outlook.com. Thunderbird doesn't have that problem because it doesn't use DeltaSync.

Do you know whether your Outlook.com account has already been switched to the new system? You can tell from the URL when you log into your account on the web.

Old system: https://abc123.mail.live.com/ (abc123 varies)

New system: https://outlook.live.com/owa/

Thanks you jscher2000. That information is what I had hoped to hear. According to Microsoft's announcement, the change to the new system won't begin until after June 30th. I've confirmed I'm still on the old system. Appreciate the very helpful reply

Hi RHH12, the conversion has been ongoing since February, with millions of accounts being switched every day so that all 0.5 billion accounts can be switched by mid-Summer. If you got an email directly from Microsoft about the Windows Live Mail program, your conversion was deferred to the last group because at some point you used WLM to access your account.

Hello - newbie/idiot here - have used Windows various flavors of e-mail for > 15 yrs; currently have Win Live Mail 2012 w/maybe ~ 4 GB of mail messages stored locally in C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail . As I want to continue to have LOCAL OFFLINE storage/access to these mails, I just dwnlded/installed Thunderbird & 'migrated' over 2 'hotmail' accounts w/what appears to be ALL my current 'store' of above ~4GB mails. It took some time b/c I believe Thunderbird went directly to MSFT server [I provided NAME & PASSWORD] & downloaded all mails rather than just going to above local storage location. OK. now - several questions PLEASE: 1.) WHERE [on local machine] does Thunderbird 'store' all these [& future] mails? 2.) can I NOW delete all the contents of the above C:\users... to free up some disk space ? 3.) I am amazed that I did NOT need to go in and set up 'outgoing server'/'incoming server'/flamstam/gee gaw/etc for an hour --- the 'migration' appeared to be almost magic/seamless/automatic/thorough -- KUDOS to u geniuses for making this EASY !!!! 4.) Can/SHOULD I destroy/remove WLM 2012 [client software - not necessarily the above mail message cache] now ? Do I need it anymore? 5.) & hopefully LAST question --- I read above several comments and to my stupid/untrained eye, it appears there is some possible question remaining as to whether MSFT will RETAIN the ability to allow 3rd party CLIENTS [THUNDERBIRD] to access User Accounts, even though they [MSFT] are moving from DeltaSync to interface w/Outlook. Bottom line - can I hopefully now use Thunderbird for forseeable future ? {meaning maybe a coupla years ? --- ps - I DON'T wanna move THIS machine from Win7 pro 64-bit to Win10 till last possible moment. I have several other machines running all the 'newer flavors' of Windows }. SORRY for long post. Any help is much appreciated. THANK YOU. still --- <rudyrudy1862hot@hotmail.com> (I hope !!! Ha Ha )

Hi GHD1234, would you mind starting a new question? These points are "off topic" of the earlier discussion in this thread and also this thread is marked "solved" so you're not going to get a lot of attention here.

You can use the "Ask a Question" link at the top of the page or this link:

https://support.mozilla.org/questions/new/thunderbird/other

For now, DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING. The reason I say that is most likely Thunderbird set up your account using IMAP, so the mail folders you see in Thunderbird are a mirror copy of what is on the server, not an independent local copy. In that case, deleting messages from the server OR the mirror copy will remove the mail from both locations and leave you WITHOUT a local copy of your old mail.

Therefore, in your new thread, please wait for more expert advice on how best to move the mail to independent local folders before deleting anything.

Hello jscher2000 -- Thx for e-mail; YES; since I 'posted' above, I went into the C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail folder & guess what ?? [rhetorical] -- The SAME folders are NOW 'associated' w/Thunderbird !!! So, it's very possible that 'Thunderbird porting routine' just GOES directly THERE & does NOT 'download' from MSFT servers. Don't know/don't care --- it WORKED !!!! So, probably most of my above questions are already resolved. THANKS for ur quick response !! If I require n e thing else, I'll ask in 'proper thread' or new question.

Hi GHD1234, it might be that the file extensions used by WLM and Thunderbird are the same, but Thunderbird should store its mail folders in its own part of the user folder. More details on where to find that: Profiles - Where Thunderbird stores your messages and other user data.

Yes; you are correct. And there is an exact duplicate of the Windows Live Mail 'mail messages' under the 'AppData -> ROAMING -> Thunderbird -> Profiles which I'm guessing are 'used' by this Thunderbird 'e-mail client'.

I will 'ask' in a 'new post/question', then, a bit later, if/when the MSFT files and/or program can safely be removed. ps - I have used Eudora; Lotus [2 dozen flavors]; Outlook; Netscape; @Mail.... plus all the familiar 'web-based flavors' and so far, I'm exceedingly pleased w/Thunderbird !!! Thx again.