According to Microsoft, Windows Live Essentials Mail program has discontinued support on January 10, 2017. If you have the program installed already, you can continue using it, however if you format your hard drive you will not be able to download it to reinstall.
It has become a security threat now, the longer you keep it, the more vulnerabilities it will be exposed to. It is highly recommend you find a replacement for that program ASAP. Besides using the Windows 10 built in Mail program which no one seems to like, there are plenty other options including just simply using Webmail for the email service you are getting email from. You can also download a software program such as Mozilla Thunderbird (The makers of Mozilla Firefox web browser)
If you want to use webmail, whatever the email address you are using, there is usually a webmail Interface for it. Gmail is easy as most people already know www.gmail.com even though they may have been using it through an email program such as Windows Live Mail. here’s a list of a few websites for their respective webmail interfaces.
Rogers.com email – http://rogers.mail.yahoo.com Sympatico email, Bell.net, bellnet.ca could all be the same – www.outlook.com, www.bell.net, http://www.hotmail.com– It’s a bit confusing but you can call Bell if you are using their email address they provided you as they are more confusing that Rogers. YourDomain.ca – http://mail.YourDomain.ca (for example if your email is Smith@Consulting.ca your webmail might be mail.consulting.ca unless you are using Google Services then it might be gmail.com)
Aside from webmail, you can download a program which I recommend Mozilla Thunderbird having most of the feature similar to Microsoft Outlook, with the exception it is free. Here is a link that provides some great instructions from Mozilla themselves that explain how to import your mail and your address book from Windows Live Mail.
It has all the basic features but you may find certain features missing that you were using to in Windows Live Mail, but with any program there will be some Pros and Cons. Overall I recommend Mozilla Thunderbird as my current pick for free email software. They have been around a long time, since we have gone through all the free versions of email from Microsoft from Outlook Express, to Windows Mail then Live Mail, now Windows 10 Mail, you could have just stuck with either webmail or Thunderbird this whole time. No more changing. Unless you have the paid version of Microsoft Outlook which is also forever, just you need to upgrade every 10 years, but other than that, Outlook is not going anywhere.
Bottom line, whatever program you are using, you must constantly update and upgrade to stay the most secure from hackers. if you want to continue to use outdated software for any reason, you can and it may work, but as long as you understand you have been warned. Your computer and identity could be compromised and you might not even know it. The best hackers are completely undetected.