EvolutionLinux vs Windows Live MailWindows

Evolution as a Linux alternative to Windows Live Mail

Updated October 23, 2026

Our verdict

Evolution is a solid replacement for Windows Live Mail. It bundles email, calendar, contacts and tasks in a single window, supports IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV, and EWS, and offers built‑in encryption. It is best for users who need a full‑featured personal information manager on Linux and are comfortable with a slightly steeper learning curve. For casual users who only need basic email, a lighter client might be easier.

Feature parity85%

License: GPL-2.0+ and GFDL-1.3
Price: Free
Latest version: 3.62.1 (October 9, 2026)
Rating: —

Install Evolution Website ↗

Evolution screenshot — Mail – Classic View

What works the same

Both provide integrated email, calendar, and contact management
Both support IMAP and POP3 protocols
Both allow multi‑account handling
Both offer RSS feed reading and basic newsreader features

What is different

Evolution lacks native Windows Live Mail import/export tools; migration requires manual setup
Evolution does not include a built‑in newsreader like Windows Live Mail’s newsreader tab
Evolution’s RSS support is limited to third‑party extensions
Evolution does not provide a simple one‑click migration wizard
Evolution’s UI is more complex than Windows Live Mail’s straightforward layout

Opening your Windows Live Mail files

Windows Live Mail stores data in .pst files and a proprietary database format. Evolution does not natively import .pst files; users must export mail as .eml or use a third‑party tool such as pst-utils to convert to mbox before importing into Evolution. Contacts and calendar data can be exported as vCard or iCalendar and then imported. No direct compatibility exists, so migration requires intermediate conversion steps.

Switching from Windows Live Mail to Evolution, step by step

Export all mail from Windows Live Mail as .eml files (or use a tool to convert .pst to mbox).
Export contacts as vCard (.vcf) and calendar events as iCalendar (.ics).
In Evolution, create new mail accounts and point them to the exported folders or import the mbox files via File → Import.
Import vCard files into Evolution’s address book and iCalendar files into the calendar.
Verify that all accounts and data appear correctly and adjust any missing settings such as server ports or SSL options.

Key features of Evolution

Integrated mail, calendar, contacts and tasks in one window
Full support for IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV, and EWS
Standard data formats (MIME, iCalendar, vCard)
Built‑in encryption with GnuPG and S/MIME
Address book with LDAP and local storage
Calendar sharing and scheduling via CalDAV
Mail filtering rules and search
Customizable keyboard shortcuts

How to install Evolution on Linux

Flatpak (Flathub)flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Evolution

Ubuntu / Mintsudo apt install evolution

Debiansudo apt install evolution

Fedorasudo dnf install evolution

Arch / Manjarosudo pacman -S evolution-bogofilter

openSUSEsudo zypper install evolution

Frequently asked questions

Can Evolution import my Windows Live Mail .pst files directly?

No, Evolution does not support .pst import. You need to convert .pst to mbox or .eml first using tools like pst-utils.

Does Evolution support the same RSS feeds I used in Windows Live Mail?

Evolution can read RSS feeds, but it requires installing the Evolution RSS plugin or using a separate RSS reader. It does not have a built‑in feed reader like Windows Live Mail.

Will my calendar events sync with my Exchange server after migration?

Yes, if you set up the Exchange account via EWS in Evolution, your calendar events will sync. You may need to re‑import existing events into the Exchange calendar if they were stored locally.