I still miss the Windows Mail app — this is the closest replacement I’ve found

I’m probably in the minority here, but Windows Mail was one of my favorite Microsoft apps. I know, it wasn’t the most advanced email client, but I still liked it for its ease of use. So, ever since Microsoft killed it off, I’ve been trying to find something that could feel the void, and Wino Mail turned out to be just that.

It’s a free and open-source email app that doesn’t try to overwhelm you with features. Instead, it takes inspiration from Windows Mail and keeps things clean and fast. It also has everything you might need from a decent email client, without the complexity that usually comes with feature-packed email apps.

Wino Mail picks up where Windows Mail left off

It brings all my accounts in one place

Windows Mail was never the most powerful email client around, but that was exactly the point. It was lightweight and focused, which is what people like me loved about it. I could use it to manage email accounts and stay on top of notifications without any distractions.

Sadly, Windows Mail is long gone, and Microsoft now wants everyone to switch to the new Outlook app. I’ve tried using it a couple of times, but it has never really clicked for me. I’ve also tried other email clients like Thunderbird, and while they're all great, I keep coming back to Wino Mail for its simplicity.

Wino Mail feels different. It clearly takes inspiration from Windows Mail’s design philosophy. There’s no overwhelming ribbon of tools or unnecessary features. It simply brings all my email accounts and calendar into one place. It also has all the features I need, including read receipt tracking, email aliases, swipe gestures, and even folders. So yes, it’s not like I'm missing out on any useful features. The app even works offline, which is handy for checking my old emails without the internet.

Wino Mail is snappy overall and delivers notification on time. I like how it lets me respond to emails directly from the notification. I can mark an email as read, archive it, or even delete it without opening the app.

Multiple accounts, keyboard shortcuts, and customization done right

It nails the little things that matter

The biggest reason I like using email clients in the first place is simple: I want all my accounts from one place. With Wino Mail, I don’t have to juggle multiple tabs or constantly switch accounts just to keep up with my inbox. I’ve connected all my personal, work, and throwaway emails, and Wino Mail lets me manage them all effortlessly. I’ve even assigned color codes to these accounts so I can tell them apart at a glance.

And speaking of customization, Wino Mail offers a bunch of themes beyond the default plain look. You can play around with backdrop effects to change the overall look and feel. There’s even the option to create your own theme from scratch with a custom wallpaper and accent color.

My favorite part about Wino Mail, though, is keyboard shortcut support. Wino Mail lets me create custom shortcuts for things like composing a new mail, replying, sending, deleting, moving, and more. Calendar actions like adding a new event or deleting one can be done with hotkeys.

It’s free and open-source, but there’s a small catch

It won’t matter to everyone, though

Although Wino Mail is free to use, it only lets you add up to 3 accounts. For me, that's not a problem because I only have 3 accounts to manage anyway. But yes, if you need to juggle more than 3, you’ll need to pay for the app. The good news is that it’s not a subscription. You just pay $10 once, and the app is yours to keep. After that, you can add as many accounts as you want.

Wino Mail does offer a subscription, but that’s only for its AI features. You can get Wino AI Pack for around $5 a month. This brings AI tools for translating, rewriting, and summarizing inside Wino Mail. Again, this isn’t something I need, so I’ve skipped it for now. In that sense, Wino Mail is completely free for me. But if you need to manage more accounts or want extra AI tools, Wino Mail won’t fit in the “free apps” category for you.

It’s been a couple of years since Microsoft officially killed Windows Mail, but I never really got over it. And as reliable as Outlook is, I find Wino Mail more fun to use. It’s not the only Microsoft app I’ve replaced, though. I’ve recently also replaced my entire Office subscription with free and open-source alternatives.