Claws mail - Free lightweight fast email client now ported to W11 (and W10)

Nice very fast FREE lightweight email client - multiple accounts, IMAP, POP3,EXCHANGE servers -- ported over from Linux -- works very well on Windows for those who are looking for alternatives to Ms's offerings.

Probably most of you have never heard of it - but it's popular on Linux distros => the port to Windows is robust.




If you need a decent fully functional fast email client (FREE) without all the hassle of a load of many other clients, especially when they restrict the number of accounts just try it.

BTW Claws Mail doesn't cause problems if you use it as well as Thunderbird or Ms Outlook so easy to compare what you like with other email clients. Thunderbird is probably the most full featured but Claws is lighning fast and small and does exactly waht I need an email client to do -- I don't need all the Zoom type collaboration features built in etc.

Running on :



Cheers
jimbo

I always disliked Outlook Express back in the day and began using Windows Live Mail that IMO in it's heyday was the best app I have ever used for managing multiple accounts. As such, I recommended and installed it for about 200 other people who now depend on me to fix their problems with it or install something else for them. They (and me) liked it so much they didn't want anything else. It's been a constant battle to keep WLM hobbling along. When Google made all their changes with Gmail it broke WLM for a lot of people. Maybe Claws can be a solution, but I can't see how since Gmail will no longer allow one to use less secure apps.
I've tried so many. IMO Windows Mail is a real piece of crap, par to web mail. Outlook has also always been an option but I never have liked it either with the same objection I had to Outlook Express. It was always so difficult to move it to another computer. (With WLM it was export, import, done) I detest all of them. TB is workable, but the amount of options one has to dig into is overwhelming for a lot of people. Because it can do so much, it's interface is entirely too busy. For my personal use, TB just isn't for me. I prefer KISS.
I like the simplistic look of Claws so will give it a try.

glasskuter said:

IMO Windows Mail is a real piece of crap, par to web mail. ... I prefer KISS. I like the simplistic look of Claws so will give it a try.

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Now, @glasskuter, I almost always side with you on any issue you espouse on this forum, but on this point, I have to take exception. I find the Mail app perfectly adequate for my email needs, granting that it's just a front-end for my gmail account, and I rely on the gmail interface for long-term storage and trash that's more than a couple of days old. It certainly is simple.

So, I'd like to know what it is about W Mail that you find inadequate -- i.e., what makes it a "piece of crap"?

Wisewiz said:

I'd like to know what it is about W Mail that you find inadequate

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Like you said, it's basic mail. It doesn't offer any advanced features. Let me count the ways it doesn't work for me.
I have 5 email accounts used for different purposes
I use a couple of contact categories that include addresses for particular mailing lists
I like more control over how my mail appears
I like a full toolbar
I maintain a lot of folders within my email, some stored on the server and some my computer.
And it sure is ugly

glasskuter said:

Like you said, it's basic mail. It doesn't offer any advanced features. Let me count the ways it doesn't work for me.
I have 5 email accounts used for different purposes

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I believe it'll do that.

glasskuter said:

I use a couple of contact categories that include addresses for particular mailing lists

Click to expand...

Got me there. I set up two sets of contacts in Gmail online, but not in WMail.

glasskuter said:

I like more control over how my mail appears

Click to expand...

I guess I'm pretty happy with the ways I can make it look.

glasskuter said:

I like a full toolbar

Click to expand...

Got me there, too. I just don't miss it in W11 since I got used to the stripped toolbar in File Explorer.

glasskuter said:

I maintain a lot of folders within my email, some stored on the server and some my computer.

Click to expand...

I see. I have several folders that are not native to WMail, but they're all actually on GMail's online GUI.

glasskuter said:

And it sure is ugly

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No argument there, either. I just don't have many expectations for esthetic appeal in my mail handler.

You win, hands down, but I'm gonna hang with WMail for the time being. I used to love the old "Live," and when they made that disappear, I sighed and gave up. Mail is just a little thing for me, and I long ago decided that little things are not worth fighting for; the energy is better spent on fighting for the BIG things.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Dan

Hi folks

Claws email has menus and simple to configure -- IMAP and POP -- IMAP IMO is better since you can leave files on the server(s) and you can copy them into a local folder if you want / need to. You can also create sub folders both on the IMAP server (if it allows you to create folders within your main mailbox) and of course on your local machine.

For a really simple totally KISS system you can't beat claws email - especially as its free and runs both on Linux and Windows so you can use the same email client on both OS'es if you want to. Also unlike TB works on Android (probably not on iPhones though).

In some ways it reminds me of the good old OE in Windows XP but with better message thread handling etc. It is very basic but that's the whole purpose of it -- functional, free and very fast. (As it's ported from Linux my belief is that the code is written far more efficiently for the windows port than would usually be the case for a 100% pure native Windows application --but I'm biased. !!!!).

@Edwin The source code is also available so there's nothing to stop "Geeks" from mucking about with it either !!

TB is good but can be quite complex especially for beginners as a lot of the options are deeply hidden or in obscure not obvious places.

to install on arch-linux / manjaro etc type systems --as root : pacman -S claws-mail, or debian / ubuntu type systems : apt install etc or on Windows just install the windows exe file from the web site. Try it on a Linux or Windows VM. !! You won't lose any email if you use imap as mail is left on server(s). POP by default downloads to local machine on most email clients unless you specify leave mail on server. Id always recommend IMAP if you use several different devices for accessing email.

I used to like the simplicity of OE in Windows XP but these days so much "officy" stuff has become so bloated and full of "features" that loads of us probably have never heard about or certainly rarely or would never use. Do I really need ZOOM / Teams plus Powerpoint presentation things etc in a basic email when just sending my monthly payment to AMEX etc !!!. In any case I avoid all of those hideous "Social media sites".


cheers
jimbo

Is Claws available in a non-installer version... just a folder with all necessary files? Does Claws support newsgroups?

rick99 said:

Is Claws available in a non-installer version... just a folder with all necessary files? Does Claws support newsgroups?

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????

But there is an API and it's open source so presumably you could "play around with it".
not sure why an application on Windows should have a "Non install" version -- but if you've got the source code presumably you could tinker with it.

The linux source is available via a "tarball" - extract to a standard text source file via any of the myriad "7z - unzip" etc type of programs. If you've got access to the API then most competant programmers should be able tp "port" the relevant stuff. Not my area though but there are plenty around who could do this stuff in their sleep. !!!

Ask me on "The Stock Exchange" or large civil Engineering projects -- fine -- but Windows coding !!! -- I'm outta here double quick. !!!!!

Cheers
jimbo

Most of the apps on my PC are non-install. They are Portable versions where everything is just in the program folder itself. I currently have Thunderbird and that's also Portable.

jimbo45 said:

not sure why an application on Windows should have a "Non install" version -- but if you've got the source code presumably you could tinker with it.

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@jimbo45 and @rick99

Jimbo: Whaaaat? I agree with Rick. Portables have a bundle of advantages, like keeping clutter out of the registry and keeping programs OFF the C:\ drive, where I want only my OS (and as little more as I can manage). I currently have 37 non-Microsoft programs on my main PC, and 33 of those are either portable versions or just plain standalone programs, and none of those are on C:\, and none of them mess around in my registry, so if and when I remove them from my computer, all I have to do is delete their folders. Backup images are simpler too, because I can choose to image the whole Disk 0 (C:\ and D:\ drives) or just the OS (C:\) or just the apps (D:\).

jimbo45 said:

Hi folks

Claws email has menus and simple to configure -- IMAP and POP -- IMAP IMO is better since you can leave files on the server(s) and you can copy them into a local folder if you want / need to. You can also create sub folders both on the IMAP server (if it allows you to create folders within your main mailbox) and of course on your local machine.

For a really simple totally KISS system you can't beat claws email - especially as its free and runs both on Linux and Windows so you can use the same email client on both OS'es if you want to...

Click to expand...

It's so simple to configure that it refused to work on either of my Windows machines, one WIndows 11 and the other Windows 10. I tried 2 other email clients after my failure to get Claws to work and they were straightforward to configure. I wouldn't say I liked either of those two email clients, so I uninstalled them. I'm going to stick with Thunderbird and Outlook 2019; both of these work well. Why would I want anything else anyway?

bobhurd said:

It's so simple to configure that it refused to work on either of my Windows machines, one WIndows 11 and the other Windows 10. I tried 2 other email clients after my failure to get Claws to work and they were straightforward to configure. I wouldn't say I liked either of those two email clients, so I uninstalled them. I'm going to stick with Thunderbird and Outlook 2019; both of these work well. Why would I want anything else anyway?

Click to expand...

No problem at all with people's choice --Hopefully here on these boards it's not North Korea etc. !!!

Use whatever works and you like --I'm only offering other possibilities that in my case work and others might not have heard of.

Cheers
jimbo

The other email apps that I tried were Sypheed, which Claws is based on and FireMail, a Chinese email app that had the easiest installation and configuration I've ever encountered. FireMail just needed your email address and your password and that was it. It didn't ask for my incoming or outgoing server names or ports or anything else. It worked just that easy. I dumped it though because it didn't have an audible email notification which both Outlook and Thunderbird have. And that was a deal-breaker for me. I rely on audible notifications because I don't watch the system tray constantly to see if there is a new email coming in. I mean who would?

- bob

PS If someone does try FireMail, you have to delete the Chinese.edb file to disable the Chinese user interface. WIthout that file, everything is in English.

I've been using Thunderbird with IMAP for years with no problems. But I thought I'd give Claws a try just to see how it compared. Unfortunately I was unable to get Claws to connect to my email server - I have no idea why. The log simply says "Login error" which (of course) is not much help. I tried to fix it but was unable to do so.

Another problem is the font size on my 4K monitor is too small. I tried using the compatibility options, but they did not help either. My preception: it's not ready for prime time.

glasskuter said:

Like you said, it's basic mail. It doesn't offer any advanced features. Let me count the ways it doesn't work for me.
I have 5 email accounts used for different purposes
I use a couple of contact categories that include addresses for particular mailing lists
I like more control over how my mail appears
I like a full toolbar
I maintain a lot of folders within my email, some stored on the server and some my computer.
And it sure is ugly

Click to expand...

You sound like me as I have five different emails for different purposes and like organizing them on Thunderbird. I still keep my Yahoo mail account strictly as a junk mail account to keep my other accounts from getting tons of spam lol.

Birk said:

I was unable to get Claws to connect to my email server...

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Same here.

Edwin said:

Same here.

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After reboot it should work OK -- works for me.

As for fonts etc you can change default settings -- remember though it's a basic program. TB etc are excellent if you need those sorts of things.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

After reboot it should work OK -- works for me.

Click to expand...

Nope! Not for me!
It's like the application won't call on the server for authorization... the whole Will you allow Claws Mail to read, edit, delete your mail, etc... thing!

Anyway..., I still like the strength and simplicity of Mailbird, (don't really need another client)

TB is fine -- just throwing out possible alternatives.

My main problem with Thunderbird is the default wretched way the interface works when you exit an email (has at top rather than more conventional way when you are back into inbox email list of messages) and sorting out fonts is a bit of a pain --fonts can be done via some sort of messing around in the configuration. Message display is changeable but you have to find it !!! in open messages section of configuration. Font management is still a pain though.

However as a FREE decently featured email client then it's perfectly OK. Language options etc are OK too. Most of the "more professional ones" have silly restrictions on number / type of accounts, size of attachments, number of free emails you can send per month if using their server(s) etc..

cheers
jimbo