I want to know how to preview my windows 8 mail without actually opening up the message as I am concerned about malware being launched.  I understand not to open attachments or click on links, but I am concerned that just viewing the message could launch HTML or other typed of code.  Could you please inform me as to the best way of getting my mail.  Is it possible to just read the message in plain text?   Does the mail coming to me get scanned prior to me opening it?  I do not have a method of scanning my mail with my antivirus or downloading it to my machine, so that my antivirus can scan it before I view it.  I do not see an option to preview the message without opening it, or is that a default action?Just by starting my mail ap, I see the contents of the message in the right pane and I didn't click to open it or anything.

To summarize:  These questions all apply to windows 8.1 included mail ap.  I have a .live account

1.) Does windows 8.1 mail ap automatically provide a preview pane so that I can read the mail without opening it?

2.) Is it possible to download my mail to my machine so that I can perform a malware scan prior to opening it?

3.)  Does windows live automatically scan my mail before it sends it to my mail box?

To summarize:  These questions apply to obtaining the safest mail solution available from Microsoft.

1.)  Is there a better, more safe way to get my mail than from my included windows 8.1 mail ap using a live account?

2.)  Is there a mail solution that will allow me to download mail to my machine before opening it?

3.)  Is there a mail solution that will allow me to view my mail in plain text, so that I can prevent any code from running when I view it?

4.)  Is there a mail solution that will allow me to preview the message so that I never have to open it in the first place?

5.)  What are the security advantages to using an IMAP mail service over windows 8.1 mail ap and a .live account?

Thanks so much for your efforts.  I am very concerned about the safety of using email.

Sincerely, 

Matthew Miles