Windows Live Hotmail
Get Hotmail-
Your e-mail, better than ever
Fast and easy-to-use, Hotmail is more than just another e-mail account. It's all your online stuff together. E-mails, calendars, contacts, spam protection features, and more.
-
Screen capture demonstrating “
Quick add
” inserts maps, videos, photos, and more into your e-mail“
Quick add
” inserts maps, videos, photos, and more into your e-mailEasily search for details and insert them into your e-mails without ever leaving your Hotmail.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Screen capture demonstrating “
What’s New
” feed“
What’s New
” feedSee your friends’ status messages, who posted new photos, and who commented on a blog.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Screen capture demonstrating Ever-growing storage
Ever-growing storage
Hotmail storage grows with you, so you don't have to worry about whether to save an e-mail or delete it. (Assumes a reasonable monthly growth rate.)
See how
step-by-step -
Screen capture demonstrating Smart phone access
Smart phone access
Get Hotmail on the go on your Windows Mobile phone, Blackberry, or iPhone.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Screen capture demonstrating POP Aggregation
POP Aggregation
Easily access other e-mail accounts, like Gmail and Yahoo! Mail, so you can receive, read, and respond to all your e-mail in one place.
See how
step-by-step
Hotmail for Mobile
Specially formatted for your mobile device, it's e-mail for people on the move.
Get it now
Hotmail features
- Basics
-
Just getting started?
Hotmail makes staying connected to your social network fast, easy, and personal. Ready to get started? These helpful videos and step-by-step instructions will make you a power user in no time!
-
Color themes
From sky blue to hot pink, color your inbox with dynamic new designs.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Reading pane options
Set a reading pane for quicker viewing of your messages.
See how
step-by-step -
Fast addressing
Use the Contact Picker or auto-complete to quickly address e-mails.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
“What’s New” feed
Stay in touch with what your social network of friends is doing online.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video
-
- Personalize
-
-
Color themes
From sky blue to hot pink, color your inbox with dynamic new designs.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Reading pane options
Set a reading pane for quicker viewing of your messages.
See how
step-by-step -
E-mail distribution lists
Easily organize your contacts for distribution e-mails.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video
-
- Protect
-
-
Spam management
Easy ways to identify messages as unsafe, junk, or phishing scams.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Safety bar
Flags within e-mails that alert you to potentially unsafe messages.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Safety notice
Timely updates from the Hotmail Team detailing new e-mail scams.
See how
step-by-step
-
- Connect
-
-
Fast addressing
Use the Contact Picker or auto-complete to quickly address e-mails.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Linked account IDs
Have more than one Hotmail account? Link them together to easily access both.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
New e-mail alerts
Get notified when you receive a new e-mail.
See how
step-by-step -
“What’s New” feed
Stay in touch with what your social network of friends is doing online.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Quick add
Insert images, video, restaurant details, maps, and movie times into your e-mails.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Social networking friends
Add contacts from your Windows Live network of friends, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
See how
step-by-step
-
- Organize
-
-
Shared contacts
Your Messenger contacts can be used in Hotmail, too.
See how
step-by-step -
Ever-growing storage
Your Hotmail inbox grows with you based on your needs.
See how
step-by-step -
Birthdays in Windows Live Calendar
Easily keep track of your friends’ and families’ birthdays.
See how
step-by-step -
US Holidays in Windows Live Calendar
Easily keep track of US Holidays so you can look forward to each celebration.
See how
step-by-step -
Charms in Windows Live Calendar
Easily keep track of your personal events in Windows Live Calendar.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
To-do’s in Windows Live Calendar
Use your calendar to keep track of what you need to do.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Reminders in Windows Live Calendar
Use your calendar to remind you of what you need to do.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video
-
- Access
-
-
Hotmail for Mobile
Access your e-mail on the go from any Web-enabled mobile device.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Hotmail on MSN
View your Hotmail inbox on MSN.com alongside daily headlines.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Outlook Connector
Manage your Hotmail account within Microsoft® Office Outlook®.
See how
step-by-step Watch the video -
Web IM
IM or e-mail? Now you can now send either one from your Hotmail inbox.
See how
step-by-step -
POP Aggregation
Receive, read, and respond to mail from other e-mail accounts, including Gmail and Yahoo! Mail.
See how
step-by-step
-
Learn more from people like you
Check out what our bloggers have to say about Hotmail
-
- Microsoft
Red is for stop, yellow for caution!
4/19/2009 12:58:38 AM, Kumar
Hotmail provides an easy way to tell apart good and bad emails. RED == High Risk== Phishing/Spoofing If there is a red box on top of the email in the reading pane window (see below), Hotmail has determined the email to be a fraudulent, malicious email ...
-
- Gold
Do you Consider your self an Advanced? Windows Live user
5/31/2009 7:31:47 AM, Docextreme
This question come to mind when I visit our very own Clubhouse and read some of those great post you guys and ladies have created. I often wonder do you consider your self a Beginner- Advanced- Expert user. Windows Live have some very experience members ...
-
- Gold
Is Windows Live what you expected
5/10/2009 7:50:59 AM, Docextreme
I can only speak for my self when I say this but YES Windows Live is everything I expected when it comes to a network and new products. Not only do they give you everything for FREE but they continue to improve there services and add even more features. ...
-
- Microsoft
Free money from an empty patch of land: Anatomy of a lottery scam
4/23/2009 7:38:31 PM, Kumar
Here is an example of a lottery scam email (in red). I went through it and documented some ways to measure the authenticity of this email. These techniques can be applied to any kind of email that you think is potentially malicious. My techniques are in ...
-
- Microsoft
My friend’s e-mail is being junked! why?
4/18/2009 2:19:01 PM, Kumar
Hotmail supports three settings for the junk mail filter in Hotmail that determine WHAT goes into the junk e-mail folder. Low, Standard and Exclusive. If your junk e-mail filter is set to “Exclusive” and your friend is not on your “contacts” or the “safe ...
-
- Gold
Oh Where, Oh Where did my Messidog go?
4/20/2009 10:48:56 PM, Jeffrey
During an interesting course of events today, (which just got more interesting as the Windows Live team just released Messenger in the Windows Live Hotmail client and in People! This is good news!) which started out by reading Docextreme’s How long Have ...
-
Family Safety
Family Safety
Manage and monitor your children’s Web experience so they can surf the Internet more safely.
Learn more -
Writer
Writer
Compose your blog, add your photos and links to your video, then post it on the web.
Learn more -
Movie Makerbeta
Movie Maker
Create beautiful, memorable movies, then publish to the Web with a few clicks.
Learn more - Hotmail
- Messenger
- Photo Gallery
- Windows Live Spaces
- SkyDrive
-
Profile
Profile
Easily share your latest updates and key information to family, friends, or the whole world.
Learn more -
Photos
Photos
Tag and share photos, make slideshows, and let friends and family comment on their favorites.
Learn more - Calendar
-
Groups
Groups
Connect and collaborate online with your real-world teams, clubs, family, and other groups.
Learn more