How to Move Your Hotmail Account to an Outlook Account?

Over the past years, Microsoft has done quite a few name changes, and they might have left you scratching your heads as to why the names are so confusing! Recently, Microsoft launched the Outlook.com!

Now, DO NOT be confused to think that your old Hotmail account just got nullified. Both the email addresses @hotmail.com and @outlook.com use the same email service. Instead, the change says that new users shall only be able to create @outlook.com.

So, what was formerly Hotmail is now Outlook.com. Just after this launch, Microsoft witnessed millions of people upgrading to Outlook.com with the first week. If you have been willing to upgrade to an Outlook.com account, this is just the right post for you!

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OVERVIEW:

No matter which service you are currently using, it’s very simple switching to Outlook.com. Firstly, be assured that you won’t necessarily need to create a new account on Outlook.com, though this is also an option. You may also upgrade with the Hotmail account you have been using. Microsoft syncs all your settings and old data to Outlook.com, and you can work as before.

CREATING A NEW OUTLOOK.COM ACCOUNT:

If you don’t have important contacts linked with your old Hotmail account and the account isn’t of any special use to you, you may opt to start afresh. You must note that if you follow this way of upgrading, all your data is lost and nothing is switched over onto your new account. You will be welcomed with an all new Outlook account. However, you have the decision to link your old and new accounts together and switch between them as and when you need. One important point to note here is that both your old and new accounts are separated and no way really combined.

Once that you have decided to start afresh, follow these few simple steps to set up your own new Outlook.com account:

Head forward to www.outlook.com. You DO NOT need to login to your old Hotmail account.
Next, click upon the ‘Create free account’ link as shown below.

On clicking, you should be redirected to a Microsoft account form where you need to choose your email id and set a password.
Previously when the Outlook preview was just launched, you could be able to rename your old account which is no more an option.
After completing all the details required and accepting the T&C of Microsoft Outlook account, you are all set and shall receive a welcome screen as below.

READ How to Remove Your IP Address from the Hotmail/ Outlook Blacklist?

LINKING ACCOUNTS:

Once you have created a new Outlook.com account, and feel the need to connect to your old Hotmail.com account, you can link the old one to this new account. As said before, this linking of accounts won’t actually combine them. It would simply sync both your separate accounts. So think twice before you choose what needs to be done!
To start with, you have to click on the ‘Settings’ icon in the top right corner of the Home Window.

Next you need to scroll over to click onto ‘View all Outlook Settings’.
A pop-up menu shall appear on your screen. From the left menu of this, select the ‘Mail’ tab and then onto ‘Sync Emails’ option.

Click on the ‘Other email accounts’ option as in the figure above.
You should see the ‘Connect your account’ menu as shown in the pic below.

Enter your Hotmail email address and password to confirm. Select the ‘OK’ button to continue.
Once the linking of your accounts is complete, you shall receive a success message. All the emails of your old email account shall be imported in a new folder of your Outlook account.
Now you can easily switch between your accounts. To switch from your old account to new and vice- versa, click on the profile icon on the upper right corner of your Home Window. All your linked accounts shall appear in this Menu.

UPGRADING YOUR @HOTMAIL.COM ACCOUNT TO @OUTLOOK.COM:

If you have been using your Hotmail.com account from quite a long time now and your @hotmail.com is associated to all your other accounts and contacts, such as Windows 10, etc., then you might want to upgrade to Outlook.com rather than starting afresh, losing most of your important data and account settings.

Yes, if you ask me. I would highly recommend you to upgrade to Outlook.com from your existing Hotmail account, rather than starting afresh!

Don’t be worried at all because when you do so:

There is no need to change your email address. It shall continue to work!
You shall be able to sign-in with your old @hotmail.com using the same password.
All your synced devices, your phone, your Outlook, everything shall work just fine.
Not a single contact linked to your account shall be lost.
You retain everything; folders, categories, starred messages, etc.
All your previous settings like your signature, Arrange By Conversation, etc. remain unchanged.

The fact is Microsoft person Dick Craddock has said that you can keep your @hotmail.com forever, even though Hotmail.com has ceased to be a Microsoft entity. The only thing that’s going to change is the interface.

Well, getting acquainted to the new features introduced in Outlook could be a bit trouble and slowly you shall learn all. But, one thing for sure is that you won’t face issues with the basic mail features like sending and receiving email messages. All the emails sent to your @hotmail.com address shall be received in your Outlook inbox and those you send from Outlook.com shall have a return address as @hotamil.com.

READ How to block Junk emails in Hotmail?

Once you have got the upgrade done right, you can also have an @outlook.com email address simply by setting up an alias! After you do so, you can send and receive emails using your Outlook email box. Alternatively, you also have the choice to send and receive emails using your @hotmail.com address.

HOW TO UPGRADE?

First of all, make sure you are logged out of your Hotmail.com account. Then:

Browse to http://outlook.com
Sign-in using your existing Hotmail account (@hotmail.com OR @msn.com OR @live.com, etc.)

Important: DO NOT sign up for a new account; simply sign in with your existing Hotmail account. Signing up for a new account will lead to starting afresh as describe in the previous method.

That’s done! Now you shall be able to use the all new Outlook.com interface just by signing in with your Hotmail.com credentials. Needless to say, you can still sign in to http://hotmail.com or http://mail.live.com ! You shall receive the new interface there too!

Getting a new @outlook.com email address:

In case you now wish to get a new @outlook.com email address for yourselves, it’s very simple to go using your Hotmail address. Though this step is entirely optional to do.

NOTE: Adding email addresses based upon country-specific domains, e.g., @outlook.co.uk; @outlook.com.in, etc. is NOT supported.

Now, you have TWO ways to get your new @outlook.com email address: either by adding an alias or by renaming your account.

Adding an @outlook.com alias to your account:

What is an alias? An alias is nothing but an email address added to your account. Aliases are a really good way to use different email addresses within the same inbox. The new Outlook.com feature can automatically sort your emails received on separate alias into separate folders!

Here you must note that there are a few limitations to using an alias:

There is a limit of setting up aliases to a maximum of 15, with only upto 5 aliases in a year.
You CAN’T log in to your account using an alias. You need to use your @hotmail.com address.
At present, Microsoft has limited sending emails using alias from within Outlook.com web. This means if you are using your Windows Phone to send emails, you have to use your @hotmail.com address.

So, here’s how to add an alias to your account:

First, sign-in to http://outlook.com using your existing Hotmail account.
Next, click on the Options icon on the upper right corner of the Home Window, and click on ‘More mail settings.’

READ www.hotmail.com || How to sign-up in Hotmail/Live/Outlook?

Then click on Managing your Account>Create an Outlook alias. The option should be available in the left-hand menu column as shown below.

You will be directed to the ‘Create alias page’, where you’ll notice that the new alias is available as ‘@outlook.com’. Enter the email address you want to create for yourself under the box ‘Email address. Click ‘Create an alias’.

You are most likely NOT to get the first email name you try as it might have been selected by someone else already. DON’T worry! Try some other unique name.
After you’ve completed the previous step, you should be taken back to your Inbox, and you shall receive a confirmation message that allows you to choose where to redirect the emails received on the new address: into an existing folder, which by default is your Inbox; or to a NEW folder.
Click ‘Done.’

NOTE: If you opted for sending emails to a new folder, you may edit or delete the rule by right-clicking ‘Folders’ in the left hand-side column of your Inbox, and select ‘Manage rules.’

Renaming your account to an @outlook.com account:

You can easily rename your existing @hotmail.com account to an @outlook.com account. Doing so makes your old account an alias, so you’ll continue receiving emails into your old account.

NOTE: You CAN’T revert the changes. Renaming shall change the primary name of your account, meaning you shall need to sign in with the new name on all your Windows phones, PC, X box, etc. So, decide before following the steps below.

Here’s how to rename your account:

Firstly, sign-in to http://outlook.com using your old Hotmail account.
Next, click on the Options icon on the upper right corner of the Home Window, and click on ‘More mail settings.’

Now, click ‘Rename your email address’ option which you can find under the left column under the ‘Managing your account’ section.
You shall be prompted to enter your password again. This extra security step is done by Microsoft to ensure protection of your account, since this is a very important action which you CANNOT simply ‘Undo’.
You should be directed to the ‘Rename page’ where you can pick a new name for your account.

Enjoy the Upgrade!

So, did this article solves your query of upgrading from @Hotmail.com to @Outlook.com. In case you need further assistance, feel free to comment your case below! And if you were able to upgrade to an all new experience, do share your experience in the comments box. And Yes! Enjoy the Upgrade!