How to Access Windows Live Hotmail With Outlook

Get all of your emails in one place

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
  • University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Updated on December 6, 2021
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
Ryan Perian headshot
Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
lifewire's editorial guidelines

What to Know

  • Outlook.com: Select the gear icon to open the Quick Settings menu. Pick View all Outlook settings > Sync email > Other email accounts.
  • Outlook 2010: In Outlook 2010 mail, go to File > Info > Add Account. Select Email account. Enter your Hotmail credentials.
  • Outlook 2007, 2003: Install Microsoft Hotmail Connector. Select Outlook Connector > Add a New Account. Enter your credentials.

This article explains how to access Windows Live Hotmail using Outlook. It includes instructions for Outlook.com, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2007, Outlook 2003 and older versions.

How to Set Up Hotmail in Outlook for Microsoft 365

Windows Live Hotmail and Outlook are great on their own. Pair them so that Windows Live Hotmail works with Outlook and you have a great match. You can send and receive emails through your Windows Live Hotmail account from within Outlook, and you can archive messages locally.

In 2018, Microsoft removed the connected accounts feature from the web version of Outlook. Therefore, you must reconnect your email accounts to the newer version.

To sync your Windows Live Hotmail account with Outlook.com:

  1. Visit Outlook.com and select the gear icon in the upper right corner to open the Quick settings menu.

    screenshot of outlook.com with the settings gear selected
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  2. Select View all Outlook settings at the bottom of the menu.

  3. Select Sync email on the next page.

    screenshot of the outlook settings menu under layout
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  4. Under Connected accounts, select Other email accounts.

    screenshot of the outlook settings menu with sync mail selected
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  5. On the Connect your account page, enter a display name (the name recipients will see when they receive an email message from you) and the full email address and password of the email account you want to connect to your Outlook.com account.

    screenshot of outlook's connect your account screen
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    If you have two-step verification enabled for your connected email account, you must create a password for that account as well.

  6. Select OK.

Access Free Windows Live Hotmail in Outlook 2010

To add a free Windows Live Hotmail account to Outlook 2010:

  1. Select File > Info in Outlook email.

  2. Click Add Account.

  3. Make sure Email Account is selected.

  4. Enter your name under Your Name.

  5. Type your Windows Live Hotmail address under Email address.

  6. Enter your Windows Live Hotmail password under both Password and Retype Password.

  7. Click Next.

  8. Now click Finish.

Access Free Windows Live Hotmail in Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007

To set up a free Windows Live Hotmail account in Outlook 2003 and 2007:

  1. Download and install Microsoft Outlook Hotmail Connector.

  2. Select Outlook Connector > Add a New Account from the menu in Outlook.

  3. Type your Windows Live Hotmail address under Email address.

  4. Enter your Windows Live Hotmail password under Password.

  5. Type your name under Name.

  6. Click OK twice.

  7. Restart Outlook.

As an alternative to Outlook Connector, try one of the tools that allow you to access web-based email accounts via any POP or IMAP account such as Outlook. FreePOPs, for example, usually works well.

Access a Windows Live Hotmail Account in Outlook Using POP

In addition to setting up Windows Live Hotmail using Outlook Connector as described above, you can download newly incoming mail from your Windows Live Hotmail inbox to Outlook using POP.

To set up Windows Live Hotmail as a POP account in Outlook:

  1. Select Tools > Account Settings from the menu in Outlook.

  2. Go to the Email tab.

  3. Click New.

  4. Make sure Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTTP is selected.

  5. Click Next.

  6. Type your name as you want it to appear in outgoing email under Your Name.

  7. Enter your Windows Live Hotmail address under Email Address.

  8. Make sure Manually configure server settings or additional server types is checked.

  9. Click Next.

  10. Make sure Internet Email is selected.

  11. Click Next.

  12. Make sure POP3 is selected under Account Type.

  13. Enter pop3.live.com under Incoming mail server.

  14. Type smtp.live.com under Outgoing mail server (SMTP).

  15. Enter your complete Windows Live Hotmail address (for example, 'example@hotmail.com') under User Name.

  16. Type your Windows Live Hotmail password under Password.

  17. Click More Settings.

  18. Go to the Outgoing Server tab.

  19. Make sure My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication is checked.

  20. Verify Use same settings as my incoming mail server is selected.

  21. Go to the Advanced tab.

  22. Make sure This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) is checked under Incoming server (POP3).

  23. Make sure SSL is selected for Use the following type of encrypted connection under Outgoing server (SMTP).

  24. Check that 995 appears under Incoming server (POP3:) and 25 under Outgoing server (SMTP).

  25. Click OK.

  26. Now click Next.

  27. Click Finish.

  28. Click Close.

Access Windows Live Hotmail with Outlook 2000 and 2002

To configure Outlook to access your existing Windows Live Hotmail account (you can't set up a new account from within Outlook):

  1. Make sure you have a subscription for the Windows Live Hotmail account you want to access offline.

  2. Select Tools > Email Accounts from the menu in Outlook.

  3. Make sure Add a new email account is selected.

  4. Click Next.

  5. Choose HTTP as the Server Type.

  6. Click Next again.

  7. Enter your account details in the Email Accounts dialog box:

    • Type your full name under Your Name.
    • Type your Windows Live Hotmail address under Email Address.
    • If Outlook has not entered it for you automatically, type your Hotmail email address User Name.
    • Type your Windows Live Hotmail password under Password.
    • Select Hotmail in the HTTP Mail Service Provider box.

  8. Click Next.

  9. Click Finish.

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