Anyone who’s kept an @hotmail.com address knows the feeling: you type the old login page and get redirected. Hotmail didn’t vanish — it moved into Outlook.com. This guide walks you through signing in, accessing your inbox, and fixing the most common login snags, straight from Microsoft’s own playbook.

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Hotmail launched: 1996 ·
Acquired by Microsoft: 1997 ·
Rebranded to Outlook.com: 2013 ·
Peak active users (2011): 360 million

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact inactivity period that triggers account closure (varies by policy updates)
  • How policy changes affect inactivity thresholds over time
  • Whether every archived Hotmail email survives migration intact (most do, but edge cases exist)
3Timeline signal
  • 1996: Hotmail launched (Microsoft Support history)
  • 1997: Acquired by Microsoft (Microsoft Support history)
  • 2013: Rebranded to Outlook.com (Microsoft Support rebrand)
4What’s next
  • Migrate fully to the Outlook mobile app for push notifications and modern security
  • Enable two-step verification for added account protection

Five key facts, one pattern: Hotmail users are now Microsoft account holders, and the sign-in point is always Outlook.com.

Fact Value
Service Name Hotmail (now Outlook.com)
Launch Year 1996
Current Status Active through Outlook.com
Sign-In URL outlook.com
Password Reset URL account.live.com/password/reset

The implication: every login path leads to a single Microsoft gateway, whether you use desktop, mobile, or tablet.

How do I log into my Hotmail account?

Logging in is straightforward, but the old Hotmail URL no longer works. Here’s the exact sequence from Microsoft’s official Outlook.com sign-in guide.

What is my Hotmail username?

  • Your username is the full email address — e.g., yourname@hotmail.com. Microsoft Support confirms any alias on your Microsoft account works.
  • If you used a @live.com or @msn.com address, those are also valid. Microsoft’s YouTube tutorial (account overview) lists all supported suffixes.

How to reset Hotmail password?

  • Visit account.live.com/password/reset (Microsoft’s recovery portal).
  • You’ll need access to the recovery email or phone number on file. Microsoft Support says the process takes a few steps and a verification code.
  • No recovery info? Microsoft’s account recovery form may still help — details at Microsoft Support.

Desktop sign-in steps:

  1. Open a browser and go to outlook.com or outlook.live.com.
  2. Click Sign in (top right).
  3. Enter your full Hotmail address and click Next.
  4. Enter your password and click Sign in.

Mobile sign-in through the Outlook app:

  1. Download the Outlook app from the App Store or Google Play.
  2. Tap Add Account or Get Started.
  3. Enter your Hotmail address, tap Continue, then enter your password and tap Sign in.

The trade-off for convenience: two-step verification may pop up if you have it enabled. That’s a security boost, not a bug.

The upshot

Long-term Hotmail users face a single friction point — remembering that the old login page is gone. The fix is a one-time bookmark to outlook.com.

The implication: the login process is identical across devices, so once you learn it on desktop, mobile follows the same rhythm.

How to access Hotmail account emails?

Once signed in, your inbox looks like any modern Outlook.com view. Microsoft Support (inbox guide) describes the folder structure.

How to view inbox after signing in

  • Your Hotmail inbox appears immediately after sign-in — emails are sorted by date, newest first.
  • Use the left sidebar to switch between Focused, Other, Sent, Drafts, and custom folders.
  • Archived emails from your Hotmail days should still be in the Archive folder. GJEPC blog migration notes note that migration was mostly seamless.

How to navigate Outlook.com interface

  • The top ribbon offers search, filter, and new mail compose.
  • Settings (gear icon) lets you customize inbox appearance, rules, and forwarding.
  • The “Outlook.com” branding replaces the “Hotmail” logo, but your emails stay unchanged.

What this means: the learning curve is shallow. Hotmail’s core features — folders, rules, search — are preserved in Outlook.com.

Is Hotmail still active?

Short answer: yes — but under a new roof. Microsoft Support explicitly states that Hotmail is now Outlook.com and existing accounts remain active.

What happened to Hotmail?

  • Microsoft rebranded Hotmail to Outlook.com in 2013. The backend was upgraded but addresses kept.
  • All @hotmail.com, @live.com, and @msn.com addresses continue to work. Microsoft’s YouTube tutorial confirms this.

Can I still use my @hotmail.com address?

  • Absolutely. You send and receive emails from the same address through Outlook.com.
  • Aliases on your Microsoft account (e.g., @outlook.com) share the same inbox — any can be used to sign in. Microsoft Support (alias login) confirms this.

Why this matters: if you’re still telling people your old Hotmail address, it still works. The only visible change is the interface name.

Why has my Hotmail email stopped working?

Login failures are frustrating, but the root cause is usually something simple. Microsoft Support highlights the most common culprits.

Common reasons for login failure

  • Incorrect password — the most frequent issue. Microsoft Support (login errors) says 90% of calls are password-related.
  • Caps Lock or Num Lock — passwords are case-sensitive.
  • Browser cache/cookies — stale data can interfere. GJEPC blog (browser troubleshooting) recommends clearing them.
  • VPN or proxy — Microsoft may block suspicious IP ranges.
  • Service outage — check the Microsoft service status page (green = good).

Account inactivity and deactivation risks

  • Microsoft may close accounts with no activity for two years (per policy). GJEPC blog (inactivity warning) advises signing in at least once a year.
  • If your account is closed, you have a window to recover it using Microsoft’s recovery form.

The catch: silent deactivation is real but rare. The fix is simple — log in every few months to keep the account alive.

What to watch

If you haven’t signed in to your Hotmail in over a year, do it now. A single login resets the inactivity clock and avoids the recovery headache.

The pattern: most login interruptions stem from forgotten credentials or inactivity, both of which have straightforward remedies.

How do I get Hotmail to work again?

When nothing seems to work, these steps from Microsoft Support (recovery roadmap) cover the most effective remedies.

Password reset steps

  • Go to account.live.com/password/reset.
  • Select “I forgot my password” and follow the prompts.
  • You must have a recovery email or phone number — no way around it. Microsoft Support (security info) confirms this.

Recovering a closed Hotmail account

  • Use Microsoft’s account recovery form — it asks for details like previous passwords and email contacts.
  • Success isn’t guaranteed, but it’s the only official path. GJEPC blog (recovery experience) notes that success often depends on how recent the last login was.

Clearing browser cache and cookies

  • In Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear browsing data → select “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files” → Clear data.
  • In Edge: similar path under Privacy, search, and services.
  • After clearing, restart the browser and try again. IOMC World browser tips suggest this resolves many “can’t sign in” cases.

For mobile users: uninstall and reinstall the Outlook app, or clear the app cache in your phone’s settings. IOMC World (mobile troubleshooting) recommends this before trying recovery.

The pattern: most lockouts are fixable in under 10 minutes. The recovery form is your emergency exit.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Hotmail accounts remain accessible via Outlook.com. Microsoft Support confirms this.
  • Microsoft does not automatically delete accounts due to inactivity, but may close them after two years of no activity (per policy). Microsoft Support confirms this.
  • Password reset is available via recovery email or phone number. Microsoft Support confirms this.

What’s unclear

  • Exact threshold of inactivity that triggers account closure (varies by policy updates).
  • How policy changes affect inactivity thresholds over time.
  • Whether all archived Hotmail emails remain accessible after migration (most are, but reports of missing folders exist). GJEPC blog reports some exceptions.

“Hotmail is now Outlook.com. To sign in to your Hotmail account, go to www.outlook.com and select Sign in.”

— Microsoft Support, official help page

“If you forget your password, you can reset it using the security info on your account.”

— Microsoft Account Help, account recovery guide

If you’re a Hotmail user who signed up in the 2000s, the choice is simple: bookmark outlook.com and sign in at least once a year, or risk losing access to decade-old emails and contacts.

Additional sources

youtube.com, youtube.com

For a detailed walkthrough of the login process, refer to the Hotmail login guide on Calgary Guardian which also covers common error messages and account recovery steps.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Microsoft account to sign in to Hotmail?

Yes. Your Hotmail address is itself a Microsoft account. Microsoft Support explains that all Hotmail credentials are Microsoft account credentials.

Can I still use my @hotmail.com email address?

Absolutely. Emails sent to your @hotmail.com address still arrive in your Outlook.com inbox. You can also send email from that address.

How do I change my Hotmail password?

Sign in to your Microsoft account, go to Security & privacy, and select Change password. Direct change link.

How can I recover a deleted Hotmail account?

Use Microsoft’s account recovery form within 60 days of closure. After that, the address may be released.

Is Hotmail free?

Yes. Outlook.com (including Hotmail addresses) is free with 15 GB of storage. Additional storage is available via Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

What happens to my Hotmail emails after migration to Outlook?

They remain intact — inbox, sent items, folders, and contacts all transfer. Microsoft Support confirms no data loss during migration.

How do I sign in to Hotmail without a password?

Set up the Microsoft Authenticator app or use Windows Hello on a trusted device. Microsoft Support (passwordless) has the step-by-step.

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