Hotmail has come to you, transformed in many ways today. Being one of the first web based email services to have been started to offer email services for free, this service has now been changed in many ways by Microsoft. If you are planning to explore this service and gain access to the new features that Microsoft provides for the customers, here are some steps to follow and aspects to know about.
Hotmail offers you a premier and free web based email experience. Those who were dependent on internet service providers before realized the benefits of a free web based email experience through services like Hotmail and Yahoo that were launched in the late nineties. Before the sign in process was a simple one as was the process of signing up for a new account. The steps have been revised of late to ensure that customers can experience a more secure login experience.
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Hotmail sign in procedure in the past
If you wished to create an account with Hotmail there were basic steps followed in the past such as:
- You need to choose a username that is unique.
- One had to choose a password which was not set by strict guidelines.
- Personal details that were required were basic such as entering first and last name.
- Optional information could be provided which were not mandatory.
There were basic terms set for creating login details to a Hotmail account in the past. This led to the creation of multiple Hotmail accounts quite easily. The process was simpler as there were not adequate measures taken to ensure that malware attacks or spam infiltration were prevented as well as hacking attempts.
Changes to Hotmail domain
Soon Hotmail was acquired by Microsoft. This email service became associated with MSN. When one had to log onto MSN the login procedures were simple:
- The username and password were the fields that had to be filled in.
- There was an option to save these details so that one could easily open their email account.
The steps were basic and the process that existed for recovery of one’s account password was even simpler. There was a link provided for recovery of password below the login panel. All one needed to do was to ensure that they provided an alternate email address as well. Here the password would be sent as an email which allowed one to use the same to login into their Hotmail account.
There were some problems that started to arise with member accounts with this basic sign in process. Many users found that their accounts were being hacked. There were also complaints of Hotmail addresses being given out due to which spam mails started to fill the inbox of members. For ensuring security of the accounts Microsoft took up several measures. One of the steps taken was to integrate the email services that it offered on a single platform. With Live domain being introduced, all Hotmail users came in this domain to log onto their accounts. There were several new measures introduced to ensure that users found it a safer experience to access their Hotmail account.
The Outlook web email service was then launched by Microsoft. Outlook had always been a desktop based mail server system for Windows users. It was recently launched as a free email service that one can access to the public web. With the integration of all email services under the Live domain, Outlook launched led to further integration. Microsoft integrated Hotmail as well under the same domain. Today the login panel for Outlook as well as Hotmail has been synonymous and one can use the same integrated login platform for gaining access to either of the web based email domains.
Hotmail account users might find it confusing as their email accounts have migrated several times. However the domain of Hotmail.com had been kept active for a long time and even today, if you type in Hotmail.com on your web browser, you would be redirected to Outlook.com. Even if you are unaware of the changes, you can be sure that finding Hotmail sign in link would be easy on Live or Outlook domain.
New changes in sign in process
The process remains simple with certain security measures that have been added to the Outlook domain. When you come on this site to log onto your Hotmail account, here are some steps to follow:
- There is a common login panel that the combined login page offers. This is a common interface created for logging into any Microsoft service that one holds account for.
- Email address as well as username needs to be entered in the first field
- You are then redirected to the next page where you need to key in account password.
- When you have forgotten the password you used, there is a link provided for recreating the same.
- You could also choose to stay logged into your Hotmail account. This option allows you to save the login details which need not be entered every time you wish to access your Hotmail account.
- A security code option has been added by Microsoft. This feature can be activated through the settings section of your Hotmail account. This will allow you to receive a security code on your registered phone which needs to be keyed in to access your account. This will also help prevent the dilemma of having to remember your password every time.
Microsoft introduced several options that ensure that Hotmail can enjoy several benefits. There are several features of the email inbox that one can enjoy which have changed as per the common interface that Outlook offers. With the modern email inbox layout and other features you are sure to enjoy the added convenience of creating new emails and correspondence. At the same time you are assured that all information are retained in your old Hotmail account.
If you are new to Hotmail and wish to create a new account with the new interface of Outlook, the process is an easy one. You can simply click on the link that is provided for the creation of a new account. The account creation form provided for opening any account with Microsoft is a basic one. However the differences that are imposed are restrictions which come with a choice of a password for your account. When you wish to create a new account for Hotmail, you need to first choose a unique username. This needs to be followed by the choice of a unique password. You need to ensure that you choose a password that is at least eight characters in length and is an alphanumeric combination. Once the account password is chosen correctly and approved by the system check, you can proceed to fill in the other details. You also need to provide an alternate email address along with a registered phone number. This will help to activate a security measure of two step verification process.
Hotmail and new security features
The sign-in process has become more secure for Hotmail users of the changes that have been introduced:
- You need to ensure that your account has a strong password which comprises of alphanumeric characters.
- The password should comprise of case sensitive as well as special characters.
- It is important that one also saves additional details that help one to secure their account as well as be able to recover their password easily.
- These details comprise of saving an alternate email address as well as a registered phone number. These details when you key them in, need to be verified. Once the details are confirmed, you can also key in additional information to safeguard your account. These comprise of recovery for login details which comprise of choosing two security questions whose answers need to be provided. All such options will help to safeguard your account and recover your account password if you ever forget the same.
The new domain for Hotmail has several advantages. You will enjoy a modern web mail interface as well as a layout that is intuitive and easy to use. There are enhanced security features as well as added Microsoft services that one can use or access with the help of their Hotmail login details. These are some changes one can enjoy on Hotmail today.