Change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com: My Step-by-Step Experience
I still remember the day when Microsoft announced that Hotmail would be changed to Outlook.com, I got confused at first and slightly worried because I had been using my Hotmail email for years for work and banking. One question that keeps coming to my mind is whether to change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com? Is it safe, and is it mandatory to do it?
In this article, I am going to share my experience and the lessons that I learned while changing my Hotmail address to Outlook.com. If you are thinking how do I convert my Hotmail account to Outlook.com, at the end of this article, you will get all the answers.
Why Microsoft Moved Hotmail to Outlook.com
Personally, when I decided to make the transition, I wanted to understand the real reason for this transition. When I researched, I found out that Microsoft officially retired the Hotmail branding and replaced it with Outlook.com to offer more modern features and a secure mail experience. From my experience, I got to know what Outlook.com provides:
- Better protection from spam that helps in keeping emails out of my box
- I got a cleaner and easier-to-use interface for a smoother email experience
- Stronger security and encryption to keep your data safe
- Seamless workflow with Microsoft 365, so everything will go together smoothly
I noticed that Hotmail is technically working fine, but Microsoft is now considering it a part of Outlook.com. After this, my mind is clear that learning how do I convert my Hotmail account to Outlook.com is no longer an option, it is necessary. If you wish, then you can also delete Hotmail account permanently.
Do I Lose My Emails When I Change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com?
The biggest fear that I had in mind before I decided to change my Hotmail.com to Outlook.com was data loss. I had thousands of emails stored over the years. I finally got relieved when I got to know that Microsoft doesn’t delete your emails or folders during this process. In my case:
- All my emails stayed safe and untouched during the entire process
- The folders remained the same as they were
- Contacts synced automatically without any hassle
- My calendar data stayed exactly the same
- I can easily download emails from Outlook.com
Although the transition happened smoothly but, I still recommend backing up your data before the process. I personally used a professional solution like SysTools Outlook.com Backup Tool, which helped me a lot by creating a local copy of my emails.
How Do I Convert My Hotmail Account to Outlook.com: Official Steps
If you are asking how to change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com, here are the exact official Microsoft steps that I have followed:
- Step 1: Sign in to Outlook.com: I successfully logged in with my Hotmail details, and Microsoft automatically took me to Outlook.com interface.
- Step 2: Go to your Account settings: In the top right-corner, you will see the option to open the Microsoft account settings and choose “Your info”
- Step 3: Create an Outlook Alias: Microsoft lets you create an Outlook.com alias and set it as your primary email address.
- Step 4: Set Outlook.com as primary: After creating the alias, I marked it as my email address and kept my Hotmail account active as well.
I followed these exact steps, and I was able to change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com without losing access to my old email.
Related article: Transfer Hotmail Emails to Another Account
Can I Still Received Emails Sent to Hotmail?
The answer is yes, and trust me, this is surprisingly new for me as well at that time. Even though I have decided to make the transition. I am still receiving emails on my old Hotmail account. This clearly means:
- I haven’t missed any emails
- There is no urgency to update all services immediately
- A smooth transition guaranteed
There is no need for hurry, so I slowly updated my email address across banks and other platforms as well. If you are still unsure, how do I convert my Hotmail to Outlook.com without any hassle, then this dual address theory makes the transition smooth and time-consuming.
Common Issues I Faced While Changing Hotmail to Outlook
While the process to change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com is pretty straightforward, I still faced some minor challenges, like:
- As I have saved my old login details, I faced an issue signing in initially
- Emails are taking longer than usual to sync
- I am still seeing the old email address as the sender
In order to avoid these kinds of issues in the process to know how do I convert my Hotmail account to Outlook.com, I always recommend clearing the cache and reconfiguring the email clients, like Outlook desktop or mobile apps. Along with that, backing up your data using a professional tool that I have recommended above is a wise decision because it helped me stay protected from any kind of sync error.
Related Guide: Combine Outlook.com Accounts
Benefits I Noticed After Switching to Outlook.com
Once I have finished the process to change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com, the improvements that I have noticed are:
- Finding emails is much faster
- Get fewer spam and junk emails
- Enjoy a smoother experience on your phone
- Keep your account more secure
Outlook.com feels more professional and modern in comparison with Hotmail. This confirmed that my decision was the right one.
Should You Change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com?
After working with Outlook.com, I would strongly recommend that users change their Hotmail.com to Outlook.com sooner rather than later. Microsoft is clearly investing more in Outlook.com. If you are still asking how do I convert my Hotmail account to Outlook.com, always remember that:
- Always remember that this process is reversible
- Your data stays intact
- You can keep receiving emails on Hotmail
Before you start the transition process, always back up your mailbox using a reliable and professional tool that I have mentioned above.
Additional resource: Delete Outlook.com Account Permanently
Author’s Verdict
Personally, I am very satisfied with my decision to change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com because it turned out to be smooth and beneficial for me. Microsoft has done everything to make this transition user-friendly.
Still, you need to be in a safer side, if you value your data as much as I do, so taking a backup of your data using a reliable tool is a smart move. It makes sure that, for any reason, if something goes wrong, you still have your data safe, and there will be no risk of data loss.
If you were confused about how do I convert my Hotmail account to Outlook.com, I hope my personal experience that I have shared above has made the process clear and simple for you.
FAQs
Q. Is it possible to reverse the change later?
Yes, you are able to reverse the change later from Microsoft account settings.
Q. Will switching from Hotmail to Outlook change my login details?
No, this will not affect your login details as they will remain the same
Q. Is it possible to keep both the Hotmail and Outlook addresses?
Yes, you are able to work with both Hotmail and Outlook addresses under the same Microsoft account.
Q. Is there any possibility that I lose my emails after changing from Hotmail to Outlook?
No, all your emails and other data will remain intact
Q. Is it safe to change Hotmail.com to Outlook.com?
Yes, that’s absolutely correct because it is supported by Microsoft