How to Create a Hotmail Account

Before You Begin

Hotmail was originally launched in 1995 by Jack Smith and Sabeer Bhatia and acquired by Microsoft in 1997. Today, new accounts created through the Hotmail signup flow are hosted on Outlook.com. You do not need an existing Microsoft account — the signup page will guide you through creating one.

All you need is a working internet connection and a few minutes. The process is free, and you can choose between an @hotmail.com or @outlook.com address.

Step-by-Step: Creating Your Account

1. Open your web browser and go to www.hotmail.com. This will redirect you to Microsoft's official signup page at signup.live.com.
2. Click the "Create free account" or "Create one!" link on the page.
3. Choose your desired email address from the dropdown — you can select @hotmail.com or @outlook.com.
4. Create a strong password. Microsoft recommends a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
5. Fill in your first and last name, country/region, and date of birth.
6. Complete the CAPTCHA challenge to verify you are not a robot.
7. Review Microsoft's terms of service and privacy policy, then click "Create account".

After Signup

Once your account is created, you will be taken directly to your new inbox. Microsoft will walk you through a brief setup — choosing a theme, adding a profile picture, and optionally setting up two-step verification for added security.

You can sign in anytime at login.live.com using the email address and password you just created.