How to Switch From Hotmail to Gmail

Many people switch to Gmail for the variety of benefits Google offers from chatting to calendars and document sharing. Changing emails is often a pain, but Google makes it simple for people with accounts like Hotmail. Once you open a free Gmail account, switching contact information and inviting your friends to join you on Gmail is simple.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Go to the Google homepage and sign up for a Google account with Gmail. Put your username and password in a safe place so you don't forget them.

2. Open your Hotmail account and save your Hotmail contacts list as a .CSV file. You do this by opening the contacts folder and selecting "Options." Click the "Export Contacts" selection and follow directions to save to disk.

3. Sign into your Gmail account and click on the word "Contacts" on the upper left side of any Gmail page. Look for the word "Import," click on it and then select "browse" to find and import your .CSV file.

4. Invite your contacts to create their own Gmail account and let them know your new address by selecting their name from your list and clicking "Compose." Make sure your subject line makes it clear what you're doing.

5. Check your email to see which friends respond to your invitation. A confirmation email is sent to your email box and their new Gmail address automatically shows up in your Contacts list.

Resources

• Google homepage
• Google mail