How to Run Hotmail Through Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft's Hotmail service synchronizes seamlessly with Outlook 2003 and newer.

Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail service provides email storage and sending capabilities free of charge. Microsoft's Outlook Hotmail Connector utility makes it easy to use a Hotmail email address in its Outlook desktop email application. Once you download and install the Outlook Hotmail Connector utility to your computer you simply need to provide the Outlook application with information on your Hotmail email account and password.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010

Instructions

1. Navigate to the Microsoft Download Center at Microsoft.com/downloads and search for "Outlook Hotmail Connector".

2. Click the blue "Download" button and save the OutlookConnector.exe file to your hard drive.

3. Run the downloaded EXE file and follow the on-screen prompts to install the Outlook Hotmail Connector utility to your computer.

4. Run the Microsoft Outlook application. An Outlook Connector setup box will appear.

5. Type your Hotmail email address, password, and your name in the appropriate fields and click "OK" to complete setup. Your Hotmail email account folders will appear in the Outlook navigation pane. The Outlook connector will automatically download all new Hotmail email messages to the Outlook application, and you can send messages through your Hotmail account using the standard Outlook interface.

Tips & Warnings

• Outlook will occasionally present a "Human Interaction Proof" challenge, or captcha, when you send a Hotmail message through Outlook. You must type in the letters that appear in the box and press Enter to verify that you are a human user. Microsoft includes this feature to discourage spamming through their Hotmail email service.

References

• Microsoft: Use Hotmail in Outlook