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How do I make a new Windows Live Hotmail account?

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Summary: Making a new Windows Live Hotmail account begins by making the option visible - by signing out of Hotmail. From there making a new account is easy.

How do I make a new Windows Live Hotmail account? Since MSN Hotmail changed to Windows Live Hotmail, everything's different.

This continues to be one of my most frequently asked questions.

Many people think it's obvious, but as I said in a previous article, if hundreds of people miss "the obvious" - is it really that obvious?

And there are also a few "catches".

So the part that's "obvious" to some and not at all to many is simply this:

Sign Out.

Most folks may never see the login screen after signing in once because they've got "remember me" turned on.

So sign out. Near the top of the Windows Live Hotmail windows you should see something like this:

Windows Live Hotmail Sign out button

Click Sign out link and you'll be signed out of Windows Live Hotmail and returned to the MSN home page.

Now, go to http://mail.live.com, (or click on MSN's "Hotmail" link) and you'll see a page that contains this:

Windows Live Hotmail Login Screen

"You cannot make a new 'old-style' MSN Hotmail account."

Don't Sign in.

Instead, click on the Sign Up button and you'll start the process of creating a new account.

Now, the "catches". You should realize:

  • You cannot make a new "old-style" MSN Hotmail account. You can now only create new, Windows Live Hotmail accounts. The old MSN Hotmail is disappearing if it's not completely gone already by the time you read this.

  • There's no way to transfer existing information from your old account to your new one.

  • There's no way to "rename" an existing account.

  • Windows Live Hotmail is a free service, and as I've said repeatedly, you get what you pay for. Reports on Customer Service have been mixed. It's best to assume that customer service is non-existent should you run into a problem.

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Article C3229 - December 6, 2007

Recent Comments
26 Comments

Create a new account and start over. And remember to login to the account once a month or so to prevent this from happening again

Posted by: nazia at July 20, 2009 12:59 AM

this mns You've reached the daily limit for creating Windows Live IDs. " show all times when i successfully enter the all information and click Accept button. Please help me...
Thanks

Posted by: mohd saif at August 5, 2009 11:53 AM

I always get the error" You've reached the daily limit for creating Windows Live IDs. " show all times when i successfully enter the all information and click Accept button" Please help me...

Posted by: Shammo at August 18, 2009 10:12 PM

I have followed your instructions up to the windows live hotmail sign up page. Now whenever i click " sign up " button it always reopen the same sign up page and not going to the new account process. What is the problem?

Posted by: Zeshan at September 14, 2009 1:14 PM

how do i open new id in windows live messenger

Posted by: avishek at October 7, 2009 1:44 AM

Dear Leo,
I already have a hotmail account, but want to create a new one, and have followed all of your above instructions, but I do not get the same "Sign up" option on my page as is shown on yours! How come? and what do I do? I like hotmail, because it looks so much like outlook, but this problem is really annoying.
Thank you for your help. =o)
Teresa

Posted by: Teresa De Simone at October 13, 2009 10:15 AM

I followed the directions and the new account box comes up. However, the new account comes up as ***@live.com - how do I get an account that's @hotmail.com? I'm trying to SIMPLIFY and having to remember a different extension for half my email addresses isn't simple at all, for me or anyone else.

Posted by: karen at October 22, 2009 9:54 AM

I always get the error" You've reached the daily limit for creating Windows Live IDs. " show all times when i successfully enter the all information and click Accept button" Please help me...

Posted by: Musadaq at October 23, 2009 11:00 AM

Error code: 450 : 0x800482d4
You've reached the daily limit for creating Windows Live IDs. Please wait a day and try to sign up again or contact support for assistance.

i didn t create any account yet and this message is given after im signin up can i have some help plz ?

Posted by: nadim at October 29, 2009 3:30 PM

You've reached the daily limit for creating Windows Live IDs. Please wait a day and try to sign up again or contact support for assistance.
OK

Error code: 450 : 0x800482d4 : 2009-11-04T05:20:07 GMT.Need some help plz!

Posted by: Ben at November 3, 2009 9:56 PM

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