Hotmail login: how to sign in to Outlook.com

Does Hotmail still work?

Hotmail is now part of Outlook.com. If you still have an active @hotmail.com account, use that address to sign in. You do not need to change it to @outlook.com just because the service name changed.

Reference: Microsoft's current Hotmail access instructions.

Personal account or work account?

Outlook.com uses a personal Microsoft account. A work or school account is usually managed by your organization and may use a different portal and requirements. If your employer or school provided the address, follow its access instructions.

Reference: Microsoft's explanation of Outlook on the web for organizations.

How to sign in to Hotmail on a computer

1. Open Outlook.com. Enter outlook.com in your browser and choose the sign-in option if it appears.
2. Enter your full email address. Include the ending you registered, such as @hotmail.com, and continue.
3. Complete sign-in. Enter your password when requested, or use an alternative method you have set up.
4. Verify your identity if asked. Approve only a sign-in request you initiated.
5. Check the account that opens. Look at the profile address before searching for your messages. If another account is open, switch accounts or sign out of that session.

Your Hotmail password, if your account uses one, is your Microsoft account password. You do not need a separate password just to access it through Outlook.com.

References: Microsoft's Outlook.com sign-in help and Microsoft account access instructions.

Access Hotmail on Android or iPhone

You can use your phone's browser or the Microsoft Outlook app. If you use the app, add your existing account; creating a new account is not how you open the inbox you already have.

In Outlook for Android

Open Outlook and choose to add an account. If you already use the app for another address, find this option in its settings. Enter your Hotmail address and complete Microsoft's sign-in and verification prompts.

Reference: Microsoft's Android Outlook setup guide.

In Outlook for iPhone or iPad

Open Outlook and add an account. To add another, open settings, find the accounts section, and select the add-account option. Enter your address and follow authentication. Button labels and locations can vary between versions.

Reference: Microsoft's iOS Outlook setup guide.

If email opens in a browser but fails in an app, that points to an app or configuration problem. Check which address you added before starting account recovery.

Reference: Microsoft's mobile Outlook troubleshooting.

Why is Microsoft asking for an app or passwordless sign-in?

A Microsoft account can be configured without a password. In that case, an old password is not your current sign-in method: use an option you have registered, such as Microsoft Authenticator, Windows Hello, or a security key.

If you cannot use the method shown, check the alternatives Microsoft offers. Available options vary by account. If you lost your device, access depends on the verification methods you can still use.

Approve a notification only when it matches your own sign-in attempt. An unexpected request is not something you need to accept to make email work.

Reference: Microsoft's passwordless account guidance.

Cannot sign in? What to check first

The verification code is not arriving

Make sure you are checking the correct phone or inbox, including its junk folder. If another Microsoft account receives the code, use a separate private browsing session to read it without replacing the sign-in session you are trying to recover. Try another verification option if offered, and follow any waiting instructions.

Reference: Microsoft's verification code troubleshooting.

The account is blocked or shows a sign-in error

Changing your password does not resolve every kind of block. Follow the message shown and use Microsoft's official sign-in helper to find the procedure that applies.

References: Microsoft's blocked-account help and sign-in troubleshooting assistant.

I can sign in but cannot send or receive messages

This is different from a password problem. Check mailbox and OneDrive storage, and review service incidents through Microsoft's help page. Full storage can stop you sending and receiving mail.

References: Microsoft's storage and email guidance and Outlook.com service checks.

When to use the account recovery form

Try the sign-in helper first. If the recovery form applies, gather information that helps establish the account is yours:

• An accessible email address for the response.
• Previous passwords you remember.
• Contacts and exact subject lines of messages sent from the account.
• A familiar device and location where you previously signed in, if possible.

Microsoft says it sends the result within 24 hours. If it cannot verify you, it allows further attempts up to twice a day. Submitting the form does not guarantee recovery.

Requirements and access to the form: Microsoft's account recovery instructions.

If you need a separate address for correspondence, our Gmail account creation guide explains registration. That address is a contact inbox; it does not recover your Hotmail by itself.

How to sign out and protect access

In Outlook.com, open your profile picture or initials and choose to sign out. Then close the browser windows.

Reference: Microsoft's browser sign-out instructions.

Do not assume that closing a tab signs you out. Microsoft says the browser can keep you signed in until you explicitly sign out. On a shared computer, use a private window and close it when finished.

Reference: Microsoft's guidance on staying signed in.

If you left a session open on another device

Review the option to sign out everywhere in your account's security settings. Microsoft says this can take up to 24 hours and does not sign you out of an Xbox console.

Reference: Microsoft's remote sign-out guidance.

Frequently asked questions

Related email guides

Sources and review

This guide was checked against Microsoft's public documentation on September 9, 2026. Options can change depending on your account, device, and security checks. Each section links to the relevant official help.

• Official Hotmail access and help.
• Account sign-in assistant.
• Account recovery form requirements.

Hotmail, Outlook, and Microsoft are Microsoft trademarks. This page is an independent Identifica guide, not a sign-in form or an official support service.