How to make a Hotmail account - instructions with screenshots

This page has instructions on how to get a Hotmail account and continue the steps from the previous post - to create a Hotmail account. We will quickly complete the registration form online and have a glimpse of the Hotmail inbox.

When you have followed the instructions on the page before you get to buy a unique ID and enter your Hotmail password (twice).

As stated previously, the password is the key to your Hotmail account. We need to be complicated enough so that others do not have the ability to predict them in a few tries. Combining advertising upper and lower case letters with numbers and symbols thrown in for good measure results in a strong password - it is not too clear.

Unfortunately, this also makes the password harder to remember. I suggest you write it down in a safe place so you can check it if it slipped your mind.

Making my Hotmail account - retype your personal details

Information Password Reset

When you create your account, Hotmail allows you to change your password whenever you want. This is really useful if you forgot your password or felt this information was leaked. But to do a new password or change it in the future laithi you give some "confidential" information at the time the account is created - an alternate email address (different from your Windows Live ID) or a secret question and its answer.

Alternate email address

The provision of alternative e-mail address is a good idea; information on the reset password will be sent to this account whenever you perform require it in the future. However, if the Hotmail account is being done is the first email address you his email address is no substitute for, right? In this case, you need to let other secret question.

By the way you can think of to provide the email address of a trusted friend or family member, but remember that this will mean creating a security hole if you know what I have meaning.

The security question and answer

Click the link secret question will replace field replaceable email with a drop down of the security question and have the text field blanks secret answers. Please select a question from the list and enter the answers (at least 5 characters). Both types of fields are needed for the creation of successful account.

I also suggest checking the tips on how to create a good secret question.

Personal Details

Your personal details such as first name, last name of the country / region, state / territory, postal code, gender and year of birth are all required fields of the form. Make sure you enter the correct way.

To make a Hotmail account you need to prove you are human

The last field of the Hotmail sign up form requires you to prove you are human by entering the characters you see in the image. This step prevents automated programs from making zillions of Hotmail accounts - a program would certainly have difficulty in deciphering the characters in the image especially when they are wavy and zig-zag.

If you too have trouble in interpreting these characters, click on the "New" link to load a fresh image. Alternatively, you can click on "Audio" to hear a recording - make sure the speakers on your computer are turned on.

Agree to the terms and conditions

Before you click on the "I Agree" button, go through all your inputs again to ensure the correct submission of the form.

Success: Hotmail account made!

Once you have double-checked your inputs in the online Windows Live sign up form and agreed to the terms and conditions, your account would be created. If you get an error message, simply follow the instructions.

Your Hotmail email account INBOX would now be displayed with a single welcome message from the service. Including the Inbox, there are five folders in your Hotmail account - Junk, Drafts, Sent and Deleted. The Junk folder holds messages identified as spam or phishing scams (junk), the Drafts folder stores the emails you have created and saved, Sent has all the emails you have sent from your Hotmail account and Deleted contains the email messages you have deleted.

Furthermore, you can create more folders through Manage folders section (move cursor over "Folders" and then click on the small 'gear' icon to bring up a menu - refer image). This is a tremendous help once you have amassed tons of email messages and need a bit of organization - to know more, read creating folders in Hotmail.

Using other Windows Live services with your Hotmail account

When you make a Hotmail account, you can use the same login details (email and password) to access other Windows Live services such as Spaces, Calendar, Contacts, Messenger, XBox LIVE etc.