How to Access Free Windows Live Hotmail in Gmail

A woman sitting at a table using a digital tablet.
Mint Images - Tim Robbins/Mint Images RF/Getty Images
Updated September 06, 2017

Did you hear it? "Windows Live Hotmail"

Windows Live Hotmail is followed by a silent "+ X", a '+' and an 'X' you can fill yourself — with Gmail, for example.

You get your Windows Live Hotmail address and the web interface that comes with it, but you can also access all that mail in Gmail to consolidate accounts in one universal inbox, for example, or to feed the Gmail spam filter some additional junk.

Access Free Windows Live Hotmail in Gmail

To set up Windows Live Hotmail for sending and receiving mail in Gmail:

  • Follow the Settings link in Gmail.
  • Go to Accounts.
  • Click Add another mail account under Get mail from other accounts:.
  • Type your Windows Live Hotmail address under Email address:.
  • Click Next Step ››.
  • Enter your full Windows Live Hotmail email address again under Username:.
  • Type your Windows Live Hotmail password under Password:.
  • Now enter "pop3.live.com" (not including the quotation marks) under POP Server:.
  • Enter "995" under Port:.
  • Make sure Always use a secure connection (SSL) when retrieving mail. is checked.
  • Optionally:
    • Check Leave a copy of retrieved message on the server. unless you want all your Windows Live Hotmail email only in Gmail.
    • Have Gmail apply a label (so you can identify messages from your Windows Live Hotmail account) by checking Label incoming messages:.
    • See incoming messages only under the auto-assigned label or All Mail by checking Archive incoming messages (Skip the Inbox).
  • Click Add Account ››.
  • Make sure Yes, I want to be able to send mail as... is selected.
  • Click Next Step ››.
  • Click Next Step ›› again.
  • Now click Send Verification.
  • Switch to the main Gmail window and go to the Inbox.
  • Open the Gmail Confirmation - Send Mail as... message as soon as it arrives (this may take a couple of minutes).
  • Highlight and copy the Confirmation code.
  • Paste the code into the Enter and verify the confirmation code form.
  • Click Verify.

Messages coming to your Windows Live Hotmail account will now also show up in Gmail, and you can send mail using your Hotmail address right from within Gmail, too.

Note that you can also have Windows Live Hotmail instantly forward incoming emails to your Gmail account.