How to Migrate Hotmail to Microsoft Outlook? A Complete Guide

Know About Hotmail and Outlook

Hotmail, the world’s first webmail application for you to send and receive email messages. In the early days of the internet Hotmail was one the popular email clients. Because users can easily access their email program online without downloading the software. But, its popularity lasted only for a few years. As Microsoft acquired Hotmail and rebranded to Outlook.com.

Microsoft has its own desktop email client called MS Outlook. Which provide basic email management facility as well as advanced security features like Two-Factor Authentication and spam filters. This is why it becomes a very popular email client throughout the world. Outlook.com is a web based program that uses cloud based computing. So, today only old user still uses Hotmail. But, many of them are switching to Outlook. Because of its discontinue services and other reasons which we explain below.

Why Change Hotmail Email Address to Outlook?

• Over time, Outlook changes significantly as new features are added and the experience improves. Therefore, many users prefer Outlook.
• As you know, Hotmail is no longer available. So, it is best to change your account to Outlook for your email management.
• You can use other Microsoft products with the help of Office 365. Outlook can easily integrate with Outlook 365 so, you can take the benefits of their advanced features.

Here are the top reasons for migrating Hotmail emails. Going back to the questions of the article, how to change Hotmail to Outlook? There are indirect ways to do that. Hotmail is now Outlook.com. You can access your old account. First, ensure that your old email address and password are correct. Then, follow the methods below.

Move Hotmail Emails to Outlook with Outlook.com

This process would be free so you can use it is not difficult. However, it will be time-consuming because there are several steps in it. To understand the process better. We provided this process in three parts: Export Hotmail emails, connect Outlook.com to desktop Outlook, and open the exported file in your connected account. The first part is to download Hotmail emails where we save the emails in our local storage in PST format.

1. First log in to Outlook.com using your Hotmail credentials. Then, click on the Settings button.
   
2. At the left pane, select the General option, then Privacy and Data button.
   
3. Click on the Export mailbox button. After clicking it, a status will display where it indicates that you wait up to 2 days.
   

When the program completes the process, you will be given a download link. By clicking this button you will get a file that contains your hotmail. Now, proceed to the second step.

Synchronize Outlook.com to Desktop Outlook Account

In this part we configure our Outlook.com to install the Outlook application. So that you can easily import your exported file.

1. Open MS Outlook on your computer and click on the File button.
   
2. Go to the Add Account option. Then, enter your Outlook.com email address.
   
3. Click the Connect button and the program automatically syncs your account. Hit the Done button.
   
4. Now a message will appear stating Outlook is setting a local copy of your mailbox. Close this message.
   
5. After connecting your account, open your Outlook again and click on the Send/Receive All Folders button.
   

By clicking this option, your Outlook.com account folders will be uploaded in your desktop Outlook folders. Now, it is time to move your exported file into the program.

Move Exported Hotmail Emails to Outlook

The file that you exported is in PST format, so it will be easier for you to open the files in the program.

1. In your Outlook account, click on the File button.
2. Then, select the Open & Export button and Import/Export option.
   
3. Click on the Import from another program or file. Then, press the Next button.
   
4. After that, select the Outlook Data File (.pst). Hit the Next option.
   
5. Browse your exported file and click on Next button.
   
6. Choose the Outlook.com that you have recently configured. Press the Finish button.
   

This way your Hotmail emails will be in the Outlook and you can access them easily. This manual method is not hard but it has three parts which is time consuming process. To make the process much faster, there are professionals method which many experts recommended.

Steps to Change Hotmail to Outlook

1. Launch the tool and click “Open” >> “Email Accounts” >> “Add Account”.
   
2. Enter your Hotmail email credentials and then select ‘Advance Settings’.
   
3. Then, provide required IMAP Server and IMAP Port in the respective fields. Click the “Add” button.
   
4. Lastly, click on “Export” and select PST format.
   

Other than the PST option, you can choose the IMAP option, where you move the data to Outlook, by providing your Outlook credentials. Along with that you can also use it to Migrate Email from Hotmail to Office 365.

Time to Wrap Up

In this article, we shared two methods to change Hotmail to Outlook. As the Hotmail is not available, Outlook.com help you in exporting your emails, and connecting your account with the desktop Outlook. This method is free, but it is time-consuming process. Hence, we provided another solution that many experts recommended. In this method you can easily, quickly and securely migrate your emails.