Connect To Windows Live Hotmail Using Office Outlook Connector

If you have a Hotmail mailbox (also known as Windows Live Hotmail), it is now possible to check your e-mail using Office Outlook 2003 or 2007 versions by installing the Office Outlook Connector.

Once installed, you can read and send messages, manage contacts, and use Outlook's junk mail filter and rules wizard. The one drawback with the connector is that you can't sync and manage calendars between Outlook and Hotmail unless you have a paid subscription.

To get started, download the Office Outlook Connector (requires Windows Validation check) and follow the install instructions. Once installation has completed, Outlook will open and the Office Outlook wizard will run.

In the first screen, enter you Windows Live Hotmail E-mail address, Password and the display name you want to appear in the Inbox, then click OK

If you prefer, you can also select the check box to Remember my password.

After entering you info, click OK at the next prompt and restart Outlook for the settings to take effect. When Outlook restarts, it will automatically connect to your Windows Live Hotmail account and start dowmloaded messages and any folders you have created.

The connector adds the 'Outlook Connector" item to Outlook menu bar where you can view Help, add another Hotmail account, and select the Download mode (Headers, Full items or both). Note, some item options are not available and only enabled if you have a paid Windows Live Hotmail subscription.

To set up the Junk E-mail filter in Outlook for your Hotmail mailbox, select Tools \ Options from the menu. Then on the Preferences tab, click Junk E-mail and make your selections. Also, just like managing e-mail in Outlook, your Hotmail mailbox can be manged in offline mode. Any messages you compose, reply or forward will remain in the outbox until a connection is made to Hotmail.

Additionally, you can see the connection status of your Windows Live Hotmail account in the Outlook window. Just look for Server Status in the lower-right footer of Outlok and click the down arrow to view the information:

 If necessary, Office Outlook Connector can be uninstalled from the Control Panel Add or Remove Programs in XP or from Programs and Features in Vista.