Create a Hotmail account and get a free email address from Windows Live
HotmailUniversity
As we explained in the "Difference between Hotmail vs. Windows Live" tutorial, the Hotmail sign up process is the same whether you want an email address ending in "@hotmail.com", "@live.com", or one of these two domains (Hotmail or Live) with a different country extension, like "hotmail.co.uk" for the United Kingdom, "hotmail.ca" for Canada, "hotmail.com.au" for Australia, or "live.in" for India. So, while this quick tutorial focuses on hotmail.com and live.com, the sign up process to create a new email address is essentially the same, regardless of your country.
Sign up for a Hotmail.com or Live.com email account
Let's now show you how to create a Hotmail account for an email address ending in "@live.com" or "@hotmail.com". First, open a new browser window and type "www.hotmail.com" or click on this link.
When the Hotmail.com / Live.com home page loads, you should see the Hotmail Sign in form on the right. If you don't, it means that someone else is already logged into another account: in that case, click on the "Sign out" link in the top right corner of the page, and retype "www.hotmail.com" in the address bar and hit Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac). Now, click on the "Sign up" button displayed in the left column, as shown on the screenshot below:
Windows Live Hotmail will redirect you to the sign up form, where you'll be able to enter your account information and choose an email address at Hotmail.com or Live.com. Start by entering the user name you would like to use inside the "Hotmail address" text field. Then, choose either "hotmail.com" or "live.com" in the dropdown menu, depending on how you want your new email address to end.
Then, click on the "Check availability" button to confirm if that email address is still available, and repeat the process until you find one that suits you. Then, type a password in the "Create a password" text field, and re-type it for confirmation in the next field - make sure to remember it, since this is the one you'll use during Hotmail Sign in (note that you can always change Hotmail password later on). Windows Live Hotmail will help you find a strong password to keep your account safe from hackers.
Password recovery options for new Hotmail accounts
The next field ("Alternate email address") is very important, since it will be used for account access and password recovery: either type another email address if you have one (your password reminder will be sent there), or click on the "Or choose a security question for password reset" link if you prefer to set a secret question and answer to achieve the same purpose.
Personal email account information
Then, enter your "First Name" and "Last Name", as you would like them to appear when people receive email messages sent from your Hotmail account. (You can change your name later on too, should you get married for example.)
Finally, pick a "Country/region", a "State" or province, and a "ZIP code" or postal code (the actual name of these fields changes based on which country is selected in the dropdown menu). And finish by entering your "Gender" and "Birth year".
Why a security check for new Hotmail accounts?
To avoid having automated programs sign up for a Hotmail account (these fake new accounts are generally used by spammers), Microsoft added another "captcha" test that asks you to enter a series of random characters to confirm that you are human. If you cannot read the Hotmail security code, click on the "New" link to get another.
Once you have reviewed the "Microsoft service agreement" and "privacy statement" at the bottom of the sign up form, click on the "I accept" button to create your Hotmail account. Windows Live will activate your account, and you will get a confirmation email in your Hotmail inbox congratulating you on your new email account.
This is how easily you sign up with Windows Live to create a new Hotmail account!