New mailbox, existing account or another address?
Choose what you need before starting registration. A new account is separate from an old mailbox, even if the names look similar.
- I want a separate email inbox: start at Microsoft signup and choose the new-email-address option.
- I already have Hotmail or Outlook: use our Hotmail login guide.
- I cannot access my old messages: try Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper. Signup does not recover them.
- I want another address for the same account: read the account alias explanation before creating a separate account.
Can you still create a new @hotmail.com address?
Hotmail is now part of Outlook.com. Microsoft’s current Outlook help directs new users to Outlook.com addresses and describes Hotmail as an existing-address option. Do not assume a new @hotmail.com address will be available.
Check the domain selector in Microsoft’s actual signup form. If it offers @hotmail.com, you can select it and check your preferred username. If it does not, use an offered address ending such as @outlook.com. This guide cannot reserve usernames or unlock an unavailable domain.
An existing Hotmail address does not need to be renamed to use Outlook.com. To access one you already own, follow the Hotmail sign-in steps.
Before you begin
Have a few address ideas ready and use a device where you can finish the registration prompts. Enter accurate account information, including your date of birth, and use verification methods you can continue to access.
If your browser opens an existing mailbox, check its profile menu first. Sign out before starting a separate registration, or use a separate browser session so you can tell which account you are creating.
When you reach the address selection screen, read both the username and the domain. The complete address is what you will share with other people.
How to create a Hotmail or Outlook.com email account
- Open Microsoft's signup page.
- Choose the option to get a new email address if the screen initially asks for an existing one.
- Select an available username and one of the email endings offered.
- Provide the account details requested, such as your name, country or region, and date of birth.
- Follow Microsoft's sign-in setup and verification prompts. Create a strong password if the flow requests one.
- Review the terms and privacy information, then finish registration if you agree.
Screen order can vary. Once setup is complete, open Outlook.com and sign in with your new account.
Sign up on Android, iPhone or iPad
Open Microsoft's signup page in your mobile browser and follow the same account creation process. You can then add the new address to the Microsoft Outlook app.
In Outlook, choose Add Account or Add Email Account, enter your address and complete Microsoft's sign-in prompts. For app instructions, see Microsoft's Android guide or iPhone and iPad guide.
Before sending your first message, check that the selected mailbox is the new account rather than another account already on your phone.
Why signup might not ask you to create a password
Microsoft has introduced passwordless-by-default registration for new accounts. Depending on the signup flow, you may be guided through an email code, passkey or another offered sign-in method instead of the older password screen.
Follow the prompts shown for the account you are creating. If Microsoft asks for a password, make it unique. If you set up a passkey, save it on a device or credential manager you control and understand how you will access it later.
Before leaving setup: know which address you registered and which method you will use to sign in again. Do not assume a password exists if the registration flow never asked you to create one.
Choose an address you can keep using
Write down a few alternatives before starting. Your name, initials or a short meaningful word can make an address easier to remember. Avoid including private details such as a full birth date.
Check spelling carefully before completing registration. Read the entire address, including its ending, when sharing it with someone.
New account versus an Outlook email alias
| What you need | Option to consider |
|---|---|
| A separate mailbox and account | Create a new Microsoft email account and manage its sign-in and recovery separately. |
| Another address on the same account | Review Microsoft’s alias options. An alias belongs to the existing account rather than creating an independent mailbox. |
| Access to messages in an old account | Use sign-in or account recovery. Neither a new account nor a new alias restores another account’s messages. |
Check Microsoft’s alias instructions before changing addresses. Do not remove an existing Microsoft-domain alias just to test a different name; Microsoft warns that removed aliases of that type are permanently deleted.
Phone numbers, verification codes and signup checks
Microsoft may ask you to verify an email address, complete an anti-abuse challenge or follow another security step. Use the methods shown on your screen. A phone-number requirement or a text-message option is not identical for every account.
If a code is sent to an existing email address, open that inbox and check junk or spam folders. Recheck the destination for typing errors. Use the newest requested code and follow any waiting instructions instead of repeatedly requesting replacements.
For a challenge you cannot complete, look for the accessibility or retry options Microsoft provides. There is no guaranteed route that skips its required checks.
Do not buy verification codes or give someone else control of the account-creation process. Keep your sign-in and recovery methods accessible to you.
See Microsoft’s verification-code troubleshooting for the exact problem you see.
Problems creating a new account
| Problem | Next step |
|---|---|
| Your preferred address is unavailable | Choose another name or an option suggested by Microsoft. Previously used Microsoft account addresses cannot simply be registered again after account closure. |
| The @hotmail.com option is missing | Use an email ending shown in the signup form. This guide cannot unlock an unavailable domain. |
| You receive a verification challenge | Complete the check on Microsoft's page. Follow its displayed retry or accessibility options if needed. |
| An existing account opens | Sign out of that account before returning to the registration page. |
| Account creation does not complete | Microsoft's account creation guidance suggests another supported signup method or another device. Follow the instructions for the exact error shown. |
| No password screen appears | Follow the offered sign-in setup. Microsoft supports passwordless registration; the absence of a password screen does not itself mean signup failed. |
| A verification code does not arrive | Check the destination and junk folder if email is used. Follow Microsoft’s delivery troubleshooting and any waiting message. |
For code delivery problems, consult Microsoft's security information and verification code help. Never post a code in a public forum or send it to someone offering to register for you.
Creating an account for a child
Use the child’s correct date of birth and follow Microsoft’s parental-consent process. A parent or guardian may need to sign in to complete setup, depending on the requirements presented.
Do not enter an adult birth date to avoid the child-account flow. The family organizer should review the account’s available privacy and safety settings after registration.
Avoid fake signup pages and account sellers
Start on Microsoft’s website
Use Outlook.com or signup.live.com. Check the address bar when a page requests personal details. A familiar logo alone does not prove that a page belongs to Microsoft.
Keep account control
Use verification methods you can access yourself. Do not forward a code to someone claiming they need it to finish your registration.
Understand paid offers
A standard personal Outlook.com account is free. Optional subscriptions are separate; read any offer carefully before agreeing to a paid plan.
Use your own sign-in setup
A pre-created account may have recovery methods controlled by another person. Complete your own registration and review its security options.
After you create the account
- Save the exact email address somewhere you can find later.
- Review recovery and sign-in options in Microsoft account security settings.
- Review the available sign-in protections, including two-step verification or passkeys, and keep access to your chosen verification methods.
- Send a test message to an address you control and confirm you can receive a reply.
- Bookmark Outlook.com or our Hotmail login guide for your next visit.
On shared devices, sign out after using the mailbox and avoid saving account credentials.
Hotmail signup questions
What is the official Hotmail signup website?
Use signup.live.com, or open Outlook.com and select Create free account. Registration takes place on Microsoft’s website.
Is a standard Outlook.com email account free?
Yes. Basic personal account creation is free. Optional paid Microsoft subscriptions are separate.
Will I definitely get an @hotmail.com address?
No. Microsoft’s Outlook help directs new users to Outlook.com addresses. Check the email endings actually offered during signup; a specific domain or username is not guaranteed.
Can I sign up without a phone number?
Follow the verification methods Microsoft offers. Some flows use other methods, but this guide cannot guarantee that your signup will complete without a phone or another required verification check.
Why did Microsoft not ask me to create a password?
Microsoft has introduced passwordless registration. Your flow may use another sign-in method; follow the prompts and remember which method you configured.
Does signing up with Gmail give me a new Outlook address?
Using an existing Gmail address as a Microsoft account identifier is different from choosing a new Microsoft email address. Choose the new-address option if you want a new Outlook.com address.
Can I recreate a closed Hotmail address?
Do not expect to register a previously used Microsoft account address again. If your goal is access to an old account, use Microsoft’s sign-in and recovery guidance instead.
Is an alias a separate email account?
No. An alias belongs to the existing Microsoft account. Create a separate account if you need a separately managed mailbox.
Can I create an account for a child?
Use accurate age information and follow Microsoft’s child-account setup and parental-consent requirements. A parent or guardian may need to sign in.
Where do I log in after creating the account?
Open Outlook.com and sign in with your new account, or add it to the Outlook mobile app. Check the full address before sending your first message.
Official sources and related guides
Guide updated . Microsoft controls available address options and registration requirements.
- Microsoft: Create a new account
- Microsoft: Hotmail and Outlook.com access
- Microsoft: Add an email alias
- Microsoft: Two-step verification
- Hotmail login and recovery
- Gmail login
- Gmail signup
- Microsoft: Outlook.com and Hotmail address information
- Microsoft: Passwordless account registration
- Microsoft: Verification code issues