Hotmail to Outlook

[Tom Gallagher]

Why can't I rename my Hotmail account to a Outlook account.?

[FredOnline]

Could you expand your query?

Perhaps someone has beaten you to your chosen @outlook.com name.

[David]

Originally Posted by Tom Gallagher

Why can't I rename my Hotmail account to a Outlook account.?

It's because you are entitled to both (I think)

ie: username at Hotmail.com and:
same username at Outlook.com

When you first create your account, your old Hotmail username (at Outlook.com) is created automatically and the same address (at Hotmail) is also kept as an alias.

The above options are what was presented to me (when I switched) - some time ago now.

[FredOnline]

Originally Posted by David

It's because you are entitled to both (I think)

I don't think that's correct.

[n5bb]

This is not automatic. You must log into your Hotmail / Live account, then (in the new interface) click the gear and More mail settings. Then select Create an Outlook alias and follow the directions. If the alias you want is available you can then use it in place of the Hotmail address.

Although the help says that you can rename a Hotmail account to use an Outlook.com login address, it refuses to let me do this with my free Hotmail account. If you also have this problem, you can use an Outlook.com email address as described above, and keep logging in with the hotmail email address.

You can create at least four outlook.com and/or live.com aliases with any available usernames.

Bill

[Tom Gallagher]

Thanks Bill.

[mike1977]

They temporarily disabled the rename feature...which translates don't hold your breath.

emailmyname: We're sorry, this service is currently unavailable. forever
It sucks they discontinued this, and it sucks AOL discontinued signing up new accounts under @games.com,etc

Att: Registration not available at this time.
Trion: Email changing "temporarily" not available ---long time

So, is anyone really working on fixing the renaming feature? Or has it put on the back burner to be abandoned?

[Just Bill]

I got in on the day Outlook.com became available and renamed my old Hotmail account How long this option was available, I do not know. But it appears that it was a short lived option that for whatever reason Microsoft decided to abandon.

[Tom Gallagher]

That explains it guys. Strange deal that they would discontinue it.

[B4its2L8]

Originally Posted by Just Bill

I got in on the day Outlook.com became available and renamed my old Hotmail account How long this option was available, I do not know. But it appears that it was a short lived option that for whatever reason Microsoft decided to abandon.

According to this blogpost, MS had intended to allow 2 renamings per year. Note the last of the four bullet points (my blue bold italics):

Renaming an account is not something that you can easily "undo"; in fact, there are some cases where it's impossible to undo. So, please be very sure of your decision before following the steps below.
Also, there are some limitations of rename that you should be aware of:

• If you use a Windows Phone, you will need to reset your Windows Phone to factory settings, and then set it back up with the new account name. You will lose all personal data on the Windows Phone when you do this, so make sure you have that data backed up. You will need to re-install all your applications on your phone, although you will not need to re-purchase them.
• It is not easy (and in rare cases not possible) to "undo" a rename. For example, if you rename an MSN account, you can't rename it back, or if you created your account in one country and are renaming it in a different country, you won't be able to rename it back to your original account unless you travel back to your original country. Be very sure of your decision.
• If your account has been blocked more than once because someone else was using your account, you will not be able to rename it. We're working to remove this limitation.
• You can rename your account twice every 12 months. If you rename and then change your mind, renaming back into your old address doesn't count towards your yearly limit.

So, apparently it was not a feature that they had originally planned to remove, regardless of whether they decided to anyway.

[chrisretusn]

I just checked my Outlook.com accounts.

The option "Rename your email address" is gone. If I click on "Create an Outlook alias" there is a note:

If you want to use a new email address to sign in and send mail, you might want to rename your account instead.

Which leads me to this page: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...rename-account

Those instructions are don't work, there is no "Rename your email address" under "Managing your account".

I did find a "Rename account" on my Account summary page. "Account details (password, addresses, time zone)" under "Managing your account" to get there. Unfortunately when I click on "Rename account" I get this:

The email address associated with your Microsoft account can't be changed

I tried all three of my accounts and had my wife checked her account, same result. It seems as name changing is no longer allowed. I can still do Aliases though.

[drew]

I tested on my hotmail account too and got similar result
it told me to rather make a new account.

So if one ad a middle name as like Drew.F.Strawberry
instead of the wanted Drew.Strawberry would maybe work

but few seems to want to make such odd looking email address?
What else could one do. I once some 10 years ago got this one

Drew.Strwbrry at Hot mail com and that look very odd
but is unique in a childish way

[Tom Gallagher]

All I can think of is that MSN found something drastically wrong and pulled the feature.

[B4its2L8]

Originally Posted by Tom Gallagher

All I can think of is that MSN found something drastically wrong and pulled the feature.

Ohhhhh, I think MS is perfectly capable of removing things that are working well, too.

[Tom Gallagher]

Oh OK...LOL.