How to: Set up your Hotmail POP3 settings

Windows Live Hotmail aka MSN Hotmail finally is adding POP3 and SMTP support for its free user base. Previously, POP3 and SMTP access is only available to paid Windows Live Hotmail Plus subscribers. POP3 and SMTP protocols allows user to use desktop-based or mobiled-based (such as iPhone) email client to access Hotmail mailboxes without opening web browser to browse to web-based Hotmail online.

The free POP3 and SMTP access will be available to all, each and every Hotmail users eventually. However, during the initial rolling out stage, the POP3 and SMTP support on the Hotmail account will be enabled in stage by country and regional market. Windows Live blog announced that Hotmail users in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Japan, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands are the first to enjoy the free POP3 and SMTP service as part of Hotmail wave 3 roll out. Good news is, all Hotmail users should have POP3 and SMTP enabled and turned on in their account by end of 2009.

To setup mail client to access Windows Live Hotmail account, use the following Hotmail POP3 and SMTP configuration settings:

Incoming Server (POP3 Server): pop3.live.com
Incoming Server POP Port: 995
Incoming Server POP SSL Encryption: Yes (On or Required)

Outgoing Server (SMTP Server): smtp.live.com
Outgoing Server SMTP Port: 25
Outgoing Server Authentication: Yes (On - Use POP username and password or Hotmail credentials)
Outgoing Server TLS or SSL Secure Encrypted Connection: Yes (On or Required)

User Name: Windows Live ID (e.g. yourname@hotmail.com)
Password: password used to sign in to Hotmail or Windows Live service

Note: “Log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA)” check box in Outlook, Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail should not be selected.

For user who can’t access Hotmail via POP3 yet, try Microsoft Office Outlook Connector instead.

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