If you are now using Outlook Express as your main e-mail client and you also have a Hotmail account, you’ll be glad to know that you can now add your Hotmail account to Outlook Express just like you can with Outlook XP.  Doing so will allow you to keep track of both of your e-mail accounts from within one e-mail client interface.

Why do it?

   One of the first questions that may come to mind when thinking of adding your Hotmail account to Outlook Express is why sacrifice the convenience associated with having a Web-based e-mail account? And the simple answer is that you’re not sacrificing anything. Of course, the biggest convenience with having a Hotmail account is that you can check your e-mail and compose replies from anywhere in the world—including your home or office. All you need is access to a computer connected to the Internet and a Web browser.

   By adding your Hotmail account to Outlook Express, you will still be able to check your e-mail and compose replies from anywhere you can access an Internet-connected computer, but at home or at the office you’ll now be able to take advantage of all of the e-mail management features built into Outlook Express.

Performing the procedure

   The actual procedure of adding your Hotmail account to Outlook Express is very straightforward thanks to the E-mail Accounts Wizard. Let’s take a look at the steps involved.

 1. To begin, launch Outlook Express as you normally would. Once it’s up and running, pull down the Tools menu and select the Accounts command. When you see the first page in the Internet Accounts Wizard, you will select the Mail tab then the Add and mail option, as shown in Figure A, the next screen will change automatically.

 2. On the second page of the Internet Accounts Wizard, you’ll be prompted to add the display name for this e-mail account. The Display name is the name people will see when they receive an e-mail from you, and click Next.

 3. The next screen you will add you Hotmail e-mail address, and click next.

 4. Next you will select an Incoming mail server, choose HTTP as shown in Figure B.  The next screen will change automatically.

 5. In the "My HTTP mail service provider is" box, choose Hotmail as shown in Figure C, and click next.

  6. Then add your Hotmail user name and password as in Figure D, and click next, then finish.