How to add or change an alternate e-mail address

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
According to Windows Live Help here are the directions to add or change an alternate e-mail address

When you sign up for a Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and anywhere else that you see the Windows Live ID logo.) , you aren't required to add an alternate e-mail address (An alternate e-mail address is a secondary e-mail address registered with your Windows Live ID. If you forget your password, you can have the password reset information sent to your alternate e-mail address.) , but we recommend that you do. If you forget your password, your alternate e-mail address can be used to reset your password. You must be able to access the e-mail address that you provide without signing in to Windows Live ID sites and services.
To add or change your alternate e-mail address:

  1. Sign in to your account summary page with your Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and anywhere else that you see the Windows Live ID logo.) .
  2. Next to Alternate e-mail address, click Add or Change.
  3. In the Password box, type your password.
  4. Enter and confirm the e-mail address you want to use, and then click Save.

To remove your alternate e-mail address:

  1. Sign in to your account summary page with your Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and anywhere else that you see the Windows Live ID logo.) .
  2. Next to Alternate e-mail address, click Change.
  3. In the Password box, type your password.
  4. Make sure that the Type alternate e-mail address and the Retype alternate e-mail address boxes are empty.
  5. Click Save.

Notes


  • Removing your alternate e-mail address limits your password reset options.
  • When you have set an alternate e-mail address, you can request that your password reset information be sent to an e-mail address other than the one registered with your Windows Live ID.
  • If you're using a Windows Live ID for your alternate e-mail address and you've selected Remember me on this computer and Remember my password on the sign-in screen, you'll be able to sign in to your e-mail and get your password.
  • If you're using a Windows Live ID for your alternate e-mail address and you're using an e-mail program that allows you to save your Windows Live ID and password, such as Outlook, you'll be able to sign in to your e-mail and get your password.
 
Hi there,
First of all, thank you for your other post allowing me to get back into my hotmail account by signing in via live.com - that worked and I am truly grateful.
MY QUESTION.
I was logged out by my sister using my laptop from hotmail.co.uk - this was the first time anyone else had used the computer and thus the first time I had been logged out of hotmail for about 2 years (Bobby the Hermit - lol)
Trying to log into my own account I realised I had forgotten the password and pressed "forgotten password" which seemed reasonable. The password (or somthing) was then sent to my alternate email address WHICH I NO LONGER OWN !!! Thus all my other problems....
I cannot change anything including the alternate email address on my security page because I ALWAYS need to confirm it in the address that I do not own.
Now when I go to Sign In I get a page that informs me that
icon_err.gif
The Windows Live Network is unavailable from this site for one of the following reasons:
  • This site may be experiencing a problem
  • The site may not be a member of the Windows Live Network
You can:

  • You can sign in or sign up at other sites on the Windows Live Network, or try again later at this site.
...and DOES NOT HAVE A SIGN IN OPTION !!!!! How ridiculous !!!

My only experience of this was over 4 years ago where due to someone hacking my account (amongst other accounts) I had to actually have an email BATTLE with hotmail to prove that I was who I said I was - they did not believe anything I said no matter how much information I gave them and I really just want this whole situation to be back to normal where I simply leave hotmail logged in always and life is SO MUCH SIMPLER.

Any help with either of these 2 points (if you can find them, lol) would be GREATLY appreciated.

Bobby
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
Hi Bobby,

If you did not login to your account for 2 years it should have been closed and then later deleted by Hotmail by now.

Are you sure that it still exists? Was someone else logging into the account?

Here is our guide that lists the available Hotmail account recovery options :

http://www.emailquestions.com/hotma...l-password-regain-control-hacked-account.html

Here is our guide that lists troubleshooting steps for Hotmail login issues :

http://www.emailquestions.com/hotma...ms-including-blank-pages-login-redirects.html

And while we are discussing lost accounts here is some general information about phishing scams and protecting your accounts from hackers :

http://www.emailquestions.com/email-articles/2569-top-5-tips-prevent-your-email-getting-hacked.html

Hopefully some of the information in these guides will be able to help you.

A good lesson to take away from this experience is that there is limited support for free email accounts like Hotmail accounts. Try to keep a couple email accounts active and make sure that you have protected your passwords, security questions & answers, and that all account recovery options are kept up to date as you change your email addresses.
 

foggy

Valued Member
Hi,

Not to speak for Bobby, but he said it was 2 years since he was logged out of his account. I guess that's why he forgot his password: he didn't really need it while his browser kept him logged in all that time.

Also, as an aside: with these horror stories I occasionally read about (in articles, comments in articles, blogs, forums) where someone has been locked out of their accounts and find it impossible to convince Support that it's truly their account, I'm wondering if it's not just a better idea all around to invest a small amount of money per year for premium service, better support and more peace of mind.

E.g. FM's plans include one as low as $4.95/yr. PolarisMail hosts domains for as little as $12/yr. Lavabit has $8/yr and $16/yr plans. EuMX has $15/yr service. Free email service seems like a great idea, since most of such services have enough features to satisfy the normal user (Gmail's/Google Apps' interface is a joy to use, IMO). But support is often a royal pain and less than convenient, if not non-existent, no ? The bigger the 'free email' company, it seems, the less enjoyable the support experience.

Sorry for rambling...... :eek:
 
Hi there Popowich and Foggy and thank you for answering so quickly...

Foggy you are correct - I have been logged IN for over 2 years so I know my account was there yesterday UNTIL someone logged me out.

Popowich, I looked at the first 2 threads you have posted before posting this, my first question. Unfortuately, they are not the problem I have. I have to say that all the informatuon on this site is superbly helpful and in depth. I just haven't, as yet found MY answer.

I think that may be an option in the future Foggy about a paid account for the sake of £5 a year or such like, but I have over 100,000 emails on the hotmail account (embarrassing - lol) - (of which 77000 are unopened rubbish - but I do use it as my "mainly rubbish account" and use gmail for anything important) BUT there are still about 100 pretty important and definitely daily contacts from which I receive emails I need.

I look forward to any help you can provide - Thank you for your time.

Bobby
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
I see, you were logged in for a long time and did not lose your login session until recently.

If you think you know the password but can't get past the Hotmail webmail login page you can try logging in with a program such as Windows Live Mail 2011. If you can login with that then you have confirmed you know your password and are dealing with a web site connectivity issue.

If that does not work and you do not have control of your account it's fair to report that problem as a security issue to the form / email addresses in the first link I mentioned. (This one: http://www.emailquestions.com/hotma...l-password-regain-control-hacked-account.html )

If it is just a webmail connectivity issue see the second link (this one: http://www.emailquestions.com/hotma...ms-including-blank-pages-login-redirects.html ) for recommendations on software that you can use to scan your system for viruses and spyware.

:welcome: to Email Questions!
 
Thank you again Popowich.

THe actual problem is jsut to be able to change the alternate email address.

THe reason that I cannot do this is that whether I can get into hotmail or not (I can now due to taking the advice from the other thread and logging in via live.com) EVERY TIME I follow any of the instructions in your thread "How to recover a lost ..." and any I have so far seen regarding alternate hotmail accounts it does not take into consideration that fact that I NO LONGER have control of the alternate email account - and have absolutely no way of gettting control of it either as it was to a domain name I no longer own - Therefore everytime I try to "ADD" or "DELETE" and alternate email address I am told to CONFIRM THIS and then they send the confirmation to the old alternate email address that I cannot get to !!!!! SO INFURIATING and surely I cannot be the only person in the world who has lost control of an alternate email address - "why else would I be wanting to change it hotmail !!!"

Sorry for the rant - it is at THEM and most certainly not at YOU - lol

Anymore help would be greatefully received

Bobby
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
I'll try and keep this short and simple for support clarity :)

Question #1) You still do not know your password, right?

Question #2) Did you use the alternate contact reset form here? https://account.live.com/proofs/MarkLost

Question #3) Is someone else confirming that your email address being emailed in #2 is still good?

If you did #2, and #1 and #3 are true, contact abuse@microsoft.com and secure@microsoft.com to let them know that someone else has access to your email account.

You are correct in saying that if you do not have access to your alternate email address then you can not remove it, and also that if you do not know your password then you can not add additional alternate email addresses.

If you lost your password and alternate email addresses you are probably in a really bad spot now.

Maybe we need to get a little more creative?

If a system restore is possible would a system restore backwards 2 weeks+ have a chance of recovering the cookie / saved Hotmail session and let you back into your account + set a second alternate email address? If you are out of options this might be a possible hail mary solution but I'd try the Microsoft email addresses first.
 
Hi Popowich,
Thank you for your valuable time in answering me.
To clarify.
1. I have now gained access to my hotmail account using the information you poeted in another thread.
2. I do not have access to my alternate email address.
3. Because of "2" I cannot confirm any changes to my account RE: Adding and then changing the alternate email address for the future so that I do not have this problem again.
This is now the situation. You may have just answered that it is impossible to do. I love your idea of the restore actions but they would not be of use in this final situation. It seems from what you ahve said that (because to complete any changes all the confirmations are sent to the alternate email address) I may not be ever able to change the alternate email.
Thank you again for your time and your initial help getting me back into hotmail.
Truly appreciated.
Bobby.
PS - Is this forum just for email problems or is there a place for audio/video/pc technology problems as I am having A NIGHTMARE with that at the moment - lol.
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
Stop! :)

Since you have access to your account use this form to remove your secondary email addresses :

https://account.live.com/proofs/MarkLost

As long as the emails to those address go unconfirmed the alternate emails will be automatically removed from your account.

Give it a little time for that to happen. I'm not sure how many days it takes.

Once they have been automatically removed (you'd think within 7 days) you can go back and add new alternate email addresses.

If you find out the exact timeframe for the automated removal please let us know.
:thanks:
 
Dear Popowich,

WHOOT WHOOT !!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!

I shall be sure to let you know how long it takes for your information and to help others.

I truly cannot believe how attentive you have been for me today - thank you SOOOOOOO much - this is without doubt the best forum I have EVER been on.

Thank You Thank You Thank You.

Bobby
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
Hi Bobby,

No problem. I needed to find something to accomplish while my Buffalo Bills were extending their perfect loss season to 0-7 ;)

If you would like to share our site with your friends see our Facebook and Twitter links in my signature below.

:thanks:
 
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