How to create a custom Email ID for your domain in Hotmail

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Hotmail is one of the most popular and most widely used email service in the world right now. If you own a domain name and want to create a custom email ID associated with your domain name, you can easily do that using the Windows Live Admin Center. You will be able to use this email ID as Windows Live IDs and can use them with Windows Live Messenger, etc, just as you do with a normal @hotmail ID.

The first thing that you have to do before starting is to register a domain name (if you don’t already have one). After you have purchased a domain name, you can start the procedure.

To set up you custom email ID, first go to domains.live.com. Click Get Started.

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In the next page enter your domain name. As we want to setup an email account, select Setup Windows Live Hotmail for my domain. If you select the other option, you will be able to use you email ID with Windows Live Messenger but an email inbox will not be setup.

img2 thumb How to create a custom Email ID for your domain in Hotmail

Next you will have to assign a Domain administrator. A domain administrator, as the name suggests is the one who will be managing the Admin Center account and can add or remove user accounts.

img3 thumb How to create a custom Email ID for your domain in Hotmail

Now confirm the details that you have entered and accept the terms and conditions.

img4 thumb How to create a custom Email ID for your domain in Hotmail

The next step is to prove the ownership of the domain and setup necessary MX records on your domain registrar/webhost  for the Hotmail to work with your domain name. You will be provided with the details to enter as shown below.

img5 thumb How to create a custom Email ID for your domain in Hotmail

img6 thumb How to create a custom Email ID for your domain in Hotmail

Usually these settings can be found under DNS Management option in your host/registrar’s control panel. If you aren’t sure how to add MX record via your host’s control panel, check their documentation or contact support. Here’s an example on how the DNS editor will look like.

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Once you have finished adding the MX records, return to the above shown page and click refresh. Windows Live Admin Center will detect the MX changes and you can now start using your custom email ID from Hotmail. To add more accounts, just go to domains.live.com and click Manage Accounts in the left pane. From the right pane,select Add Accounts.

That’s it!

Posted by on , in Category Live with Tags
Currently pursuing Bachelors in Electronics, the author Nithin Ramesh is a technology blogger. Apart from technology his other interests include cricket and rock music.

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  • Rick

    Interesting indeed however I just couldn’t keep myself from asking why? I was thinking that if you own a domain, you probably already have email provided by the host / on your server.

  • http://www.thewindowsclub.com/about-twc-contributor-nithin-ramesh NithinR@TWC

    @Rick I have used the webmail client provided by the web host and I found it inadequate. Also some of them such as Godaddy has set a limit on the number of email IDs that can be created. But if we set the mail this way, you get all the features of Hotmail plus the ability to create more number of IDs as per your requirement.

  • Danilo

    Nithin,

    Wow, I’m glad that came accross this site and thanks for providing this information.

    I’m going to set it up with a current domain that has no email service and will let you know how it goes.

    Thank again,

    Danilo

  • Dave

    Hi,
    It is a very great article on How to create a custom Email ID for your domain in Hotmail. This is very helpful for a newbie like me. Thanks…

  • http://twitter.com/lynntotherescue Lynn Dye

    Thanks – I knew this was possible, but didn’t know where to find the information. I have a domain at Hover and paid $20/year for them to host my email. However, I didn’t know at the time it is ONLY email, no calendar or contacts. So I may do this switch even before my year is out as I really enjoy all the live mail features.

  • Ghajf

    How many IDs can be added for custom domains?

  • Vijay

    50