Hotmail account creation isn't rocket science but it can certainly be daunting if you've never set up an e-mail account before. Similar to other e-mail service providers on the internet, the first step is to type www.live.com into your address bar, so that you can access the main website. Unfortunately for those of you seeking out a Hotmail e-mail address, you might find yourself with a different domain instead. Hotmail is an old service, and while it's still very popular and up-to-date in its functionality, it now goes by the name of Outlook. The service is owned by Microsoft, so the accounts that you get now will usually end in live.com, live.ca, or outlook.com.

Building A Profile

Once you've gotten to the main website you can begin creating an account by clicking on "sign up now." This will take you to a screen where you have to enter some personal information so that Hotmail, also known as outlook, can verify who you are, and create an account that others won't be able to access. This part of the process takes only a few moments and is pertinent to the Hotmail account creation. The form may ask for your name, date of birth, gender, location, and phone number or alternative e-mail address for security purposes.

Getting Setup

During the sign up process for Hotmail account creation you will also need to select a username that is unique. This may take a while as the site has been around for quite some time and many usernames are already in use. Fortunately, each domain ending such as Hotmail.com, live.com, and outlook.com are original, which means that if you select yourname@live.com and it is taken, this doesn't necessarily mean that yourname@outlook.com will also be in use.

Emailing From Your New Account

Once you're setup you will need to login, and this is where you will be able to add new contacts, or sync existing contacts from another account. Hotmail account creation only takes a few moments but it's important to complete each step properly so that you will be able to access your account later and so that you won't have to worry about hackers or fraud. You should also note that you must agree to the terms and services that Hotmail and Outlook present to you upon registration, otherwise you will be unable to activate your account for use. The sign up process will also give you the ability to subscribe to personal offers and promotions that are being distributed by Hotmail.

If at any time your computer freezes or the process seems to halt after you have accepted the terms and agreements of your new account you may want to try logging in with your new information before making a second account attempt. Your information could be saved in the process, and creating a new account could leave you with two, rather than just the original one that you lost during your first attempt. If a login attempt leaves you with the error message "username does not exist" then you can go ahead and attempt registration again.