1. Address Book

The address book makes it easy to recall the email addresses of your friends or groups of colleagues by using nicknames. For instance, it's easier to recall BUD than goodfriendjohn@some.other.place.com or to recall GOLF rather than a bunch of individuals you may golf with.

Adding, Editing and Deleting Addresses

Add a New Addressee

To use the Address Book click on the Addresses button on the Navigation Bar and follow the procedure below;

Click on the create button to create either an individual or a group nickname.
Enter the email nickname that you'd like to give your friend or colleague in the first box.
In the second box enter the actual email address(es) you want associated to the chosen nickname.
Once you have entered the information, click the OK button to save it to your address book.

If you would like to add additional information such as street addresses and phone numbers, you can do so by clicking on the Edit button to the right side of the nickname you wish to ad information to. After you have added the appropriate information click OK to save your changes.

Edit or Update a Nickname

To Edit a nickname from the main Addresses page click on the Edit icon.

Nickname

Make changes to the nickname itself in the Nickname text box.

Email Addresses

Make changes to the associated Email addresses in the email address text box.

Confirm or Cancel Your Changes

Click on the OK button to confirm your modifications, or on the Cancel button to leave without applying any changes. In either case, you will be returned to the Address Book.
On the Modify Nickname Page: or

Delete a Nickname

To delete a nickname from your address book click the Delete icon to the right of the nickname you wish to delete.
Look for:

Mailing From the Address Book

A Single Addressee

Address a message automatically by clicking on the chosen nickname. This will automatically open the Compose Mail page with the associated email ID in the To: box.

Multiple Addressees

Click on the QuickList button on the top of the page if you would like to send a message to multiple recipients. From here you can set each nickname as a To, Cc, or Bcc recipient.
Look for:

The QuickList page:

Check Boxes

Use the appropriate check boxes next to each nickname needed. You can check as many recipients as you wish, up to a maximum of 25. When finished, click on the Mail To... button and you will open a Compose Mail page with all of your addressees already in their proper place. You can click on the Cancel button if you change your mind.
On the QuickList Page: or

2. POP mail

• What is POP Mail?

POP (Post Office Protocol) is an Internet mail handling standard that allows differing computers to retrieve mail from a mailbox on any mail server which supports the POP protocol. POP3 is simply version 3 of the POP standard. You can think of POP as providing a store and forward service, intended to move mail (on demand) from an intermediate server (the Post Office) to a single destination machine.

If you have clicked on the POP Mail button in the In-Box and have not been previously set up for retrieving POP3 Mail, you need to set it up for the first time here. Once configured, subsequent use of POP Mail will retrieve your POP Mail and return it into your In-Box.

Completing the Setup

Identify Your POP3 Mail Account

There are two required fields, the POP Server Name and your POP User Name. If you know the full correct values, just enter them in the respective boxes.

If you don't know the correct values, try these steps:

Call or write your System Administrator or Help Desk.
Check your ISP's web site for a "configuration information" type of page.
If you have another mail program pre-configured, review the current settings there.
Take a guess using a common (but certainly not standardized) convention:

Many ISPs will use "mail" as the first node of their mail handling DNS (Domain Name Server -- the alphabetic readable equivalent of the numeric Internet address). For example a provider by the name of someother.com might use mail.someother.com as the POP Mail Server Name.

Another example using this "guessing" routine: The user, Justin Thyme, has an account, user1\@someother.com. Justin might try putting mail.someother.com in the POP Server Name and user1 in the POP User Name field.

• Try another guess just using your provider's name in the POP Server Name and your user ID at that provider in the POP User Name field.

Select the OK button to confirm your settings. The next time you click the POP Mail button at the top of your In-Box, your POP Mail will be checked for you if your setup was correct. If your setup fails for any reason, you will be returned to the POP Server Settings page instead and the already filled in current values will be displayed. You can then adjust your settings and Submit them again.
Look for: You may change your mind and use the Cancel button instead to toss out any changes you may have started to apply.
Look for:

NOTE: You must click on the POP Mail button each time you wish to check your POP Mail.
Look for:

3. Folders

The Folders feature is where you can truly customize Hotmail for your personal needs. There are four predefined folders: In-Box, Drafts, Sent Messages and the Trash Can. You can also create additional folders that suit your tastes. Custom folders allow you to organize your messages into meaningful categories, and to prioritize your work or correspondence. Name them however you like... if you want to call a folder Spoogles for some sentimental reason, go ahead! You can rename it Dud later if your sentiments change!

Creating, Editing and Deleting Folders

Create a New Folder

Click on the Folders button on the Navigation Bar.

Click on the Create button.

Enter a unique name for the folder you wish to create.

Click on the OK button to create your new folder.

The new folder will appear in the Folders list.

Edit a Folder Name

To edit a folder click on the edit icon to the right of the folder name you wish to change.
Look for:

The Modify Folder page:

New Folder Name

Type your desired name into the New Folder Name box

Confirm or Cancel Your Changes

Click on the OK button to confirm you want to replace the old folder name with the new one, or click the Cancel button to leave without applying any changes. In either case, you will be returned to the main Folders page.
On the Modify Folder Page: or

Delete a Folder

To delete a folder click on the Delete icon to the right of the folder you want to delete. All messages in the folder will be placed in the Trash Can, and the folder itself will be deleted from the system. Any new incoming messages that have filters applied to them which direct them to a deleted folder will now revert to your Inbox.

4. Attachments

If you are using Netscape Navigator 2.0 or higher, or Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 or higher, you may attach local files from your hard drive to your message. It does not matter if you do this before you compose your message or not. When you have selected a file to be attached, you will be returned to your message in progress. To attach a second or third file, simply repeat the process. The files you attach do not have to be text files. For example, you can attach zipped files, sound files and images. If you include a gif or jpeg image file and your recipient is another Hotmail user, they can see the image right in the message!

Attaching a file to a message

Getting to the attachments page

From the Compose page click on the Attachments icon.
Choose File to Attach to message

From the Attachments page click on the Browse button to select the file you want to attach to your message, or type the path and name of the file into the Attach File: textbox.

Note: The total size for all attachments cannot exceed 1 megabyte.

Complete the Process

Select the Attach to message button to confirm the attachment.

The transfer of each attached file will require anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes depending on connection rates and file sizes.

After your attachment shows up in the -Message Attachments- window click on the Done icon to be returned to the Compose screen.


Note: It is not recommended that you attach a file that is currently open on your computer. You may change your mind and return to your message without adding any attachments at any time by using the BACK button on your browser.

5. Filters:

• Using Block Sender to filter messages from specified addresses directly to the Trash Can.

You can block email from specific senders from appearing in your In-Box. All you need to do to accomplish this is list the full email address of each sender you want blocked by clicking on the Options button and then the Filters button. In the text box provided, enter the specific address(es) you want to block (someone@junk.com for example), and press the OK button to activate Block Sender for those address(es). Messages from these senders will now be placed directly into the Trash Can. Use a space or comma to separate addresses when you have more than one listed.

You will also see a Block Sender button next to the From: address when reading a message. Click it to add that address to the Block Sender list.

1. Creating a User ID:

• How do I get my own Hotmail account?

To sign up point your browser (such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer) to www.hotmail.com, click on the Sign up Here button and follow the instructions. You will need to provide some personal and demographic information in order to establish an account. Your personal data is never disclosed or given away. It is needed in order for us to display meaningful ads to you as an individual.

By filling out the registration information you will be given a FREE email account that is both permanent and reliable. There is no special client side software needed, all you need is a browser and access to the web. You can now take advantage of email on demand wherever you have access to the web. What this means is that it does not matter if you are at home or work or even out of your state or country. All you need to do is point your browser at www.hotmail.com and the email world is at your fingertips. Along with your email, you can also attach important files, images and other documents to your email messages. Hotmail is the best solution for your business or personal email needs.

• What if I want a different UserID/Login name or I have forgotten my login name?

To get a new User ID/Login Name you must re-register. If for some reason you decide you want or need to change your User ID/Login Name you will need to re-register by going to www.hotmail.com and clicking on the Sign Up Here button and follow the registration procedure once again.

2. Forgotten Password:

• What can I do if I forget my password?

• You can always regain access to your Hotmail account even if you have forgotten your password with the following procedure.

Any email received in regards to obtaining a lost or forgotten password will take longer to process if it does not contain all of the above information correctly and completely. For further help or information please call (408)222-7028

3. Change Password:

• How can I change my Hotmail password?

To change your password you must login with your current password, click Options on the navigation bar, then click on the Password button.

Once you have reached the Password screen under Options you need to type in your current password, then tab to the next field, and type in your new password. You will need to re-type your new password once again for your security and verification. Lastly you should give yourself a good reminder that will help you remember your password just in case it is forgotten, and then click on OK to make the new changes take effect.

See also: Forgotten Password

4. Email Identity:

• Does my name go out with all my email?

Yes. Your first and last name will go out with every email you send and will be seen in the FROM: field.

• I don't want people to know my real name, can I change it?

Outgoing information can be modified by clicking the Options button on the navigation bar, and then clicking on the Personal icon. You will now be able to modify any of your personal information including your first and last name. For example, if your last name is "Susie Jones", you may want to change your information to read "S. Jones" or perhaps"Susie J".

Look for: and

NOTE: If at some point in time you forget your password, we will need to confirm your personal registration information (including your name) in order to reset the password. (See Forgotten Password )

5. Personal Information:

• Why is it so important to provide accurate personal information?

Hotmail is able to provide a FREE service because we are advertiser supported. We need your profile information completed so that we can display advertisements to specific groups of users. For example, a luxury automobile company might want to advertise to working professionals over 35 years of age. They might not feel the need to advertise to students under the age of 20.

Advertisers pay Hotmail for the opportunity to display ads to groups of individuals as described in the above example. This also allows us to display ads that are more likely to be of interest to you, the member. Your personal data is never disclosed to the advertisers. Further information is provided in Hotmail's "Terms of Service", which outlines our policy regarding data provided to Hotmail from our users.

If you ever forget your Hotmail password, you will need to confirm your personal registration information with one of our representatives in order to reset your password.

6. Account Cancellation:

• How do I remove my Hotmail account?

• All accounts that are inactive for 120 days are considered closed and will be removed on a "as resources are needed" basis. Inactive refers to not being logged into.

1. Checking Email:

• How do I check my email?

After you have logged into your account you will be brought to the Welcome Page. At the top of the page you will see a box which states how many new messages you have in your inbox. If you have not setup any special Filters, all of your new messages will be delivered to your inbox. To get to the inbox you can click on the highlighted word Inbox or click on the Inbox button on the navigation bar.

Once you are in the inbox you will see your messages displayed in a list. To open a message, click on the senders highlighted name under the From button. This will take you into the Read Message screen where you can read the text of the message. From here you will have the options of replying to, forwarding, or deleting the message.

To return to the inbox you may click on the Close button. You may move directly to the next or previous message by clicking on the corresponding button. If Hotmail has remained idle for a period of time and you wish to refresh your mailbox (pulling in any messages that might have arrived while you were in the inbox) simply click the inbox button on the Navigation Bar. Clicking on reload or refresh will not update your Inbox.

Look for: click on this button to go to your Hotmail inbox.

NOTE: The procedures for opening messages are the same for reading messages in folders other than the inbox.

2. Composing Email:

• How do I send an email?

Once you are logged into your account, you can compose email messages to send to any valid internet email address. Click on the Compose button on the Navigation Bar to bring up the compose screen. Type the complete email address(es) you wish to send to in the "To:" field; use a comma or space to seperate them if you input more than one. If you would like to have a subject heading for your message you may type one in the "Subject" field. Type the body of the message in the text box provided below. When you are finished and ready to send the message, click on the button labeled Send.

NOTE: When composing a message you may want to save what you have written and return to complete and send it at a later time. To do this, simply click on the Save Draft button. To access the message again, go to the folder labeled Drafts. Click on the message to read, complete, and send it. If you wish to save a message that you are ready to send out, click on the box for Save Outgoing Message. Messages saved in this manner will be stored in the folder labeled Sent Messages.

To find out more about email features, see Attachments.

3. Saving:

• How do I save my Hotmail?

Any message which you do not manually delete will remain in your account. As long as you do not go over our storage limits, you may store as many messages as you need. All messages in your account are stored on our servers, not your own computer. At the present time, the only way to download messages from your Hotmail account to your local computer is through our POP Access, one of our Premium Services. You can also "Cut & Paste" the text of a message to another off-line program (e.g. Microsoft Word), and view them there. The exact details (of cutting and pasting text) vary depending on your computer's operating system. In a Windows environment, you can open the message, highlight the text (using your mouse), and then copy the highlighted text (either using the Copy option under the Edit menu or by typing a [Control+C]. Then open the application and use the Paste option under the Edit menu or type [Control+V].

Printing:

• How do I print my Hotmail?

If you would like to keep a hard copy of an email message you can also print the message. Open the message and then use the print function of your browser (usually found in the File menu or on the toolbar).

4. Member Directory:

• How do I contact another Hotmail user if I don't know his or her Hotmail address?

Hotmail is pleased to offer the Member Directory as a way for you to search for and write to other Hotmail users. The Directory is designed to let Hotmail users find each other while still protecting the individual's privacy. In order to use the Directory you must be a Hotmail member and register yourself to the Directory. To register, go to Options, (found on the Navigation Bar) and then click the icon Personal. At the bottom of the Personal Options page you will select either a "basic" or "full" listing for the Directory.

To access the Member Directory, click on the text-link Member Directory which can be found in the Addresses, In-Box, or Compose sections of Hotmail. This will bring you to a screen where you can run a search by a persons first and last name, as well as their country of residence. Once you click "Submit" the search will begin and a list of all of those people that fit your criteria will be shown.

Clicking on a member's name opens a special Compose page for sending a brief message. To see if you have found the right person you may send them a short message giving them some information about how you think you know them. The recipient's email address will not be displayed to you when you send them this brief message.

There are different ways in which you can choose to be listed in the Hotmail Member Directory. To configure how you are listed in the Member Directory click on the Options button on the navigation bar then click on Personal. The three ways you can choose to be listed are following.

Basic Listing (name, city, state, country)
Full Listing (above plus interests)
No Listing (not listed at all)

NOTE: As the sender, your email address is shown to the other member and they may reply directly to you. Please be advised that it may take up to seven days for your information to show up in the Member Directory.

1. Hotmail's Policies:

• Our Terms of Service

Hotmail's Policies: Rules and regulations for acceptable usage of the service.

Hotmail has a zero-tolerance policy towards users associated with sending junk mail. We promptly close accounts that are in violation of the Hotmail Terms of Service as soon as they are reported to us.

"The Service makes use of the Internet to send and receive certain messages; therefore, Member's conduct is subject to Internet regulations, policies and procedures. Member will not use the Service for chain letters, junk mail, spamming or any use of distribution lists to any person who has not given specific permission to be included in such a process".

Hotmail forbids the sending of harassing, obscene or threatening mail messages. Likewise, we do not allow accounts to be used to impersonate individuals or businesses.

"Member agrees not to transmit through the Service any unlawful, harassing, libelous, abusive, threatening, harmful, vulgar, obscene or otherwise objectionable material of any kind or nature. Member further agrees not to transmit any material that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law or regulation. Attempts to gain unauthorized access to other computer systems are prohibited".

Our complete Terms of Service can be viewed here.

2. Definition of Spam:

• What is Spam and where does it come from?

Spam is any message or posting, reguardless of its content, that is sent to multiple recipients who have not specifically requested the mail. It can also be multiple postings of the same message to Newsgroups or listservers that are not related to the topic of the message. Other common terms on the Internet are UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) and UBE (Unsolicited Bulk Email) which are both the same as what is typically called spam.

The individuals who send spam are typically people who have purchased or harvested a list of email addresses. And they send messages from numerous different addresses to all areas of the Web.

All mail originating from Hotmail has a unique tag embedded in the full address header of X-originating-IP which helps to identify the sender of the email and track the individual to his or her service provider. Individuals who use a Hotmail address in their spam are forging mail headers if the X-Originating IP line is absent in the spam you receive.

"Spam" is a registered trademark of the Hormel Corporation. The term spam is commonly used on the Internet when referring to unsolicited email.

3. Avoiding Spam:

• How to protect yourself from receiving spam.

Avoiding Spam: How to cut down your chances of being spammed.

If you avoid the practices below, you can reduce your chances of receiving spam. List brokers and sometimes individual spammers use a variety of tools and techniques to grab email addresses wherever they may appear on-line.

Avoid the following practices:
•Posting to an on-line service or any Internet bulletin board.
•Posting in a usenet newsgroup or mailing list.
•Spending time in chat rooms or an on-line service that displays your address.
•Including yourself in an unprotected on-line service's member directory.

Hotmail's Member Directory is protected in that we do not display members addresses.

These few things should help you further avoid spam.
•Remove yourself from any unprotected member directory you may be published on.
•Open a second email account, one that you can use as an address for newsgroup and listserve publications or for posting on bulletin boards.
•Set anti-spam filters with your mail program if available. With Hotmail you have a Block Sender option and filters that you can set to send unwanted mail directly to the trash without ever seeing it.
•Never reply to unsolicited email with a remove request since this only validates to a spammer that your address is current.

"Spam" is a registered trademark of the Hormel Corporation. The term spam is commonly used on the Internet when referring to unsolicited email.

4. Combating Spam:

• Who do I report to & what do I need to send?

Combating "SPAM": Complaining to a service provider and what to send.

In the message header look specifically for the "Received:" line since the "From" line can easily be changed with various mail programs and it is more difficult to forge the "Received:" line.

To lodge your complaint send a message to the postmaster of the domain in your mail header with a subject of unsolicited mail. A simple and polite message from you such as "Here is a copy of the spam I have received" will suffice. With your statement you will need to send a unedited copy of the junk mail you received with the complete message headers intact. Please send your complaint once only.

The following links provide more information on additional domains you can complain to, which domains are responsive to complaints and reporting directly to the FTC.

Forward UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) to abuse@hotmail.com (please include full msg. & headers)

Hotmail's TOS http://www.hotmail.com/cgi-bin/tos.cgi
Hotmail's UCE policy http://www.hotmail.com/nospam.html
GoodGuys http://www-fofa.concordia.ca/spam/complaints.shtml
Responsible Sites http://spam.abuse.net/goodsites/
Spam-L FAQ http://www.ot.com/~dmuth/spam-l
Report Scam spam to the FTC http://www.junkemail.org/scamspam/
UCE Closures Posted Regularly to news.admin.net-abuse.email

For further help or information you can call or fax us at the following numbers.

Phone# (408)222-7011 - Fax# (408)222-7020

5. Other Abuse:

• Harassment, threats and/or impersonation.

If you have received any other kind of unwanted email including, but not limited to harassment, threats, vulgarity, or pornography, we will need a copy of the materials received by you and an unedited copy of any email messages sent to you including full file headers. Forward this information to abuse@hotmail.com

If you are being impersonated by a Hotmail user, we will need a statement from you denying any involvement with the account as well as a copy of the mail (including full file headers) that is going out in your name. If you do not have an actual email, please give us a detailed explanation of why you believe you are being impersonated. This information needs to be faxed to the attention of Policy Enforcement at the following number.