Hotmail on your mobile: a simple and complete guide

We live in an always-connected world, where being able to access our email wherever we are is fundamental. If you have a Hotmail account, or rather, Outlook.com (as it is called now), you are in the right place! This guide will take you step-by-step through using Hotmail on your mobile phone, simply and clearly, even if you are not a tech expert. Together we will discover how to install the app, configure your account, read and write emails, and much more. Get ready to manage your email with ease, right from the palm of your hand!

From Hotmail to Outlook.com: a bit of history

You might be wondering: “But I have a Hotmail account, why are we talking about Outlook.com?”. Don’t worry, it’s completely normal! Hotmail, one of the first free email services, was launched by Microsoft back in 1996. Over the years, Hotmail has undergone several transformations, eventually becoming what we know today as Outlook.com.

In 2012, Microsoft decided to revamp the service, giving it a new name and a more modern interface. However, don’t worry, your old Hotmail email address continues to work perfectly! You can still access your account and use all your emails, contacts, and calendars. The name change served to give the service a fresher and more innovative image, integrating it better with other Microsoft products, like Office and Windows.

Downloading and installing the Outlook app on your smartphone

Now that we’ve cleared up the name, let’s see how to use Hotmail/Outlook.com on your mobile phone. The first step is to download the official Outlook app. Don’t worry, it’s completely free!

• If you have an Android phone:
  1. Open the Play Store (the icon is a colorful shopping bag).
  2. In the search bar at the top, type “Microsoft Outlook” and press Enter.
  3. You will find the Outlook app with a blue and white icon. Tap on it.
  4. Press the green “Install” button and wait for the download and installation to complete.
• If you have an iPhone or iPad:
  1. Open the App Store (the icon is a white “A” on a blue background).
  2. In the search bar at the bottom, type “Microsoft Outlook” and press Search.
  3. You will find the Outlook app with a blue and white icon. Tap on it.
  4. Press the “Get” button and then “Install“. You may be asked to enter your Apple ID password or use Touch ID/Face ID.

Once the app is installed, you will find the Outlook icon on your phone’s home screen. Tap it to launch it!

Configuring your Hotmail/Outlook.com account on the app

Now that you have installed the Outlook app, it’s time to configure your Hotmail/Outlook.com account. Don’t worry, it’s a quick and simple process!

1. Open the Outlook app on your mobile phone.
2. You will see a welcome screen. Tap the “Get Started” button.
3. If you already have other email accounts configured on your phone, you will be asked if you want to add them to Outlook as well. For now, tap “Ignore” or “Skip“.
4. On the next screen, enter your Hotmail/Outlook.com email address. Make sure to type it correctly!
5. Tap the “Continue” button.
6. Enter your Hotmail/Outlook.com account password.
7. Tap the “Sign in” button.

If you entered the email address and password correctly, your account will be configured automatically. It might take a few seconds, depending on the speed of your internet connection. Once configuration is complete, you will see your inbox. Congratulations! You can now start using Hotmail/Outlook.com on your mobile phone.

Navigating the Outlook app: your inbox at your fingertips

Welcome to your mobile inbox! The Outlook app is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, even for beginners. Let’s see how to get around inside it.

At the bottom of the screen, you will find a bar with several icons. Here is what they represent:

• Inbox (envelope icon): Here you will find all the new emails you receive.
• Search (magnifying glass icon): Allows you to search for specific emails within your inbox.
• Calendar (calendar icon): Access your calendar to view and manage appointments and meetings.
• Files (paperclip icon): View all the files you have attached or received in emails.
• More (three dots icon): From here you can access other functions, such as app settings and your profile.

Reading, writing, replying to, and forwarding emails

• To read an email, simply tap on it in the Inbox.
• To write a new email, tap the pencil icon in the top right.
• To reply to an email, open it and tap the icon with the arrow pointing left.
• To forward an email, open it and tap the icon with the arrow pointing right.

Inbox management: organization, folders, labels

Outlook offers several tools to organize your inbox and keep everything in order.

• Folders: You can create custom folders to archive emails based on subject, sender, or other criteria. To create a new folder, go to the “More” section and look for the “Folders” option.
• Labels (or Categories): You can assign colored labels to emails to identify them quickly. To add a label, open an email and tap the three dots icon in the top right, then select “Categorize”.

Special features of the Outlook mobile app

In addition to basic email reading and writing functions, the Outlook app offers several special features that can make your life easier.

Integrated Calendar

The Outlook app integrates a calendar that allows you to view and manage your appointments and meetings directly from your phone. You can create new events, set reminders, and synchronize your calendar with other devices.

Contacts

The Outlook app allows you to manage your address book and synchronize it with your account. You can add new contacts, edit existing ones, and quickly search for the contact information you need.

Attachments

Sending and receiving attachments with the Outlook app is easy and fast. You can attach files of various formats, such as documents, images, and videos, directly from your phone or from cloud storage services like OneDrive or Google Drive.

Outlook vs Gmail vs Libero Mail: a comparison on mobile use

Now that we’ve seen the features of the Outlook app, let’s compare it with the Gmail and Libero Mail apps to see which one best suits your needs.

Pros and cons of each app

• Outlook: Pros: Intuitive interface, integration with other Microsoft services, complete calendar and contacts. Cons: Less advanced search functionality compared to Gmail.
• Gmail: Pros: Advanced search features, integration with the Google ecosystem, extensive customization. Cons: Interface less intuitive for beginners.
• Libero Mail: Pros: Ease of use for basic functions. Cons: Limited features compared to Outlook and Gmail, lack of integrated calendar.

Tips and tricks to get the most out of the Outlook app

Here are some tips for making the most of the Outlook app on your mobile phone:

• Customize notifications: You can choose to receive notifications for all emails, only for important ones, or disable them completely.
• Signature management: Add a custom signature to your emails to include contact information or a personal message.
• Security settings: Enable two-factor authentication to protect your account from unauthorized access.

Conclusions

Ultimately, Hotmail, now Outlook.com, has evolved into a modern and complete email service, perfectly integrated with the mobile world. The Outlook smartphone app offers an intuitive and functional user experience, suitable for both beginners and more experienced users. Whether you need to read your emails, manage your calendar, or organize your contacts, the Outlook app offers you all the necessary tools to do so simply and quickly.

What are you waiting for? Download the Outlook app today and discover the convenience of having your inbox always at your fingertips!

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Francesco Zinghinì

Electronic Engineer with a mission to simplify digital tech. Thanks to his background in Systems Theory, he analyzes software, hardware, and network infrastructures to offer practical guides on IT and telecommunications. Transforming technological complexity into accessible solutions.

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