How to Forward Windows Live Hotmail to Gmail

Why Forward Windows Live Hotmail to Gmail?

Forwarding your Windows Live Hotmail emails to your Gmail account can be a convenient and efficient way to manage your email communications. With Gmail’s powerful features and user-friendly interface, you can enjoy a seamless email experience while keeping all your messages in one place. Here are a few reasons why you might consider forwarding your Windows Live Hotmail emails to Gmail:

Consolidate Your Emails: By forwarding your Windows Live Hotmail emails to Gmail, you can consolidate all your email accounts into one central location. Instead of checking multiple accounts, you can access all your messages in Gmail, saving time and effort.
Powerful Search Functionality: Gmail’s advanced search capabilities allow you to quickly locate specific emails, attachments, or conversations. With features like filters and labels, you can efficiently organize your inbox and effortlessly find the information you need.
Superior Spam Filtering: Gmail’s robust spam filtering technology effectively blocks unwanted and malicious emails from reaching your inbox. This ensures a cleaner and safer email experience, giving you peace of mind knowing that your important communications are protected.
Access to Google Apps: By using Gmail, you gain access to a suite of powerful Google Apps, including Google Drive for storing and sharing files, Google Calendar for managing your schedule, and Google Docs for collaborative document editing.
Mobile and Offline Access: Gmail offers seamless integration with mobile devices, allowing you to access your emails on the go. Additionally, Gmail’s offline mode enables you to read, compose, and archive messages even when you’re not connected to the internet.

By forwarding your Windows Live Hotmail emails to Gmail, you can take advantage of these benefits and streamline your email management. With Gmail’s comprehensive features and user-friendly interface, you can stay organized, save time, and enjoy a more efficient email experience.

Step 1: Signing in to your Windows Live Hotmail account

Before you can start forwarding your Windows Live Hotmail emails to Gmail, you will need to sign in to your Windows Live Hotmail account. Follow these simple steps to access your account:

Open your preferred web browser and visit the Windows Live Hotmail login page.
Enter your Windows Live Hotmail email address and password in the respective fields.
Click on the “Sign In” button to proceed.

If you have entered the correct login credentials, you will be redirected to your Windows Live Hotmail inbox. Make sure to double-check your email address and password to avoid any login issues.

It’s important to note that Windows Live Hotmail has transitioned to Outlook.com, Microsoft’s new email service. However, the email forwarding process remains the same, so even if you have an Outlook.com email address, you can still follow these steps to forward your emails to Gmail.

Once you have successfully signed in to your Windows Live Hotmail account, you are ready to proceed to the next step: accessing the Options menu.

Step 2: Accessing the Options menu

In order to enable email forwarding in your Windows Live Hotmail account, you need to access the Options menu. Follow these steps to find the Options menu:

Once you have signed in to your Windows Live Hotmail account, look for the gear icon located in the upper-right corner of the window. Click on the gear icon to open the drop-down menu.
In the drop-down menu, you will find a list of options. Scroll down and click on the “More mail settings” option.

By clicking on the “More mail settings” option, you will be directed to the Options page, where you can customize various aspects of your Windows Live Hotmail account.

Note: If you are using Outlook.com, the gear icon and “More mail settings” option may be located in a slightly different place within the interface. However, the overall concept remains the same – you need to access the settings or options menu to proceed.

Once you have successfully accessed the Options menu, you are ready to move on to the next step: selecting forwarding options.

Step 3: Selecting Forwarding Options

In this step, you will be able to choose the forwarding options for your Windows Live Hotmail account. Follow these simple instructions:

On the Options page, find and click on the “Email forwarding” link. This link will be located under the “Managing your account” section.
A new page will open, presenting you with the forwarding options for your Windows Live Hotmail account.

At this stage, you have a few choices regarding how you want to forward your emails:

Forward your email to a different email address: This option allows you to enter the email address to which you want your Windows Live Hotmail emails to be forwarded. In this case, you will input your Gmail email address.
Keep a copy of forwarded messages: If you choose this option, a copy of your forwarded emails will be saved in your Windows Live Hotmail inbox in addition to being forwarded to your Gmail account.
Dispose of the forwarded messages: By selecting this option, your Windows Live Hotmail inbox will not retain any copies of the forwarded emails.

Choose the forwarding options that best suit your needs. Once you have made your selections, you can proceed to the next step: enabling email forwarding.

Step 4: Enabling email forwarding

After selecting the forwarding options in the previous step, you are now ready to enable email forwarding in your Windows Live Hotmail account. Follow these straightforward instructions:

On the forwarding options page, select the checkbox next to “Forward your email to” to enable email forwarding.
If you want to keep a copy of the forwarded messages in your Windows Live Hotmail inbox, make sure the checkbox next to “Keep a copy of forwarded messages” is also selected.
If you wish to dispose of the forwarded messages and not retain any copies, leave the checkbox next to “Dispose of the forwarded messages” unselected.

Once you have made your selections, click on the “Save” or “Save settings” button to apply the changes.

Enabling email forwarding in your Windows Live Hotmail account may take a few moments to take effect. During this time, any new emails you receive will be forwarded to your Gmail account, according to the forwarding options you have chosen.

Now that you have successfully enabled email forwarding, you can proceed to the next step: entering your Gmail address.

Step 5: Entering your Gmail address

In this step, you will need to enter your Gmail address in order for your Windows Live Hotmail emails to be forwarded to your Gmail account. Follow these simple instructions:

On the forwarding options page of your Windows Live Hotmail account, locate the text field labeled “Forward your email to”.
In the text field, enter your complete Gmail email address where you want to receive the forwarded emails.
Double-check the accuracy of your Gmail address to ensure that any forwarded emails will be sent to the correct recipient.

It’s important to note that Windows Live Hotmail does not validate the email address you enter, so make sure to enter your Gmail address correctly to avoid any delivery issues.

Once you have entered your Gmail address, proceed to the next step: confirming the forwarding settings.

Step 6: Confirming the forwarding settings

Before finalizing the email forwarding process, it’s essential to review and confirm the forwarding settings in your Windows Live Hotmail account. Follow these simple instructions to ensure the accuracy of your forwarding configuration:

On the forwarding options page of your Windows Live Hotmail account, take a moment to review the selected forwarding options.
Check that the checkbox next to “Forward your email to” is selected, indicating that email forwarding is enabled.
If you chose to keep a copy of forwarded messages in your Windows Live Hotmail inbox, verify that the checkbox next to “Keep a copy of forwarded messages” is also selected.
If you decided to dispose of the forwarded messages and not retain any copies, ensure that the checkbox next to “Dispose of the forwarded messages” remains unselected.
Ensure that your Gmail address is accurately entered in the “Forward your email to” text field.

By double-checking these settings, you can be confident that your Windows Live Hotmail emails will be correctly forwarded to your designated Gmail address.

Once you have confirmed the forwarding settings, proceed to the next step: verifying forwarding in Gmail.

Step 7: Verifying forwarding in Gmail

After setting up email forwarding in your Windows Live Hotmail account, it’s important to verify that the forwarding is working correctly in your Gmail account. Follow these steps to confirm that your Windows Live Hotmail emails are being successfully forwarded:

Open a new tab or window in your web browser and sign in to your Gmail account using your Gmail email address and password.
Once you are logged in to your Gmail account, navigate to your inbox.
Check your inbox for any new emails. If email forwarding is working properly, you should see your Windows Live Hotmail emails appearing in your Gmail inbox.
Open an email that was forwarded from your Windows Live Hotmail account and ensure that all the contents, including attachments and formatting, appear as expected.

If you can successfully see and access your forwarded Windows Live Hotmail emails in your Gmail inbox, it means that the email forwarding process has been set up correctly.

It’s important to note that forwarded emails may take a few moments to arrive in your Gmail account, depending on various factors such as server speed and network connectivity.

Congratulations! You have now completed the process of verifying forwarding in Gmail. Your Windows Live Hotmail emails will continue to be forwarded to your Gmail account automatically, ensuring that you can access and manage all your messages conveniently in one place.

Step 8: Managing forwarded emails in Gmail

Now that your Windows Live Hotmail emails are successfully being forwarded to your Gmail account, it’s important to understand how to effectively manage and organize them within Gmail. Follow these steps to efficiently handle your forwarded emails:

Use Filters and Labels: Gmail offers a powerful filtering system that allows you to automatically organize incoming emails. Create filters based on specific criteria, such as the sender or subject line, and apply labels to categorize your forwarded emails. This will help you keep your inbox organized and easily locate important messages.
Reply and Forward: In Gmail, you can respond to forwarded emails just like any other email. Use the reply and forward options to communicate with others or share information from your forwarded emails. Gmail also gives you the option to customize your email signature to maintain a consistent professional appearance.
Archive or Delete: If you no longer need a forwarded email, you can archive it to remove it from your inbox while still keeping it accessible in your archived messages. Alternatively, you can delete forwarded emails to permanently remove them from your account.
Manage Spam: Gmail’s robust spam filtering system helps prevent unwanted emails from cluttering your inbox. However, some forwarded emails may still end up in your spam folder. Make sure to periodically check your spam folder and mark any legitimate emails as “Not spam” to ensure they are delivered to your inbox.
Search and Organize: Use Gmail’s powerful search function to quickly find specific forwarded emails. You can search by keywords, sender, date, or any other relevant criteria. Additionally, utilize Gmail’s organizational features, such as stars, Priority Inbox, and Snooze, to manage and prioritize important forwarded emails.

By effectively managing your forwarded emails in Gmail, you can maintain a streamlined and organized inbox, ensuring that you stay on top of your important communications.

Step 9: Disabling email forwarding in Windows Live Hotmail

If you no longer wish to forward your Windows Live Hotmail emails to your Gmail account, you can easily disable the email forwarding feature. Follow these steps to turn off email forwarding in Windows Live Hotmail:

Sign in to your Windows Live Hotmail account using your email address and password.
Access the Options menu by clicking on the gear icon located in the upper-right corner of the window.
In the drop-down menu, select the “More mail settings” option.
On the Options page, locate the “Email forwarding” link under the “Managing your account” section and click on it.
Ensure that the checkbox next to “Forward your email to” is deselected, indicating that email forwarding is disabled.
If you previously selected the option to keep a copy of forwarded messages, you can choose to disable that as well by deselecting the checkbox next to “Keep a copy of forwarded messages”.
Click on the “Save” or “Save settings” button to save the changes.

Once you have disabled email forwarding, any new emails you receive in your Windows Live Hotmail account will no longer be automatically forwarded to your Gmail account.

It’s important to note that disabling email forwarding in Windows Live Hotmail does not affect your Gmail account in any way. Your Gmail account will continue to function normally.

Congratulations! You have successfully disabled email forwarding in your Windows Live Hotmail account. Should you decide to enable it again in the future, you can follow the previous steps to set it up.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some commonly asked questions about forwarding Windows Live Hotmail to Gmail:

Can I forward my existing Windows Live Hotmail emails to Gmail?
Yes, email forwarding in Windows Live Hotmail can be set up to forward both future incoming emails as well as existing emails in your inbox. Once enabled, all new and existing emails will be forwarded to your designated Gmail account.
Can I forward emails from multiple Windows Live Hotmail accounts to one Gmail account?
Yes, you can set up email forwarding for multiple Windows Live Hotmail accounts to forward all emails to a single Gmail account. Simply repeat the forwarding setup process for each Windows Live Hotmail account you wish to forward to your Gmail.
Can I reverse the email forwarding process?
Yes, you can disable email forwarding in Windows Live Hotmail by following the provided steps. Once disabled, any new emails received in your Windows Live Hotmail account will no longer be forwarded to Gmail. However, previously forwarded emails already in your Gmail account will remain there.
Will I still be able to access my Windows Live Hotmail account after enabling email forwarding?
Yes, enabling email forwarding in Windows Live Hotmail does not block or remove your access to the account. You can continue to sign in to your Windows Live Hotmail account using the same login credentials and access your emails, even if they are also being forwarded to your Gmail account.
Is my forwarded email secure?
Gmail utilizes strong security measures to protect your emails, including encryption and advanced spam filtering. However, it is always recommended to follow best security practices, such as using a strong and unique password for your Gmail account and being cautious about phishing attempts or suspicious email attachments.

If you have any further questions or issues regarding the email forwarding process, it is recommended to refer to the official support documentation of both Windows Live Hotmail and Gmail or reach out to their respective customer support teams for assistance.