If you’re still using Hotmail as your primary email provider, it’s time to make the switch to Gmail. Not only is Gmail a more modern email service, but it’s also more user-friendly and fully integrated into Google’s ecosystem.
Thankfully, switching from Hotmail to Gmail is incredibly easy using a simple forward tool. Here’s how to do it:
1. Log into your Hotmail account on your desktop browser.
2. Select the settings icon in the top right-hand corner of your screen and click “View all Outlook settings.”
3. From the mail tab, select “Forwarding.”
4. Check the box next to “Enable forwarding” and enter your Gmail address.
5. Check the box next to “Keep a copy of forwarded messages” to still receive all your mail in your Hotmail account.
6. Click “Save” and close out of settings.
With these settings in place, you’ll now have a copy of every email you receive through Hotmail in your Gmail account.
To fully migrate from Hotmail to Gmail, log into your Gmail account and select the “Settings” icon. From there, select the “Account and Import” tab, then click “Import mail and contacts.” Enter your Hotmail address into the pop-up window, then click “Continue” and follow the instructions in the next pop-up window.
Note that it may take up to two full days before you start to see imported messages. When the migration is finished, you will see a banner in your Gmail account saying that your information from Hotmail or Outlook has finished importing.
To send and receive Hotmail messages from Gmail, head to the “Account and Import” tab and select “Check mail from other accounts.” Click “Add a mail account” and enter your Hotmail address into the pop-up window. Select “Linked accounts with Gmail Fi” to manage your Hotmail messages from Gmail.
When replying to Hotmail messages with your Gmail account, the sender email is set to your Gmail address by default. However, you can choose to reply from your Hotmail address to avoid confusion.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to fully transition from Hotmail to Gmail and manage all your email from one place. Note that you can also import most email addresses other than Hotmail or Outlook into Gmail using the same process, though you may have to import specific email server settings into Gmail for it to run smoothly.