Move, Transfer, Migrate and Switch from @msn.com or @hotmail.com to @live.com for Fresh Start

Microsoft has officially launched Windows Live ID which has the email address ending in @live.com in Windows Live Hotmail. For those who wants something ‘fresh’, Microsoft recommends that you get a fresh start by getting a brand new Windows Live ID, although users can still keep and use the old account with hotmail.com or msn.com email address or a Microsoft Passport, which already a Windows Live ID to use all Widows Live services. If you decide to migrate and switch from @msn.com or @hotmail.com to @live.com as your primary email address, Microsoft has prepared various tools and tips to make the moving process easier.

After registering for @live.com in local domain with country code, and you want to use the new @live.com or your localized live.xx (such as live.ca, live.com.au, windowslive.com, live.com.sg, live.com.my and etc) as your primary and only email address, Microsoft provides following functions to make the switchover and transferring of contacts, mail messages, calenders and etc. an easy process, so that you can have a quick fresh start (dead link).

1. Linked IDs: Link your old and new accounts together in Windows Live account settings. Once they are linked you can log in to one account but easily change to your other account by simply choosing it from the drop-down menu by your login name.
2. Install and use Windows Live Mail desktop mail client to manage multiple Hotmail and other e-mail accounts from one place.
3. For those only want to keep only one email address at @live.com, TrueSwitch automatically move all your existing contacts, messages, and calendar to your new Windows Live account easily, quickly and securely. TrueSwitch also notifies all your Hotmail contacts that you changed e-mail addresses. TrueSwitch works with almost every popular Web-based e-mail and will not delete or change any information in your old e-mail account.

   Go to TrueSwitch at http://www.trueswitch.com/winlive (no longer valid).

For more detailed step by step procedures on how to perform tasks above, visit Windows Live Quick Switch Guide (no longer applicable).

After moving and transferring everything from old email account to new email account, and inform all your friends about your new email address, don’t dump your old @hotmail.com or @msn.com email account yet. There may still be friends, colleagues, families, buddies, or long lost people who don’t manage to update your new contact email, and still sending email to old email address. So, it’s important to forward all your incoming e-mail from your old account to your new Windows Live account.

Update: Windows Live Hotmail has been discontinued in favor of Outlook.com.