How to Access Free Windows Live Hotmail with Mac OS X Mail Using MacFreePOPs

Having used Mac OS X Mail with one email account, you now want to use it for them all — including a Windows Live Hotmail?

Windows Live Hotmail does offer direct access using the standard, albeit a tad limited, post office protocol (POP), easy to set up in Mac OS X Mail.

If that does not work for you, do not fret. Using MacFreePOPs, a tool that translates between web email interfaces and email programs, you can still download messages from your Windows Live Hotmail into Mac OS X Mail withe ease and elegance.

Access Free Windows Live Hotmail with Mac OS X Mail Using MacFreePOPs

To add a free Windows Live Hotmail account to Mac OS X Mail via MacFreePOPs:

• ›› Step by Step Screenshot Walkthrough

• Install MacFreePOPs and make sure the freepopsd service is running.
• Select Mail | Preferences... from the menu in Mac OS X Mail.
• Go to the Accounts category.
• Click + beneath the Accounts list.
• Type your name under Full Name:.
• Enter your Windows Live Hotmail address under Email Address:.
• Type your Windows Live Hotmail password under Password:.
• Click Continue.
• Make sure POP is selected under Account Type:.
• Enter "Windows Live Hotmail" under Description:.
• Enter "localhost" (without the quotation marks) under Incoming Mail Server:.
  • If you run into problems using "localhost", try "127.0.0.1".
• Type your full Windows Live Hotmail address under User Name:.
  • Mac OS X Mail probably has already entered your user name, and it's enough to append "@hotmail.com" to complete the address.
• Click Continue.
• Click Continue again, ignoring the error. We'll take care of that in a bit.
• Make sure Password is selected under Authentication:.
• Leave Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) unchecked.
• Click Continue.
• Select an existing mail server to send mail under Outgoing Mail Server:.
  • You cannot send mail through MacFreePOPs. If you have no outgoing mail server through your ISP, you can use a Gmail or AIM Mail account's.
• Click Continue.
• Now click Create.
• Highlight the Windows Live Hotmail account in the Accounts list.
• Go to the Advanced tab.
• Enter "2000" (not including the quotation marks) under Port:.
• Close the Accounts window.
• Click Save.

Access Free Windows Live Hotmail with Mac OS X Mail 2 Using MacFreePOPs

To set up a free Windows Live Hotmail account in Mac OS X Mail 2 via MacFreePOPs:

• Install MacFreePOPs and make sure the freepopsd service is running.
• Select Mail | Preferences... from the menu in Mac OS X Mail.
• Go to the Accounts category.
• Click + beneath the Accounts list.
• Make sure POP is selected under Account Type:.
• Enter "Windows Live Hotmail" under Account Description:.
• Type your name under Full Name:.
• Enter your Windows Live Hotmail address under Email Address:.
• Click Continue.
• Enter "localhost" (without the quotation marks) under Incoming Mail Server:.
  • If "localhost" does turn out not to work, try "127.0.0.1".
• Type your full Windows Live Hotmail address under User Name:.
  • Mac OS X Mail probably has already entered your user name, and it's enough to append "@hotmail.com" to complete the address.
• Enter your Windows Live Hotmail password under Password:.
• Click Continue.
• Click Continue again, ignoring the error. We'll take care of that in a bit.
• Make sure Password is selected under Authentication:.
• Leave Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) unchecked.
• Select an existing mail server to send mail under Outgoing Mail Server:.
  • You cannot send mail through MacFreePOPs. If you have no outgoing mail server through your ISP, you can use a Gmail or AIM Mail account's.
• Click Continue.
• Click Continue again.
• Now click Done.
• Highlight the Windows Live Hotmail account in the Accounts list.
• Go to the Advanced tab.
• Enter "2000" (not including the quotation marks) under Port:.
• Close the Accounts window.
• Click Save.

Access a Folder Other Than the Inbox

To download mail from a folder other than your Windows Live Hotmail Inbox, change the settings slightly.