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Why You Should Change Your Windows Live Hotmail Password Periodically

By Heinz Tschabitscher, About.com

Free email services such as Windows Live Hotmail are a popular target for security attacks performed by serious hackers and hobbyists.

To ensure nobody can read your emails or even send some from your Windows Live Hotmail account, you should change your Hotmail password now and then, every few weeks at least.

No Password is Perfectly Secure

Note that a great password is no protection against keyloggers on your computer and people peeking over your shoulder — not even if you change it frequently.

Change Your Hotmail Password Periodically

To change your Windows Live Hotmail password:

  • Select Options... | More Options from the toolbar in Windows Live Hotmail.
  • Follow the View and edit your personal information link under Manager your account.
  • If prompted, type your current Windows Live Hotmail password under Retype your password: and click Sign In.
  • Click Change after Password: under Password reset information.
  • Enter your current Windows Live Hotmail password under Old password:.
  • Type the new password under both Type new password and Retype new password:.
  • To ensure you'll continue to change your Windows Live Hotmail password, you can check Make my password expire every 72 days.
  • Click Save.
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