As technology has evolved, we’ve developed new and better ways to access your e-mail, and it’s important to us that we provide you with the most efficient ways to do so. With that in mind, Hotmail is preparing to stop using the DAV protocol on September 1, 2009.
What does this mean? Well, if you currently access Hotmail using a desktop mail program like Microsoft Office Outlook, Outlook Express, or Entourage, you may still be using the DAV protocol in these programs, and you’ll need to take action in order to continue getting your Hotmail. We’ll be sending mail to customers who are likely to be affected to let them know what they’ll need to do. Here is a quick summary.
What is the DAV protocol?
The DAV protocol is a communications method that mail programs use to display your e-mail. Outlook, Outlook Express, and Entourage may use it to display your Hotmail.
Why are you changing this?
Outlook, Outlook Express, and Entourage have historically used the DAV protocol to access Hotmail. Because the DAV protocol is an older communications method, it doesn’t work very efficiently for processing large inboxes such as the one you may have in Hotmail. Because Hotmail now provides you with ever-growing storage,* we’ve developed alternative communications methods that are more efficient and better able to accommodate large volumes of archived mail. Now that these alternative methods (including the POP3 protocol) are available to all Hotmail users for free, we’re retiring the less efficient DAV protocol.
Will this affect me?
If you use Microsoft Office Outlook, Outlook Express, or Entourage to view Hotmail, the DAV protocol retirement may affect you. To continue receiving e-mail from your Hotmail account in one of these mail programs, please follow one of the recommended solutions below before September 1, 2009. After that date, new e-mail can only be delivered to your mail program through the following alternative solutions. As always, you can also view your e-mail on the web at http://mail.live.com or http://www.hotmail.com.
- If you use Microsoft Office Outlook to view Hotmail, download Office Outlook Connector (it’s free) to continue accessing your Hotmail within Outlook 2003 or 2007. If you’re using Outlook 2002, you’ll need to change the settings in your Outlook program. Learn more about this from the Windows Live Solution Center article on Hotmail and Outlook.
- If you use Outlook Express to view Hotmail, you can download Windows Live Mail (recommended) for free, or change your settings in Outlook Express to continue accessing your Hotmail there. Learn more about this from the Windows Live Solution Center article on Hotmail and Outlook Express.
- If you use Entourage to view Hotmail, you’ll need to change the settings in Entourage to continue receiving Hotmail messages there. Learn more about this from the Windows Live Solution Center article on Hotmail and Entourage.
Have more questions?
View our FAQ page or visit the Hotmail Community Forum.
Thanks for using Windows Live Hotmail.
– Irene Lee
The Windows Live team
*Assumes a reasonable growth rate.
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For a number of years now, I’ve used a “forwarding” email address; I’ve registered <personal domain name> and use tools provided by my registrar (Go Daddy) to forward mail sent to <personal email> to <Hotmail address>. Of course, I don’t really want people to know me as <Hotmail address> as that defeats the whole purpose of the email forward; I’m <personal email>. Using Windows Live Hotmail, I’ve configured a “send from” addressAnd the same is possible using the “old” WebDAV connection in Outlook (I pay the $20/yr for Hotmail Plus).The problem is that Outlook Connector does not allow me to send mail as <personal email> . I even tried the “Show From” option in Outlook and filled in <personal email>. If “From” worked here, I’d hopefully be able to update my custom Outlook add-in to automatically fill in that field when using Outlook Connector. I haven’t actually tried writing that code because filling in “From” doesn’t work; there’s always the possibility that Outlook Connector doesn’t “play well” with Outlook’s API.At this point, you might legitimately ask “why don’t you use Windows Live Domains to host mail for <personal domain name>?” Well, I’ve thought of that. The advantage is that WLM’s servers would directly handle incoming mail rather than going through my registrar’s servers first; so there should be an increase in reliability. And of course, Outlook Connector would then “just work” for <personal email>.There are several problems though: first, is the ease of changing the forward to somewhere else; it takes only seconds for the change at my registrar but can take hours or even days for changes to the MX records to completely propagate. The next problem is that Windows Live Domains doesn’t handle “catch all” email; you can send email to AnythingYouWant@<personal domain name> and it will still get to me. I’ve also paid for “Hotmail Plus!” with <Hotmail address> and I dread the support experience of trying to transfer that to <personal email>. Also, for things like IM, people do really know me as <Hotmail address>; yes, I know I should change that too, but more hassles. And finally: it worked before using the old WebDAV connection, so why shouldn’t it work with Outlook Connector?
I just wanted to say hello. So hello. Work hard. xx
Could you please remove the disgusting pictures of teeth from the ad on the mail main page. I am sick of looking at this!!
Why do I keep getting "Junk Mail" telling me that my hotmail account is going to be close out if I do not send my name, e-mail address, country of origin etc.? Is this ligit or a scam? It comes in as being from "Windows Live Team" or something like that.
Good information. I think it\’s time to change my settings 🙂
x q me bloquearon mi correo?
carajo hablo español no ingles
Hello,I\’m going to try the new settings in my Outlook Express for my Hotmail Account.I\’ll let you know if it doesn\’t work.Thanks,Diane
I can\’t open emails when on the inbox page of Hotmail.com. Anyone have an idea what the problem is and how to fix it?Thanks,Robb
I have today a problem with my HP Deskjet F380… It continues to show the sign \’E\’ with blinking its orange button below of its on/off button…
After reading this the first time around, I went looking for information I required using the links you\’ve provided here. That Hotmail Solutions link to the Forum is excellent. Thanks for that! Went there and got my question answered. I\’m grateful.
I love honesty great friends and simple things in life I enjoy that.
Afaik…Today and after Sept 1…both Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007 should also be capable of using the pop3 protocol as suggested for Outlook 2002…ie. OL03 and OL07 users have the *choice* to use the Outlook Connector *or* Pop3/SMTP settings. …winston msft mvp
i accidently signed up for windows live.now its giving problems when i sign on. how can i remove the live status from my account and go back to having regular hotmail?
I want to sync my main outlook calendar with my live calendar is this possible?
stop pedophiles in windos live spaces.
I keep receiving an email that says my account will be closed unless I reply with my username, password, country, and date of birth. The address says its from the window live team but I\’m not comfortable sending this info. Is it a scam? If not, you should find a new way to update this info. Thanks!
I think we should be able to know if any of our friends are online
Just got a email on Hotmail. That stated if you do not give all your info password info that they are going to close your account? Am I the only one that received this?
I have a page of junk mail and I cannot "check mark" all the emails at one time. After I check mark between 5-15 email they blank out and not one email is checked. VERY FRUSTRATING!