Big problem. How do I sign in to get my Microsoft email?

[ADW02]

I suppose my problems with Microsoft's email service started about five or six months ago, when I suddenly couldn't access the service. Somehow, using a miracle similar in scope to Moses parting the Red Sea, I actually was able to talk to a Microsoft technical support agent. He told me that it appeared that someone had cracked my password and was using my email for suspicious purposes, and so Microsoft shut down my mail service.

With his help I got my mail service back again, using the same address and password, and had no further problems. That is, until I bought a new desktop computer about a week or so ago. Once I got Microsoft Edge going, and I informed Microsoft who I was, I shouldn't have had any trouble receiving my mail. But something went wrong, and through the new computer I couldn't use my old email address. And so I created a new one and it worked perfectly, of course allowing me to receive mail only from sources that used that new address. That wasn't so bad, because it meant that I wasn't getting junk mail anymore. (Just yesterday, using my old email address on my tablet, I received 96 pieces of junk mail, most of which was obscene. I don't have the slightest idea how I got such mail, since I've only ever accessed the safest and most secure sights, which society would consider as socially acceptable.)

But it all came crashing down today. For some odd reason that I can't understand Microsoft no longer recognizes my new email address on my new computer, and won't allow me to log in, getting mail at that new address. I tried typing in the old address, and it didn't work. I got the code sent to my old email address and typed it in to verify the new address, and that didn't do any good. No one can call Microsoft, so I tried chatting, and that went exactly nowhere. It is just plain impossible to contact that company.

And so I'm stuck. In my situation what would you do? In desperation I'm thinking of using Google for my mail, and using Microsoft Edge for everything else, including news and Favorites sites. At the moment I don't know how to resolve this. And so any help that anyone would be kind enough to give would be deeply appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all assistance.

 

[ADW02]

Okay, now it's getting crazy. Only a few moments after writing the above letter, my mail service on my new computer is working again. I just don't know what to think.

But here's something else that's a little odd--On my tablet, which uses my old email address, I can get into my mail only by typing in www.o, which then takes me into my mail room. I can't open my mail by clicking on the mail icon.

I'm totally invested in Windows, and so I'll never change, but there are times when I wonder if Apple's environment is this quirky.

 

[Mystery member]

Okay, now it's getting crazy. Only a few moments after writing the above letter, my mail service on my new computer is working again. I just don't know what to think.

But here's something else that's a little odd--On my tablet, which uses my old email address, I can get into my mail only by typing in www.o, which then takes me into my mail room. I can't open my mail by clicking on the mail icon.

I'm totally invested in Windows, and so I'll never change, but there are times when I wonder if Apple's environment is this quirky.

My ISP provides an email service, and I've been using that for a long time. I now use IMAP protocol, and have several devices connected, including a couple of iPads.

There's an easy procedure to change the password, and for those who forget such things, password recovery is straightforward. MS password recovery is dangerously intrusive.

 

[AwkwardSwine]

You are not real specific about how you are accessing your email or what service you are using. I assume you are talking about Hotmail.com (aka Outlook.com)

Load any browser and go to www.Hotmail.com and try to log in.

If you can't log in do the "I Forgot my Password" procedure.

When you get logged back in set up Two Factor Authentication. You'll basically link your Mobile Phone number to your account. MS can text a Code to your phone to prove you are you. If you ever get into this situation again you can easily and securely reset your password. Also, nobody else can take of your account unless they also have your phone.

 

[ADW02]

You are not real specific about how you are accessing your email or what service you are using. I assume you are talking about Hotmail.com (aka Outlook.com)

Load any browser and go to www.Hotmail.com and try to log in.

If you can't log in do the "I Forgot my Password" procedure.

When you get logged back in set up Two Factor Authentication. You'll basically link your Mobile Phone number to your account. MS can text a Code to your phone to prove you are you. If you ever get into this situation again you can easily and securely reset your password. Also, nobody else can take of your account unless they also have your phone.

Thanks for that information. Unfortunately for me, I don't have a cell phone, only a land line. I've gone through the procedures for changing my password on Outlook.com, and what Microsoft puts me through is amazing. To recognize that it's me, I have to give them my XBox user name and the name of one of the recent emails that I sent someone. And then I have to wait 24 hours for someone from Microsoft to contact me.

I did that twice, and no one from Microsoft called or emailed me, so I gave up and created a new email account with a new password. I'm probably wrong, but I can't help getting the feeling that the majority of the so-called employees at Microsoft are robots. That certainly is true for their so-called chat line, on which I never could get a live representative.

 

[rmexpress22]

You're not going to get great support for a product that you don't pay for. That's almost a given.

What I would suggest is that when you create something, like an email, and when you login, that you write down the steps that you took. It might also help to write down your username and password.

I can tell you that typing "www.o" is not a thing on anything. But you probably mean that you typed that and the web browser auto-completed "www.outlook.com" and then it took you to a login page.

There's not anything that anyone can recommend for recovering an email. All you can do is to continue working with support.

Google actually offers less support than Microsoft when it comes to free emails. With Microsoft you at least get a human sometimes.

 

[AwkwardSwine]

You are not real specific about how you are accessing your email or what service you are using. I assume you are talking about Hotmail.com (aka Outlook.com)

Load any browser and go to www.Hotmail.com and try to log in.

If you can't log in do the "I Forgot my Password" procedure.

When you get logged back in set up Two Factor Authentication. You'll basically link your Mobile Phone number to your account. MS can text a Code to your phone to prove you are you. If you ever get into this situation again you can easily and securely reset your password. Also, nobody else can take of your account unless they also have your phone.

Thanks for that information. Unfortunately for me, I don't have a cell phone, only a land line. I've gone through the procedures for changing my password on Outlook.com, and what Microsoft puts me through is amazing. To recognize that it's me, I have to give them my XBox user name and the name of one of the recent emails that I sent someone. And then I have to wait 24 hours for someone from Microsoft to contact me.

I did that twice, and no one from Microsoft called or emailed me, so I gave up and created a new email account with a new password. I'm probably wrong, but I can't help getting the feeling that the majority of the so-called employees at Microsoft are robots. That certainly is true for their so-called chat line, on which I never could get a live representative.

Most Two Factor systems will work on a land line. Cell phone is not required. You can also use a land line, the system will just verbally read the auth code to you.

Please set this up to avoid getting hacked or locked out again, and do this on all of your Banking, Shopping, or other services that might have sensitive or financial information.