Outlook.com team unveils new email domains and ability to log in using account aliases

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

As well as launching two-step authentication for Microsoft accounts, the company has also refreshed Outlook.com with some new features. First up is the ability to log in on Outlook using an email alias that's present on the account. Previously, the only option was the permanently rename the account, which caused many issues for Windows Phone owners, but this move will help allow consumers to chop and change aliases as they please.

It's now possible to sign in with any alias and more convenient to manage multiple aliases. More advice on when consumers should add another in favour of renaming the primary alias and vice versa is available. Simply head on over and begin managing aliases (https://account.live.com/names/Manage) and you're good to go - note you'll have to wait until the update hits your Microsoft account.

Outlook Account Aliases

The above screenshot shows the aliases management on a Microsoft Account. In addition to the implemented sign in options, the Outlook team has also added 32 new @Outlook email address domains. Now consumers can create even more strange and wonderful email accounts. If you're looking to have an Outlook address that's unique to your country (example: @outlook.co.uk for the UK) then this will definitely be of use.

Again, you'll have to wait until your Microsoft Account is updated within the rollout before any of this is possible, so remain patient if you're not yet able to set one up. Here's a chart of all the new email domains available:

Outlook Countries

Wrapping up the blog post, it's urged that consumers help Microsoft clamp down on the "Don't open my email as I've been hacked!" business that plagues numerous users. Using two-step authentication, and recommending friends and family to also set up the security measure can both help keep emails and the account secure.

Be sure to check out our previous coverage for more information on two-step authentication.

Source: Outlook Blog (opens in new tab)

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds is Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

42 Comments
  • The body of your article suggests "@outlook.co.uk for the UK" will be available but then it's not in the list?
     
  • I may be being stupid but i guess to have @outlook.co.uk microsoft need www.outlook.co.uk domain? If so then doesn't look like we will get a .co.uk as someone already has bought that domain :/
  • I believe you are correct in that.  If you are stupid, then so am I.
  • im getting myname@outlook.ie  so its like internet explorer.  sorry ireland.
  • I wonder if I can change my current email domain into my local email domain... is that possible?
  • No. You'll need to create a new account with your desired domain.
  • You should be able to create a new alias with your local domain.
  • 1. keep old email account
    2. create new alias for local email domain
    3. sign in to your existing email using new alias
    4. painless switch, since people with your old address will still be able to reach you.
  • Good work MS.
  • Love how you can now log in using an alias!
  • Same. I can finally stop using my Live alias.
  • PLEASE GIVE ME THE ABILITY TO MERGE TWO ACCOUNTS!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
    Maybe if I yell on a 3rd party forum, Microsoft will hear me and take me seriously.
  • merge or link?  I have all my ms accounts linked.
    click on your username in th upper right hand corner of outlook.com
    click account setings
    click permissions
    click manage linked accounts
    click add linked account and go from there
  • Just set a rule on acct2 to automatically forward to acct1. Then set a rule on acct1 to categorize any email coming from acct2. I did that and slowly weeded out anything going to acct2. The rub is: do you want to respond from just one or both?
  • ... or link them if you want to remember what the 90s felt like.
  • Linking doesn't do me a whole lot because it's not so much a management issue as to why I want to do it. When MS first opened up the oulook.com domans for new email, I signed up for a brand new account and got a pretty great email, but that as before I knew I could have just created an alias. I want to use only said email address from the first Microsoft account, but linking doesn't allow me to do that.
     
    If I add account #2 as a send-only account on #1 and auto-forward all emails from #2 to #1 it's an okay solution (it's what I do now), but it's not a perfect one. Reason being is that because account #2 isn't a send-receive account in #1 (send only), all emails get sent "on behalf of". Normally it's not an issue but some spam filters see this as a red flag and my emails don't go through as a result.
  • YES! MERGE ACCOUNTS! I couldn't care less if I log on with the main name, alias, passport number or whatever. What I WANT is to get my two MS IDs under the same account. It can't possibily be that hard, can it?
  • I would love for them to merge account but I don't think they will because that will just double your SkyDrive storage so you'd just keep making new accounts to get more storage, they would really need to put alot of work into a merging system to prevent that kind of thing happening.
    Like others have said linking the accounts is good enough as you can eaisily switch between accounts without signing out; thats what I do =)
  • Have they fixed the "on behalf of" issue yet when sending via outlook through another email address?
  • So Im not excited about being able to login with your aliases. I thought this was a security feature. I made an alias just for online shopping. I will get the emails I need from the site but if the site gets hacked my alias doesnt give them my username for the account. A lot of us use the same password on multiple account even though we shouldnt so even if they have the password since you used the same for whatever site they still didnt have the username. Anyone else think this was the intent behind aliases?
    Besides the obvious; Alias your 10 year old hotmail account "BiggestPecker696969@hotmail.com" to "JohnHancock@outlook.com" so that your resume at least gets looked at, lol.
  • Login with alias, hell yes!!! Can finally do what I've been wanting to do and not logon with my @gmail primary key. Unfortunately can't change on my phone without wiping it :(
  • I tried to rename my account and I couldn't, even when acknowledging that I'd have to wipe it.
  • I'm trying to figure out how to do a complete switch from GMail. I'm thinking you could just keep both accounts, and have both sync to your phone - that much I know is possible. The tough part I'm trying to figure out is migrating my GMail Contacts and Appointments to Outlook.com . When I can do that, my Google ties will finally be severed.
  • Heres your scissors...
    Under gmail contacts: more button: export, outlook csv, save the file somewhere. In people (outlook contacts) add people, import from file, pick the file, import contacts.
    gmail calendar, gear icon, settings, calendar settings, export calendars as ics, it'll download as a zip, unzip it, in outlook calendar, import is an option at the top, import the ics file. 
     
    since google formats some stuff funny, may need some manual cleanup I found when i moved my domain from an apps account to windows live for domains or whatever it is/was called. 
  • Thanks Coan - I exported my contacts before, but didn't see it for Calendar items.
  • Why does Microsoft always ignore Russia?
  • Anybody know how to create an alias with a different domain? I.e. I already have username@outlook.com and I would like to create an alias for username@outlook.co.uk (I'm out of the US, fyi)
  • I moved my custom domain from google to oulook.com several weeks ago. I don't see where I can create an alias using my custom domain? Only @outloom.com or @live.com? Am I missing something? Also, there's no place to manage other addresses with the custom domain? Google had a great control panel for managing all accounts. I love outlook.com's service but there are still some things lacking that would help a great deal.
  • It's under "Your email accounts" in the e-mail settings.
    You'll need to just get the address migrated accross...simples =P
  • Tried checking out domans.live.com?
  • Yep. That's how I got everything moved over from google, but domains.live.com doesn't allow you to manage the various accounts under your custom domain. Google had an administrator control panel that allowed you to add/remove accounts, create aliases, and change passwords, which was very convenient.
  • But, you could already use aliases.. I'm confused.
  • You can login using aliases, set them as primaries, and more easily manage them. You couldn't do that before.
  • Ohhhh, Ok.. Thanks
  • You can now Login in using alias, its a big deal for me as my primary account name was @gmail but now i can login with  myname@outlook.com 
  • Right.
  • Odd that neitger Canada or the US is on the list?
  • The only ability I'd like at this point is to create and send an email using an alias.
  • Unfortunately I signed up all my MS info, with my GMail info. I'd like to be able to do a couple things I added a name@outlook alias several weeks ago but what I'd like to do is;
    Log into Outlook with my outlook email info.
    Every now and then when I'm emailing someone from that acount suddenly we'll be reverted back to gmail. I have no damn idea how this happens. I assumed they just weren't paying attention on their end and were choosing my gmail address.
    I have my outlook email going to my WP, but it's showing the hotmail icon on the tile. How can I get this to be outlook?
  • Salvation!!!
    Alias login... Ah, Microsoft. We love you. Lol
  • I hope MS will add more countries tlds..
  • Im still trying to figure out how to send emails from my Windows phone using one of my outlook aliases.  Any tips?