Leave Windows Live Hotmail and Revert Back to Classic MSN Hotmail
Windows Live Hotmail which was briefly named as Windows Live Mail during beta, is officially launched as final version. Windows Live Hotmail is the new web-based email service from Microsoft which is intended as the replacement for the classic old MSN Hotmail existed since 1995. Major enhancements in Windows Live Hotmail are extensive use of AJAX for interactive feature and free 2GB email storage space. From 7 May 2007, all new Hotmail accounts will be created as Windows Live Hotmail accounts, while existing MSN Hotmail users can update to Windows Live Hotmail by clicking on the “Join Windows Live Hotmail” button below the Hotmail logo, with beta users automatically switched.
However, the user interface of Windows Live Hotmail is not as intuitive, as responsive or as attractive as you would have expected. After switching over, you may regret your choice and would like to revert back to the old classic Hotmail interface. Luckily, Microsoft still provide a way to switch back to MSN Hotmail, with the downside that you may lose your free 2GB space. Here’s how to do it.
There’re 2 version of Windows Live Hotmail – full version with all the AJAX capabilities such as address auto-complete, reading pane, color schemes and keyboard shortcuts, and classic version which pretty much resemble the user interface the original Hotmail. In fact, classic Windows Live Hotmail interface version is recommended for users with slow internet connection or a monitor that is under 1024 x 768 pixels. If you want to keep the 2GB free space, this is the best option to opt for.
Switch to classic version of Windows Live Hotmail
Simply look for “Switch to classic” link located in the bottom left corner, and you’re done.
Switch back to original MSN Hotmail
If you want to revert back to MSN Hotmail, and don’t care whether you have the free 2GB mail space, click on Options on the top right corner (in full version, a pull down menu will be shown, where you should further click on More Options). You will see the following message.
For full version:
You’re using the full version of Windows Live Hotmail.
Click here to try the classic version, which is good for slow connections.
You can also Switch to MSN Hotmail.
For classic version:
You are using the classic version of Windows Live Hotmail.
Have a fast connection and want more features? Try the full version to see message previews in your inbox. (It’s free, too.)
You can also Switch to MSN Hotmail.
So to revert, click on “Switch to MSN Hotmail”. In the Switch Back page, confirm by clicking on Switch back button. And you’re back to original MSN Hotmail.
Related Articles
- Opt Out of Windows Live Mail and Get Back to MSN Hotmail Interface
- Register Windows Live ID with Hotmail @live.com or @windowslive.com or Local Domains
- Download Windows Live Hotmail for Mobile Beta
- Set Windows Live Messenger to Always Auto Login to Hotmail Using Internet Explorer (IE)
- Windows Live Hotmail
- Windows Live Hotmail Free 5GB Email Storage Space
- How to Send Full Size Photos or Pictures with Windows Live (MSN) Hotmail
- How to Turn Off and Skip MSN/Windows Live Hotmail Today News Direct to Inbox
- How to Change Windows Live (Hotmail and Messenger) Password
- Move, Transfer, Migrate and Switch from @msn.com or @hotmail.com to @live.com for Fresh Start
Entries (RSS)
November 7th, 2008 13:25
I have written hotmail in desperation 5 times. They don’t write back. I hate the new Hotmail too. The format is so large that you can’t see the whole screen unless you scroll back and forth. And the scroll bar on the right is hidden by another scroll bar. HOW DO WE GET THE OLD VERSION BACK? THIS IS AWFUL. Also, things disappear and things that I didn’t click on, pop up. IT IS TERRIBLE.
November 7th, 2008 07:22
I suggest hotmail to go back to clasical version, otherwise it may loose many users….new version is not user friendly…we can not see any option of switching back to classical one.
November 7th, 2008 05:04
Don’t hate, bit don’t like it!
Dowsn’t work with Opera browser !@#$%^&.
The up/down scroll bar for folders driving me nuts!.
QUIERO EL HOTMAIL ANTIGUO!
Bring back the old User Interfase
November 7th, 2008 04:59
I hate this new look.. It’s hard on my eyes and it’s extremely irritating.. If anyone finds a miracle way to change back please let me know.. going back to Yahoo which I hate… We should have options.
November 6th, 2008 06:14
the new version sucks & the rop down menu for changing back 2 classic does not provide the option
November 6th, 2008 05:33
I hate this version. They did this before and I want to go back to classic. I don’t have the option to Switch Back or it’s completely hidden. Please change this back!!
November 6th, 2008 05:16
Who reply for us?
To whom interesting our cry?
Many years we were HOTMAIL.com
So fucking System!
November 6th, 2008 05:11
I need ro return back to my classic version
I cannot Do It!!!
I need Leave Windows Live Hotmail and Revert Back to Classic MSN Hotmail” -I.m very angry and crazy.
Why you change ,I don;t ask it!!!!
This advice from you :
” Simply look for “Switch to classic” link located in the bottom left corner, and you’re done.” doesn;t work,because I don;t have
this link “Switch to classic” on my page!!!!
November 6th, 2008 03:35
I ALREADY TRIED THE FORWARDING IDEA AND IT DOES NOT WORK.
HOTMAIL OR YAHOO. THEY BOTH DON’T SUPPORT EMAIL FORWARDING.
I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED WITH THIS SITUATION AFTER MANY MANY YEARS ON HOTMAIL.
November 6th, 2008 03:16
This is complete BS. They obviously must have put a female in charge of this bullshit. Look at all the gay colors offered as themes. Hotmail can go fuck themselves!! I’m forwarding all my mail to my Yahoo Account. Thanks a lot MSN!!
November 5th, 2008 23:23
JUST RECEIVED FROM LIVE SUPPORT.
Thank you for writing to Microsoft Office Live Support.
Based on the information that you have provided, I understand that you do not want the new hotmail interface, you want the old interface back.
I apologize I am not able to assist you further with this as the issue you have raised is outside our boundary for support. I would like to refer you to
https://support.live.com/eform.aspx?productKey=wlmail&ct=eformts in an effort to provide you with an alternative source for support to address your concern.
After clicking on the above mentioned link, please follow the below mentioned steps
1) Click on any link on the left navigation bar (Refer to the screenshot1)
2) A new page will open, now click on Get more help (Refer to the screenshot2)
3) A new page will open, now click on Get Support (Refer to the screenshot3)
4) Fill the eform and click on Submit
You may be selected to receive a survey. Your feedback is valuable to us as we are very interested in hearing about your support experience. Should you receive a survey, we appreciate you taking the time to respond.
Thank you for contacting Microsoft Office Live Support.
I’VE DECIDED TO OPEN A NEW ACCOUNT AND LEAVE HOTMAIL. THERE’S NO OPTION TO GO BACK TO AN OLDER VERSION BECAUSE IT’S GONE!
November 5th, 2008 20:07
OMG Hotmail sucks ass now. Time to switch everything over to yahoo pr g-mail I guess. Leave it to MS to fuck up something that worked so well
November 5th, 2008 18:10
I’ve explored every avenue to get back to Hotmail Classic as I really can’t get on with the new unasked for version.
I have had a semi-dormant account with Yahoo for years which I shall now resurrect and use as my primary mail account.
Goodbye Hotmail.
November 5th, 2008 06:05
I can open hotmail live in firefox but it’s still lousy, slow and horrible. I HATE IT. yahoo mail must be getting a ton of new subscribers these days!
November 5th, 2008 06:00
Ken: Thanks for the advice. I should have thought of that but I was too caught up in the anger of trying to resolve a Microsoft problem. : ) I’ll let you know how it works. Thanks, Anna
November 5th, 2008 05:46
Reality is that the old Hotmail is gone and not coming back. For those of you that cannot access your email messages in Hotmail, download the Firefox browser at http://www.mozilla.com. You should be able to use it to open up your email messages. You can still use IE and Firefox on the same computer with no problems. It is very apparent that Microsoft does not care about any of us.
November 5th, 2008 05:21
I don’t see any option for changing it back. I’ve written to microsoft but no answer as of today. PLEAES HELP. I WANT MY OLD HOTMAIL BACK!
November 5th, 2008 00:47
OK, So after the MSN LIVE! so-called support people screwed up repeatedly, i.e. addressing the wrong issue a few times, and obviously not reading my emails, here’s their/it’s response(To condense: it happened, you’ll enjoy it, get over it):
Hello Martinicorini,
Your message was forwarded to us at Windows Live Hotmail Technical Support. My name is Celeste and I am responding to your inquiry on how to opt out from Windows Live Hotmail. I also gather that you are having problem with your account. I sincerely apologize for the delay in answering your e-mail. We appreciate your patience as we handle every customer request as quickly as possible.
Windows Live Hotmail has just released a new version to provide better user experience. We understand this change may have come as a surprise to you but we strongly feel you will soon have a much better experience with the new Windows Live Hotmail. As always, your satisfaction is our main goal. However, I regret to inform you that you cannot switch back to the previous version.
Of course, all your information (contacts, calendar, and e-mail address) is still the same and there are some great new features that customers have requested. You can now sign in to Web Messenger within your Windows Live Hotmail account and on top of that you would be able to access your account 70% faster.
To learn more about the new features and benefits of Windows Live Hotmail, please visit:
http://www.windowslive-hotmail.com/comingsoon/en-us/default.htm
We recognize that a change like this can feel unexpected and surprising, and we are eager to hear your feedback (both positive and negative) about the auto-upgrade process.
To send your feedback:
1. Please go to http://feedback.live.com/eform.aspx?productkey=wlmail&page=wlfeedback_home_form
2. Select the first option in the drop-down list, “I want to provide feedback on the automatic update to Windows Live Hotmail.”
You can also click on the help icon “?” and choose “Feedback” on the upper right side of the page.
Regarding your problem with your account, it is possible that your browser’s settings may be contributing to your concern. For us to ensure that your browser settings do not contribute to your issue, please optimize your browser and clear your cache by deleting your temporary Internet files. To learn how to do this, please visit:
http://emailsupport.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!5D6F5A79A79B6708!6203.entry
Note: If you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer, please visit your browser’s Help section for steps on how to optimize your browser’s settings.
If you still encounter the same issue after following the steps above, please include the answers to the following so that we can troubleshoot the issue further:
- What are the exact steps you followed before you encountered this issue? Include the exact wording of any error messages you viewed.
- Have you tried using another computer and connection? Please let us know what happened.
- Does the same issue occur when other Windows Live Hotmail accounts are accessed on your computer?
You are valuable at Windows Live and we look forward to provide you with consistent and effective service. We appreciate your input and involvement in our Windows Live products.
Sincerely,
Celeste G.
Windows Live Hotmail Technical Support
— Original Message —
From : IDENT.LVID.00.00.EN.SYK.MNL.TS.T01.SPT.00.EM
Sent : Saturday, November 01, 2008 5:56:36 PM UTC
To : martinicorini@hotmail.com
Subject : RE: SRX1083445813ID – Windows Live ID:I have a different proble:Other
Hello Customer,
Thank you for writing to Windows Live Technical Support. I apologize for the delay in answering your e-mail. We normally respond within one business day, but we have received an unusually large number of messages recently. We appreciate your patience as we handle every customer request as quickly as possible.
My name is Leslie and I understand you are having issues with the new version of Hotmail. I know how important this service is to you.
After reviewing the information you provided, I have determined that your issue can best be addressed by Windows Live Hotmail Support Group. To ensure your concern gets resolved in a timely manner, I will be forwarding your issue to them so they can assist you immediately.
We are sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused and we hope your issue will be resolved soon. Please accept my apologies for not being able to assist you fully. Thank you for patience and understanding on this matter.
Sincerely,
Leslie
Windows Live Technical Support
— Original Message —
From : martinicorini@hotmail.com
Sent : Friday, October 31, 2008 4:50:10 PM UTC
To : LV_ID.WNLV.NA.US.EN.MSF.SEA.TS.T01.RTG.00.EM
Subject : Windows Live ID:I have a different proble:Other
Service:
Windows Live ID
What type of problem do you have?
I have a different problem or question [I have a different problem or question]
Other [Other]
Full name:
x x
The e-mail address for us to send a response:
Primary e-mail address/member ID associated with the account you are inquiring about:
Be specific when describing your problem. The details that you include enable us to promptly send you the most likely solution to your issue.
This account changed to Live from Classic Hotmail approximately 24 hours ago without my permission. LIVE does not work well. I want to change back to Hotmail Classic. If you got to mydigitallife.info you’ll see that it happened to a number of people on 30 October & we are NOT happy. LIVE freezes, and constantly says NOT RESPONDING. I installed a demo version of Streets & Trips 2009 48 hours ago
Frequency of the issue:
Always present [Always present]
Who is your ISP?
Comcast.net
Have you recently installed any new software (if you enter yes please add more comments in the text box above)?
Yes [Yes]
Which operating system are you using?Windows XP: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Windows-Media-Player/10.00.00.3990)
Which browser are you using: IE6
Location: en-us – English (United States)
Type of Support: E-mail Support
Browser Default Language: en-us
HERE’S THE FEEDBACK LINK. LET’S FLOOD THEM!!!!!
HOPEFULLY I’LL NEVER FORGET, AND LOG INTO THE AFFECTED ACCOUNT
November 5th, 2008 00:11
hate new version want my old verson back, there is no button help me I prefer the one I have had for ever. I did not ask to update. Why can’t you leave things alone??
November 4th, 2008 21:06
I agree, this new hotmail is strait bullsheido. It can eat a ick. I can’t figure out how to change it back. Looks like you can’t!!! oh Hell NO! I am PISSED!
It is said change is good. Not so in this case. Screw this.
November 4th, 2008 13:22
I would like to have my old hotmail back when I goes to options there is no icon that says switch back to msn hotmail can u please help me
November 4th, 2008 09:19
NEED AN OPTION OF USING THE OLD INTERFACE THE NEW ONE SUCKS…….WHERE IS THE OPTION?
THERES NO ‘CHECK MAIL’ BUTTON FFS SO WHAT WE HAVE TO HIT REFRESH TO CHECK FOR MAIL?
November 3rd, 2008 13:46
I WANNA JERK OFF TO THE OLD HOTMAIL!!!!!
November 3rd, 2008 03:04
Hello,
Please help me! I don’t like windows live hotmail, i hate the new hotmail and when i click the options button, it doesnt show switch back to msn hotmail. I just prefer the old version .Why make life so complicated ???
November 3rd, 2008 01:41
so this is how i’m gonna fuckin die..
new version sucks man, u ppl suck..