I want to switch my Hotmail account to an Outlook.com account, but will I have to change my e-mail address?

Even if you switch your Hotmail account to the newer mail system at Outlook.com, Microsoft says you can still keep the old @hotmail.com address. (Users with the @live.com or @msn.com accounts can also switch to Outlook.com and keep their original addresses.) You also have the option of adding an @outlook.com address, as Microsoft outlines here.

To make the move from Hotmail to Outlook.com, log into your Hotmail account, click Options and choose “Free Upgrade to Outlook.com.” Your Hotmail account page should convert to the white Outlook.com page. In addition to keeping the same address, your password and old mail are saved after you switch.

The Outlook.com site should work with recent versions of most browsers, including Internet Explorer 8 and later, Firefox 10 and later, Google Chrome 17 and later, and Safari 5.1 and later for the Mac. Older browsers may not display the site properly, or will not work with it at all. (You can also continue using your account with a standalone mail program, as long as you have thecorrect settings.)

Microsoft plans to automatically move all Hotmail accounts over to Outlook.com. The company describes the process as “gradual,” but says Hotmail users due for the upgrade will be notified in advance.