MSN Postmaster

Windows Live Hotmail Postmaster Services

Microsoft is dedicated to help provide the most trusted and protected consumer experience on the Web. Therefore, Microsoft has developed various policies and procedures, and has adopted several industry best practices to help protect our consumers from abuse. This site has been developed to give bulk e-mailers/senders, ISPs, e-mail service providers (ESPs), postmasters, and domain administrators a location from which to learn more about these policies and the solutions related to sending communications to Windows Live Hotmail consumers.

Senders

Do you send e-mail to Windows Live Hotmail users on a regular basis? Does your organization send e-mail on behalf of other companies (for instance, are you an ISP or ESP)? If you fall into one of these groups and would like to improve the deliverability of your messages to consumers, then read more here.

ISPs (Internet Service Provider)

In an effort to help ISPs improve the reputation of their networks, decrease costs, and help build trust in the e-mail environment, we have developed a service called Smart Network Data Services (SNDS). This service enables ISPs to get a view into the amount of spam/phishing and potentially other illegal activities emanating from their networks. This service is free! Learn more here.

Windows Live Account user

If you are an Windows Live Hotmail customer and have a support-related question, go to our support site.

Top FAQs

Q. What is the difference between MSN Hotmail and Windows Live Hotmail?

A. Windows Live Hotmail is Microsoft’s new Web e-mail service, built from the ground up to deliver a faster, safer and simpler e-mail experience. MSN Hotmail customers will be upgraded to Windows Live Hotmail over the coming months. Customers will be able to keep their MSN Hotmail account ID and use it with the Windows Live Hotmail service, but updated options for Windows Live Hotmail customers will be available soon.

Q. What should I do if my organization is receiving what appears to be junk e-mail from Windows Live Hotmail users?

A. From time-to-time, users abuse the Windows Live Hotmail service by sending junk e-mail or other types of abusive mail. This is a clear breach of the terms of use and Microsoft treats this very seriously. You can help us put a stop to such behavior by sending the e-mail message as an attachment with the full message header to report_spam@hotmail.com. Microsoft will determine if the message originated from our service and take appropriate measures. For more information see our FAQ.

Q. Does Windows Live Hotmail operate an “allow list” that I can get on?

A. No. An allow list is essentially a “free pass” that allows e-mails from certain senders to bypass junk e-mail filters and other precautions. Windows Live Hotmail evaluates all inbound e-mail for malicious content. You can find out more about our filtering processes here.

Q. What is Sender ID and why should I learn more about it?

A. The Sender ID Framework (SIDF) is an e-mail authentication technology protocol that helps address the problem of spoofing and fraudulent e-mails (phishing) by verifying the domain name from which e-mail is sent. E-mail that is SIDF compliant can be delivered more reliably. Windows Live Hotmail currently uses the Sender ID field to provide additional input to the SmartScreen^TM junk e-mail filter process, helping to determine if the e-mail or sender is legitimate. We recommend that senders publish their Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records to help pass any Sender ID authentication checks. Learn more about Sender ID and how to publish your SPF records here: http://www.microsoft.com/senderid

More FAQs here…