[ubizmo]

I've already been using a live.com account for email for several years, so it was no problem to login to my Lumia 640 using that account. But I just bought a used 1520 for my wife, who is a Gmail user. I've been searching online to find out whether she has to create an outlook.com or hotmail etc. email account to be able to use her phone, when it arrives.

According to Wikipedia, she can create a "Microsoft account" using her Google credentials. According to some other sources, she has to create a new outlook.com (or whatever) email account, at least for Windows 10. I'd like to know in advance of getting the thing and helping her set it up. The confusion seems to be about what constitutes a "Microsoft account."

[RumoredNow]

I've already been using a live.com account for email for several years, so it was no problem to login to my Lumia 640 using that account. But I just bought a used 1520 for my wife, who is a Gmail user. I've been searching online to find out whether she has to create an outlook.com or hotmail etc. email account to be able to use her phone, when it arrives.

According to Wikipedia, she can create a "Microsoft account" using her Google credentials. According to some other sources, she has to create a new outlook.com (or whatever) email account, at least for Windows 10. I'd like to know in advance of getting the thing and helping her set it up. The confusion seems to be about what constitutes a "Microsoft account."

The Microsoft Account is the One Ring To Rule Them All. It's the master key to all her activities and ownerships under the Windows umbrella.

A Microsoft Account can be created with ANY email address of any flavor. She can use her Gmail or create a new email account at Outlook, etc.

If she creates a new account, there would be no reason she couldn't add Gmail onto the phone just as an email account.

Here is a help page from Microsoft, a small FAQ: Accounts - Microsoft Help

Personally I find it advisable to segregate my platforms under different email accounts. I currently have all things Windows under Outlook, my few Android things under Gmail and a SPAM aggregator under Yahoo to use for signing up for commercial interests that will generate a lot of useless junk. I just find it easier to manage one at a time rather than entangling everything into one account. Your Wife's Mileage May Vary.

[Kenny Mc]

ATM you can create MSA only with existing @live.* @outlook.* @hotmail.* or @msn.* old email addresses. No more options for use an "external" email address like @gmail.com at least in my country.
Hope that help you.

[libra89]

In my experience (as of last year), what RumoredNow said still holds true. I made a Microsoft account with a yahoo email address without any issues.

I just went to the MS page to make an account and this is what pops up for me, as someone living in the United States:

[anon(50597)]

I've already been using a live.com account for email for several years, so it was no problem to login to my Lumia 640 using that account. But I just bought a used 1520 for my wife, who is a Gmail user. I've been searching online to find out whether she has to create an outlook.com or hotmail etc. email account to be able to use her phone, when it arrives.

According to Wikipedia, she can create a "Microsoft account" using her Google credentials. According to some other sources, she has to create a new outlook.com (or whatever) email account, at least for Windows 10. I'd like to know in advance of getting the thing and helping her set it up. The confusion seems to be about what constitutes a "Microsoft account."

Like the others said, create a Microsoft account to tie everything together, similar to google. I still have my old gmail account but just forward it to outlook.

[ubizmo]

Like the others said, create a Microsoft account to tie everything together, similar to google. I still have my old gmail account but just forward it to outlook.

The drawback to that is when you reply to mails, it bounces. I know because I still have my old Gmail account forwarded to outlook. I get the mails but can't reply.

I realize my wife can just create the outlook account and not use it, and if that's how it has to be done it's not a Big Deal. But as I say, I've found conflicting information about this, as we also see in this thread. So, when the 1520 gets here I'll first try to create the account using her Gmail address and if that fails I'll create a fresh outlook address and then set up her Gmail anyway.

[anon(50597)]

The drawback to that is when you reply to mails, it bounces. I know because I still have my old Gmail account forwarded to outlook. I get the mails but can't reply.

I realize my wife can just create the outlook account and not use it, and if that's how it has to be done it's not a Big Deal. But as I say, I've found conflicting information about this, as we also see in this thread. So, when the 1520 gets here I'll first try to create the account using her Gmail address and if that fails I'll create a fresh outlook address and then set up her Gmail anyway.

Mmm. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but I can reply to emails sent to my gmail account through outlook. Could it be a setting or something?

[ubizmo]

Mmm. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but I can reply to emails sent to my gmail account through outlook. Could it be a setting or something?

Maybe. I'm not sure what setting it might be, but I haven't found it. I get a "postmaster couldn't deliver" or some such error every time. I assume it's because the "from" field in my reply doesn't match the "to" field in the original email. By now, most people know my new email address, so the problem doesn't come up that often, but for a while there it was chaos.

I just hope it can be set up so that Gmail is her default address in the W10 email app, so she doesn't have to select it every time.

[anon(50597)]

Maybe. I'm not sure what setting it might be, but I haven't found it. I get a "postmaster couldn't deliver" or some such error every time. I assume it's because the "from" field in my reply doesn't match the "to" field in the original email. By now, most people know my new email address, so the problem doesn't come up that often, but for a while there it was chaos.

LOL, I hear ya. I actually switched to Outlook while using BlackBerry. It may not have as many bells and whistles as Gmail, but it works well for me. Actually, I'm not quite sure why I keep the Gmail address because, like you, most people know my Outlook one now.

[RumoredNow]

The drawback to that is when you reply to mails, it bounces. I know because I still have my old Gmail account forwarded to outlook. I get the mails but can't reply.

I don't subsume any other email addresses under my Outlook which I use for my Microsoft Account.

Each email service can be added separately onto the phone and each gets its own tile, notifications etc. Sure the "Outlook Mail" App handles them all, but its no different than having them all in separate browser tabs really. I haven't experienced any issues keep them apart from each other.

[anon(50597)]

I don't subsume any other email addresses under my Outlook which I use for my Microsoft Account.

Each email service can be added separately onto the phone and each gets its own tile, notifications etc. Sure the "Outlook Mail" App handles them all, but its no different than having them all in separate browser tabs really. I haven't experienced any issues keep them apart from each other.

You would get filleted at CrackBerry for saying that! The Hub is God-like and its "inconvenient" to have things in separate places.

But I agree with you, it may be the best way to go and easy to do.

[RumoredNow]

Yeah, I'm just not comfortable stirring them all together in one pot. Add a bad ingredient and the whole soup is spoiled and you have to start everything over again.

[ubizmo]

The 1520 arrived today (quite the phone, by the way) and I was able to set up a Microsoft account using my wife's gmail address with no problem. Thanks for the help. She's very happy with the phone and is finding it easier to use than Android, so far.