Open Hotmail in an Edge InPrivate window first; if the sign-in page responds there, clear the normal browser’s cookies and cached files before signing in again.
1. Test the sign-in page without stored browser data
- In Microsoft Edge, select Settings and more (⋯) → New InPrivate window, or press Ctrl+Shift+N.
- Open Outlook.com.
- Select Sign in and enter the full Hotmail address and password.
InPrivate browsing uses a separate session and removes its cookies and site data when all InPrivate windows close.^1^
If the page works in InPrivate: the normal browser profile likely has stale cookies, cached data, or an interfering extension.
- Return to a normal Edge window.
- Select ⋯ → Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Clear browsing data → Choose what to clear.
- Set Time range to All time.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
- Clear the data, close every Edge window, reopen Edge, and try Hotmail again. Clearing cookies and cached files is the supported next step when Hotmail works privately.^2^
Clearing cookies signs you out of websites, but it does not delete your Hotmail messages.
2. If it is still not responding
- Try Outlook.com in another browser, such as Firefox or Chrome.
- If it fails in multiple browsers, connect temporarily through another network, such as a phone’s mobile hotspot. This distinguishes a device/browser problem from a network-related problem.^2^
- In Edge, open ⋯ → Settings → About Microsoft Edge and install any offered update.^3^
If only Edge remains unresponsive, repair it:
- Close Edge.
- Open Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
- Find Microsoft Edge, select its menu, and choose Modify → Yes → Repair.
Repair requires administrator approval and an Internet connection; browser data and settings should not be affected. Modify may be unavailable on an organization-managed computer.^3^
3. If the page responds but rejects the account
Use Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper. Enter the Hotmail address and follow the issue-specific instructions; the tool checks for account problems and directs you to the appropriate recovery action.^4^
If password recovery is offered, verify that the address uses the correct domain—for example, .com versus .co.uk—then receive a security code and create a new password.^5^
Do not post the email address, password, verification code, recovery code, or request/correlation IDs publicly.
References