The decline of hotmail: nostalgia and humor in a digital age

In a world dominated by Gmail and Google services, the persistence of @hotmail.com users evokes nostalgia and humor, reflecting a bygone digital era.

Are you still using the iconic @hotmail.com email address? If so, you are part of an exclusive club of veteran users who began their internet journey long before the new generations. These newer users either started directly with Gmail or switched from Microsoft emails to Google’s email services, which provide seamless access to essential daily tools like YouTube and Google Drive.

In recent weeks, many users have humorously commented on social media about the oddity of those still using their @hotmail accounts in 2025. The general sentiment is that these email addresses were often created many years ago, and it is uncommon for someone to have not transitioned to a newer Gmail account over such a long span of time.

While Microsoft continues to allow the creation of @hotmail addresses (along with other variations like @outlook.com and @outlook.es), it is less common for people to use Microsoft email services today. This trend is largely attributed to the popularity of Google services, which include not only their email platform but also widely used applications like Google Docs and Google Drive. The extensive use of YouTube and the Chrome browser has effectively allowed Google to build a comprehensive online empire, with Gmail serving as the easiest gateway into this ecosystem.

Many users reflect on their early and somewhat nostalgic usernames—like “tuxulito29” or “la_morenita11”—and note that the norm is to have transitioned from these old Microsoft accounts to new Gmail ones. Additionally, retaining a single email account for an extended period can pose security risks, particularly if the address has been used to sign up for various online services. There’s a chance that it may have been leaked during a cyberattack, and could now be circulating on the dark web.

What’s more, using a @hotmail account has become, for some, synonymous with being an internet relic. Conversely, a few users proudly maintain their original email addresses, emphasizing their loyalty to accounts created years ago. There are even some who boast about their Yahoo emails, which are becoming increasingly antiquated.

Ultimately, Hotmail, a brand that has been mostly replaced by Outlook, has turned into something of a museum piece, similar to the old Windows Live Messenger. In its heyday, Hotmail was a staple, especially as Messenger was also a Microsoft product. However, as Messenger has fallen out of favor, Google has surged ahead, winning over users with the allure of @gmail.com.

Some nostalgic users lament the transition, claiming that with Hotmail, they never experienced the storage issues that plague them with Google today. In reality, both Gmail and Outlook offer users 15 GB of free storage. However, Outlook's storage is distinct, as it merges with the free 5 GB offered by OneDrive. In contrast, Google’s space is shared among Drive and other apps, which can lead to quicker storage shortages.