Microsoft killing off Outlook.com linked accounts in favor of aliases

[Brink]

Microsoft has long supported a linked accounts feature for its Hotmail and Outlook.com service, allowing users to simply switch between Microsoft Accounts without having to enter passwords. The feature was originally introduced in 2006, but Microsoft says it plans to stop supporting it over the next couple of months.

Microsoft blames security for the change of heart, noting that users would often keep their primary account password up-to-date, but failed to regularly change the password on associated accounts. The software maker found that malicious users have been compromising secondary accounts to get access to a full primary account.

Read more at: Microsoft killing off Outlook.com linked accounts feature in favor of aliases | The Verge


See also: How to Turn "Two-step Verification" On or Off for your Microsoft Account

 

[emmett82]

ok what will this mean for my 3 linked accoutns that have like 3-6 alaises under each will they just go poof or will the merge with my primary account all under the same names just in one accoutn instead of 3 ?

 

[bobafetthotmail]

The accounts and aliases will remain, but the account switching will stop working. At least it is what I am understanding of the article.

 

[emmett82]

So if the switching stops will it merge the allready linked accounts or will I have to manage them sepratly ?

 

[bobafetthotmail]

They just say that you can no more switch from one to the other account using the "linked account feature". None talked of merging accounts.

If you still want to manage multiple accounts at the same time you can use the mail client (Live Mail) of Live Essentials.
I have two outlook accounts (actually old hotmail accounts) and both can be managed at the same time by that program.

 

[emmett82]

that's the thing I have 3 accounts the main is the only one with a password and I tries that live thing and my alaises. Refuse to work with it. If they kill off switching then what happens to my two non pw accnts do they just go poof or what ? Or will I have to make a dozen passwords per email and alias ?

 

[bobafetthotmail]

Try doing what they say here.