# Quick Hotmail Q for the Better Half: it won't remember his password...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-hotmail-q-for-the-better-half-it-wont-remember-his-password/69992>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 24, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-hotmail-q-for-the-better-half-it-wont-remember-his-password/69992 "2001-06-24T20:07:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-hotmail-q-for-the-better-half-it-wont-remember-his-password/69992/1 "2001-06-24T20:07:12Z")

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…and it’s driving him nuts. Every single time he logs onto Hotmail, it asks him for his user name and password (I don’t have a Hotmail account). I said, “There must be a cookie you can set somewhere”, but he says there isn’t.

Well?

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**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-hotmail-q-for-the-better-half-it-wont-remember-his-password/69992/2 "2001-06-24T20:17:37Z")

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If he logs out, or closes his browser, the cookie expires, at least in Netscape. If he leaves the hotmail site without logging out, then comes back to it withou closing his browser, it will probably just ask him to re-enter his password.

It’s a _security_ feature. Personally, I avoid using services that don’t make their cookies short lived. I don’t really want my co-workers snooping through my email, ya know?

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**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-hotmail-q-for-the-better-half-it-wont-remember-his-password/69992/3 "2001-06-24T21:09:19Z")

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I’m not really sure I understand the question… don’t all web-based email services require this upon log on?

In any case, he can do what I do, and simply not log out. I leave the browser (IE) up even after getting off the web. When I get back on, I just maximize the browser and click “inbox” (just to update the page and see what’s new). It’s never asked me for my password when I do it this way, no matter how long I’m off the web for.

On those occasions when I do log in, IE offers to save the username/password, which makes things pretty easy. I’m assuming you’re either doing this already, or are using Netscape.

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**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-hotmail-q-for-the-better-half-it-wont-remember-his-password/69992/4 "2001-06-24T21:11:07Z")

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The cookie file might also be corrupted. Seach for the cookies with explorer, and delete them, then redo from start.

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-hotmail-q-for-the-better-half-it-wont-remember-his-password/69992/5 "2001-06-24T21:25:47Z")

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IE5 will remember the passwords if you want. IE4 won’t. It is not hotmail, it is the browser.