All TLDs / .hotmail

What is .hotmail?

The short answer
.hotmail is a brand top-level domain, operated by Microsoft Corporation. It's a “dot-brand” registry (ICANN Spec 13) — reserved for the operator's own use, so it isn't open for the public to register. It's live in the official IANA DNS root zone.
Type
Brand (dot-brand)
Registration
Closed (brand)
In DNS root
Yes
Operator
Microsoft Corporation

Source: IANA root zone database, checked October 18, 2026.

Is .hotmail a real domain extension?

Yes — .hotmail is a real top-level domain. It's present in the official IANA DNS root zone, which is the authoritative list of every live TLD on the internet.

Who runs .hotmail?

.hotmail is operated by Microsoft Corporation, per the IANA root database.

What is .hotmail used for?

.hotmail is a dot-brand registry — it's reserved for Microsoft Corporation and isn't used for third-party websites.

Can anyone register a .hotmail domain?

No. .hotmail is a closed brand registry, so it isn't available for public registration. A registrar search will confirm the current policy for any specific name.