Hotmail, now Outlook.com, has a retention policy for emails. By default, it retains emails in your inbox, sent items, and other folders indefinitely. This means that your emails will not be automatically deleted unless you delete them manually or your account faces unusual activity. However, it's essential to keep in mind that Microsoft reserves the right to modify its retention policies. Therefore, it's a good practice to periodically back up your emails to ensure you have access to them, regardless of any policy changes.