Microsoft account ****@gmail.com no longer exists after security changes

Question

Hello,

I am trying to recover my Microsoft account ****@gmail.com.

This account was used to purchase Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition for PC.

Order number: (PII Removed).

Purchase date: 19 December 2024

I still have the original purchase confirmation email from Microsoft.

Before losing access, I received several Microsoft security emails about:

unusual sign-in activity

security information changes

new applications connected to my account

Now, when I try to sign in or recover the account, Microsoft says that the account does not exist.

I believe the account may have been compromised, renamed, or the sign-in alias may have been changed.

I can provide:

purchase confirmation email

order number

payment information

screenshots of Microsoft security notifications

Please advise how I can recover the Microsoft account and restore access to my Minecraft license.

Thank you.

Answer 1

If you received a notification that the security information was changed on your account and it is now indicated that your account does not exist, then that does indicate your account has been hacked.

I wish I had better news, this forum is just a user to user account and no-one here has any account access, when a Microsoft account is hacked, if the hackers change the associated data like the Email, then that account is usually no longer recoverable, try using the process they provide on this link to recover a hacked account, if this process is not successful, sadly, that account cannot be recovered.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/how-to-recover-a-hacked-or-compromised-microsoft-account-24ca907d-bcdf-a44b-4656-47f0cd89c245

Answer 2

Based on the described symptoms (security alerts, then "account doesn't exist" when signing in), the account is very likely compromised and its sign‑in alias and/or data have been changed by the attacker. For consumer Microsoft accounts, recovery is fully automated and support cannot manually restore or rename accounts, even with order numbers or screenshots.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Confirm whether the Gmail address is still a Microsoft account
   Go to https://account.microsoft.com and enter ******@gmail.com.
   • If a password prompt appears, it is still a Microsoft account. Proceed with password reset and hacked‑account recovery below.
   • If the message "We couldn't find an account with that username" or "That Microsoft account doesn't exist" appears, follow the spelling/domain checks in the article and consider that the account may have been closed or renamed.
2. If the username/password have simply stopped working
   Use the standard recovery flow:
   • Go to Recover your account: https://account.live.com/password/reset
   • Enter the email/phone/Skype name used to sign in.
   • Choose where to receive the security code, enter the code, and set a new password.
     If this still results in "We couldn't find an account with that username", follow the next steps.
3. If the account was hacked/compromised
   For hacked accounts (unusual sign‑ins, security info changes, new apps connected), the only supported path is the hacked‑account recovery guidance and the account recovery form.
   • Use the official hacked/compromised account guide: How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account.
   • If the hacker has changed the security info and the normal reset flow fails, submit the account recovery form and provide as much accurate information as possible (old passwords, purchase details, security info, etc.).
   • Complete the form from a device and location previously used with the account, if possible, to improve the chances of success.
4. Use the Sign‑in Helper and account recovery form correctly
   • Try the Sign‑in Helper first: Sign-in Helper.
   • If that does not resolve it, use the Account recovery form: Account recovery form or Recover account.
   • Ensure a working contact email is available (can be any active address) so Microsoft can send the result of the review.
   • Provide all details available (including Minecraft purchase info) where the form allows, but note that the decision is automated and based on how closely the data matches what is on record.
5. Understand hard limits on recovery
   • If two‑step verification was enabled and none of the verification methods are accessible, support agents cannot override this or send manual reset links.
   • If the attacker has fully replaced the security info and the recovery form is repeatedly rejected, the account is considered unrecoverable; Microsoft Support and forums cannot restore it.
   • If the account has been closed or deleted (for example, long‑term inactivity), it may no longer be possible to reopen it.
6. Minecraft license implications
   • The Minecraft license is tied to the Microsoft account identity. If the underlying Microsoft account cannot be recovered, the license normally cannot be moved or restored to a different account via standard consumer support.
   • After exhausting the hacked‑account recovery process, contact Minecraft support (per the guidance in the Q&A context) to ask if any alternative options exist for the game license, but there is no guarantee they can transfer it.

If the recovery form ultimately reports that the request was not granted and repeated attempts (from known devices/locations with maximum detail) fail, the Microsoft account and the attached Minecraft license cannot be recovered through any other channel.

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References:

• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
• My username and password have stopped working
• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
• How to check if your email address is a Microsoft account
• Check products or services where you used your Microsoft account
• Account hacked - Microsoft Q&A
• my microsoft account has been compromised - Microsoft Q&A
• Need help with hacked microsoft account - Microsoft Q&A
• My account got hacked - Microsoft Q&A