Share via

I do not remember my password, secret answer and no longer have the same number

Anonymous
2021-03-16T22:51:58+00:00

Hi. Can someone help me please. I really need to access my Hotmail account. 

I last used my Hotmail account about 7/8 years ago. I no longer have the same mobile number to send a code to. I have filled in the account recovery form 6 times and provided the information to the best of my knowledge however I am not getting past this. I have spoken to 3 different advisors who have helped me fill in the form and still no luck.  I was advised to get in touch with my telephone network provider to see if I can reinstate my old phone number and I have been told I cannot. However, my network provider has sent me an email confirming the mobile number linked to the Hotmail account was mine and they have also put in the email that the email address in question was also linked to my mobile account.  However this seems to not be enough. Although I have proof from EE confirming the number and email address are mine.  I am still being referred back to the recovery form. Apparently there is no other way which is absolutely ridiculous.  I know the account is still active because an email was sent and there was no email to say the account doesn't exist. Also the last 2 digits which come up for the mobile number are the last 2 digits of my old mobile. So I know it is still active. Please please please help me. I am really frustrated. I have even cried to the advisor as it got all a bit emotional for me. There has got to be another way apart from the automated recovery  verification form. Any advice will be much appreciated . Please help me.

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

5 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2021-03-17T00:32:40+00:00

    Certainly not going to doubt anything your wrote but it goes against all current policies in terms of the account still existing.

    On a pure curiosity level regarding

    >>

    I have been receiving emails to that address from old friends over the years.

    <<

    When you say "over the years" - that was more then 6 years ago - correct? (Am assuming that the answer is yes so no need to reply if that's the case)

    BTW - just one other piece of information, if an account is not accessed within the last one year period, the account state is set to "inactive" and all data in the account is purged.

    In any case, wish you all the best in your attempts. If you do end up being successful, please do come back and post the process you followed since it would be of interest to a whole lot of people (including me to be able to provide the additional info to others).

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2021-03-17T00:24:09+00:00

    Hi.

    Thank you for your reply. The advisor confirmed this email address was created 15 years ago and last used 6 years ago. I have just checked my sent items in my current email address I use and I received a recovery address 6 years ago for my Hotmail account. Even when I go to reset password the option for the mobile number I have is my old number. 

    It's absurd that there is no way forward without the automated recovery form. I just need someone to verify me another way. There must be a way.  I have been receiving emails to that address from old friends over the years. However they only want sent items which I probably used to apply for jobs with only. I am going to keep trying. Manifesting this..

    Thank you for your reply tho.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2021-03-16T23:35:43+00:00

    Hello Sobia

    >>

    I last used my Hotmail account about 7/8 years ago.

    <<

    Before continuing, just so there is no misunderstanding, this is a public user-to-user support forum. We're users just like you helping other users. We don't work for Microsoft and have no access to any user account so there is nothing we can do or check from within the forum. We have no input on Microsoft's policies and procedures. Microsoft Support personnel do not staff this forum.

    Now for all the bad news.................

    Any account that has not been accessed within the last 2 years is automatically deleted due to inactivity as per the Microsoft Account Activity policy. Once an account is deleted, it can never be recovered/reused by anyone again. There are no exceptions or work-arounds to this policy. I have no idea why anyone from Microsoft who helped you fill in the recovery form didn't tell you this right from the beginning. Even if you could get your old phone number back, it wouldn't have the slightest bit of difference.

    Since you also stated that you sent a message and did not receive a bounce back message, if the account still actually exists, would mean that it was taken over by someone else and after this amount of time, there would no way to recover it.

    One last piece of bad news is, ignoring everything above, if the account is still active but not accessed within the last year (but less then 2 years), then the only way to log into to the account is to use the correct password for the account - the recovery form doesn't apply in this case nor can it be used if 2 factor authentication was enabled for the account.

    Microsoft account activity policy

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/451105...

    After all of this, Microsoft recovery policy is such that no one from MS can reset your account, it can only be done by the owner of the account.

    Realize that this is not the answer you were hoping/looking for but it unfortunately is the only one that applies to what you have described

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2021-03-16T23:16:10+00:00

    Thank you. This gives me hope. I really hope an advisor can help me. As I have stressed to them why I need to get back in to this hotmail account and so far all I am getting is fill the form in.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2021-03-16T23:08:14+00:00

    Hi,

    I had the same problem and one of the advisors helped me get back into my account. When i spoke to the advisor i stressed the importance of getting back into my account and i asked them to ask me for any sort of ID to prove who i am other than the recovery form which i previously tried multiple times like yourself. I provided other identification to prove that was my account and then they reset my password and sent me a link to my other email address. 

    They should help please try again and again as they can be quite dismissive, i hope you get into your account and Microsoft can help you.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments