My original Microsoft was hacked and is still the "administrator account." Need to make my current account the Admin acct.

Question

My original Microsoft 365 account was hacked (some time ago). I have since set up a new account. The hacked account is still set as the Admin account, but in order to change it, it is requiring me to provide a password/passkey/email verification. The hacker had changed that data, therefore I do not know how to move forward in assigning my new account as Admin.

If I recall, I didn't completely remove the hacked account in fear of my son losing his linked XBOX data, but Microsoft disabled it???? I am not sure if that part is 100% correct, as it was a nightmare trying to straighten things out at the time.

I would greatly appreciate some assistance

[Moderator Note: Personal Info Removed]

Answer 1

Hi Emile Tujague,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.

To make sure I provide the right guidance, could you confirm these details?

1. Which type of account is affected?

• Personal Microsoft account (Outlook/OneDrive/Xbox) or work/school account (Microsoft 365/Entra)?

2. Where are you getting blocked?

• At sign‑in/MFA (Authenticator or verification codes) or while making changes on a Windows PC that requires Administrator rights?

3. Does this involve Xbox/gamertag or previously purchased digital content?

• If yes, please specify the device (console/PC/mobile) and the service involved.

4. Do you have any backup verification methods available besides Authenticator?

• Examples: SMS/phone call, passkey, recovery email, or “Sign in another way.”

Once I have these confirmations, I will respond immediately with the most appropriate path to resolve the incident.

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Answer 2

Thank you Chloe, I will do my best to elaborate.

1. Which type of account is affected?

Microsoft 365 Personal Account

2. Where are you getting blocked?

When using my "newer" account, certain software programs and actions are requiring Administrator rights to perform. My "older" account that was compromised (hacked) is still the Administrator account. When I access the older account to manage the administrator details, I need to confirm my identity through password or email. The hacker had changed both of those items so I cannot move forward.

3. Does this involve Xbox/gamertag or previously purchased digital content?

My son's Xbox account was associated with the Hacked account, but I don't believe that it is relevant to this specific issue (however I would like to address it at another time)

4. Do you have any backup verification methods available besides Authenticator?

I am not sure what you mean.

thank you for your help

Answer 3

Hi Emile Tujague,

Thank you for sharing the details of this situation. I understand this is a complex incident because your old Microsoft account, which was compromised, still holds administrator rights on the device, while you have already created a new account to use.

Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas only.

Below are the safest and most effective steps to resolve this:

Option A: Recover Your Old Microsoft Account

• Try resetting the password using the official “Forgot password” option.
• If you cannot receive verification codes, fill out the Account Recovery Form at account.live.com/acsr.
  • Use a device and location you have signed in from before.
  • Provide as much detail as possible (old passwords, recent email subjects, contacts, Xbox console ID if linked).
  • Microsoft usually responds within 24 hours, and you can submit the form twice per day.
• If all security info was changed, Microsoft will hold changes for 30 days to protect the account. This waiting period cannot be shortened.

Option B: Make Your Current Account the Administrator

If you need admin rights now, the easiest way is to restart the PC and choose the option to reset Windows.

• During the reset, select the choice to keep your files if you want to keep documents.
• After the reset, sign in with your current Microsoft account. The first account added will automatically become the administrator.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any further updates, thank you.

Answer 4

Unfortunately option A) wont' apply. Too much time has passed since my software was hacked to utilize this method.

I read up on and understand option B), however I am not in love with the idea of my apps/programs being removed. Do you know of any other options?

thanks for your support