How do I delete an old account that I don’t have access to anymore

Question

I keep getting security alerts that someone is attempting to sign in to my account using my old email address. I just want to delete that account but cannot sign into it.

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Moderator: Moved from Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For home | Windows

Answer 1

To delete an old Microsoft account that you no longer have access to, you typically need to sign in to the account to initiate the deletion process. However, since you mentioned that you cannot sign in, your options are limited. Here are some steps you can consider:

1. Account Recovery: Try to recover your account using the recovery options provided by Microsoft. This usually involves answering security questions or receiving a verification code via email or SMS to a linked number.
2. Contact Microsoft Support: If you cannot recover your account, your best option is to contact Microsoft Support for assistance. They may have procedures in place for dealing with accounts that cannot be accessed by the owner.
3. Security Alerts: If you are receiving security alerts about sign-in attempts, it is important to report this to Microsoft as well, as they can help secure the account from unauthorized access.

Unfortunately, if the account has been inactive for a long period, Microsoft may have already deleted it, and if so, there is no way to recover or delete it further.

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References:

• Attempting to access old email - Microsoft Q&A
• Deleted hotmail email address from account - can I get it back? - Microsoft Q&A