error trying to join developer program

Question

Dear sirs,

I'm trying to join the developer program however appears the following message:

We can't continue with the signup process for the following reason:

• Your phone number is already associated with an existing developer account.

For help with your Microsoft account, go to Microsoft account and verify your information.

MS-CorrelationId: [Moderator note: personal info removed]

Code: 40901

i deleted the old profile, however the error remains.

[Moderator note: personal info removed]

Answer 1

Please note that Q&A forum is a public platform, and moderators will modify the question to hide 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.

Hi @Ricardo Silva

Thank you for reaching out to the Q&A Forum.

It looks like you’re trying to register for the Microsoft 365 Developer Program using the same phone number that was associated with a previous account.

According to Microsoft’s documentation, the old Developer account must first be deleted before that number can be reused. Please note that there is usually a 60‑day waiting period before the number becomes available again. This policy is in place to help prevent abuse and ensure account security.

You can read more at: Microsoft 365 Developer Program FAQ | Microsoft Learn. 

As forum moderators, we do not have access to the internal systems needed to modify Developer Program profiles or override eligibility checks. If you no longer have access to the old account, or deleting it does not solve the issue, the next step would be to reach out to Microsoft Support through Services Hub.  

Please note that Services Hub is intended for paid support tickets and access is subject to certain conditions. You can find more details here Services Hub sign in FAQs | Microsoft Learn.  

I hope this information is helpful.  

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Answer 2

The phone number can only be associated with one Microsoft 365 Developer Program account at a time. Deleting the profile alone is not sufficient if the system still sees an existing Developer Program account tied to that phone number.

To proceed, follow these steps:

1. Confirm there is only one Developer Program account for that phone number:
   • Try signing in to the Developer Program dashboard with any work, Visual Studio, or Microsoft accounts that might have been used previously.
   • If able to sign in and see an existing profile, use Delete Profile there to remove it.
2. Ensure the account type and sign-in method are supported:
   • Use a supported account type when joining: a work account, a Visual Studio ID, or a Microsoft account, as described in the FAQ.
   • Do not use a phone number sign-in or an *.onmicrosoft.com email, as these are not supported for joining the program and can cause sign-up errors.
3. If the error persists after confirming the old Developer Program profile is deleted and using a supported account type, wait and then retry:
   • The system enforces that only one Developer Program account is associated with a phone number. If the previous account was recently deleted, allow some time and then attempt sign-up again with the desired account.
4. If still blocked, contact support:
   • Go to the Microsoft account center to verify that the phone number and security info are correct and not tied to another active account.
   • If the issue continues, raise a support request from the Microsoft 365 Developer Program documentation or dashboard pages so support can manually check and clear the phone-number association.

Note: Only one Microsoft 365 Developer Program account can be associated with a given phone number. To create a new Developer Program account with a different email, the previous account linked to that phone number must be fully removed first.

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References:

• Microsoft 365 Developer Program FAQ
• Welcome to the Microsoft 365 Developer Program