No longer have access to email account

Question

What to do if i dont have access to an email anymore and need to sign back into microsoft in order to gain access to excel? I was using an old email from a long time ago, i no longer use that email for anything and dont have access to this email, I dont know how to proceed. I have all the important information on my excel and word, how do i fix this?

Answer 1

Hello,

Are you saying you know your password, but you cannot get to the verification code, becaue it is sent to an account you no longer have access to?

If that's the case, on the page asking for the code, look for an option like “Show more verification methods” to see if you have a backup (e.g., a phone number or alternate email).

If you don’t have access to any of the options listed, select “I don’t have any of these.” This will begin the recovery process. As part of that process, Microsoft will let you add new contact information — but only after a 30-day waiting period.

This 30-day delay is intentional. It’s a security safeguard designed to protect users in case someone else tries to hijack their account by changing recovery info. The wait gives the rightful owner time to notice and stop unauthorized changes.

Unfortunately, this policy cannot be bypassed. You can read more about it directly from Microsoft here:

https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/-your-security-info-change-is-still-pending-or-you-can-t-access-this-site-right-now-microsoft-account-message-cbd0f64f-02d9-45d2-90c3-2375e5a72e52#:~:text=While%20we%20understand%20this%2030,phone%20number%20or%20email%20address.

Answer 2

To get back into Microsoft services (Outlook.com, Excel, Word) when there is no access to the old email account, follow these steps:

1. Check whether the old email is still a Microsoft account
   Go to https://account.microsoft.com and enter the old email address.
   • If a password prompt appears, that address is still a Microsoft account.
   • If the message "We couldn't find an account with that username" or "That Microsoft account doesn't exist" appears, either the address is not a Microsoft account or it may have been closed or deleted. See below.
2. If the account exists but the password is forgotten
   • Use Reset your password: follow the steps in Reset your password from the "I can't sign in to my Microsoft account" article.
   • If the password is known but sign-in fails, use the Sign-in Helper tool: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2214157.
3. If there is no access to the old recovery email/phone
   • Start with the Sign-in Helper tool: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2214157.
   • If that does not work, use the Microsoft account recovery form as described in Help with the Microsoft account recovery form. You will need:
     • A different, working email address where Microsoft can contact you.
     • As much information as possible about the old account (previous passwords, contacts, subject lines, etc.).
   • Submit the form from a device and location normally used with that account to improve the chance of success.
4. If two-step verification was enabled and no verification methods are available
   • If two-step verification is on and none of the alternate verification methods (phone, email, authenticator) are accessible, support agents cannot bypass this or reset the password. In that case, only successful completion of the recovery form can restore access. If the form fails repeatedly, the account cannot be recovered.
5. If the account no longer exists
   • If the message "That Microsoft account doesn't exist" appears and spelling is correct, the account may have been closed or deleted.
   • If there has been no sign-in for more than two years, the Microsoft account (including old Hotmail/Outlook.com) may have been deleted and cannot be reopened. In that case, associated cloud-stored data (including OneDrive documents) is no longer accessible.
6. About access to Excel/Word files
   • If the files are stored locally on the device (e.g., in Documents) and not in OneDrive, they can still be opened with Excel/Word installed on the device, even if the old account cannot be used, as long as the Office apps can be activated with some valid Microsoft 365 or Office license.
   • If the files are stored in OneDrive for the old account, access to that OneDrive requires successful recovery of the Microsoft account as described above. If the account is deleted or cannot be recovered, those online files cannot be retrieved.
7. If the old address was removed as an alias
   • If the old Hotmail/Outlook.com address was removed as an alias from a still-active Microsoft account, that alias is permanently deleted and cannot be associated with any Microsoft account again. In that case, sign in with the remaining primary alias of that Microsoft account to reach any remaining data.

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References:

• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
• How to sign in to Hotmail
• How to check if your email address is a Microsoft account
• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• Can't sign in to my email - Microsoft Q&A
• Deleted hotmail email address from account - can I get it back? - Microsoft Q&A