I cant delete my old account

Question

Hello,

Many years ago I had a Hotmail account, but when Hotmail switched to Outlook, I lost all access to it, including the associated phone number. Now I have a different phone number. I've tried everything to recover the account, but I no longer have access to the password. I want to deactivate and delete it, but I don't know how.

I need help because is more than 12 years I cant do nothing, I dont find a solution.

Answer 1

Hi Adriana PE

I’d like to clarify that:

If a Microsoft account hasn’t been used for an extended period, it may already have been closed under Microsoft’s account activity policy. In most cases, you need to sign in at least once every two years to keep an account active. After that, an inactive account can be closed, and if it’s been more than two years, it may have been permanently deleted and can’t be reopened. In that situation, there isn’t anything left to deactivate or delete. 

You can review the details here: Microsoft account activity policy – Microsoft Support. 

If you’d like to check the status of the old address: Try signing in at Outlook.com with the old email. If you see a message like “This account doesn’t exist,” it likely means the account has already been deleted. 

I hope this helps clarify things for you. Thank you for your time. Have a lovely day!

Answer 2

For an old Hotmail/Outlook.com address that has been inaccessible for many years, there are two key points from Microsoft’s policies:

1. Automatic deletion after inactivity
   • Microsoft permanently deletes Microsoft/Outlook.com/Hotmail accounts that have not been signed into for more than two years.
   • Once deleted, the account and its email address cannot be restored or reused, even by Microsoft support.
   • If the last sign‑in was more than 12 years ago, the account and mailbox are almost certainly already permanently deleted, so there is nothing left to deactivate or close.
2. When recovery is still possible
   • If an account has not yet been deleted (for example, if it was accessed within the last two years), the only way to manage, close, or delete it is to first regain access.
   • For consumer Microsoft accounts, recovery and hacked/locked scenarios are handled only through the automated tools:
     • Use the Sign-in Helper tool if the password stopped working or the username is not recognized.
     • If the account is compromised or security info was changed, follow the official guide for recovering a hacked or compromised account and the Microsoft account recovery form (ACSR) as described in the referenced Q&A answers.
   • If the automated recovery fails and the security info is no longer accessible, Microsoft support cannot manually override it or close the account on behalf of the user.

Given the 12‑year gap and loss of password and phone, the account is either already permanently deleted due to inactivity (in which case no further action is needed or possible), or, if it somehow still exists, it can only be closed after successfully signing in via the standard recovery process. There is no separate manual deletion path without access to the account.

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References:

• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
• Close your Outlook.com account
• Attempting to access old email - Microsoft Q&A
• my microsoft account has been compromised - Microsoft Q&A