Reset my password

Question

I am trying to reset my outlook.com password. I have not used the account in close to 10 years. The reset system indicated that it would send an email to my msn.com account. However, I have not received this email. I want to migrate to outlook.com email address because the msn.com email address is being blocked by some systems and will not receive all emails. I tried using the form for alternative verification, but I keep getting denied. Please advise.

Answer 1

Hey there! Nice to meet you!

Since you mentioned that you haven't signed in to your account for 10 years, I'm afraid your account may have already been deleted/closed due to inactivity.

As stated by Microsoft, accounts that have not been signed in or have been locked for more than 2 years will be deleted due to inactivity, and they can no longer be recovered: https://support.microsoft.com/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Darhyl

Answer 2

Because the Outlook.com/Microsoft account is very old and recovery messages to the msn.com address are not arriving, only the official automated recovery paths can be used; support cannot manually override them.

Use these steps, in order:

1. Try standard password reset again
   1. Go to the Microsoft account sign-in page and choose Forgotten your password?.
   2. Enter the Outlook.com address and select Next.
   3. When asked where to send a code, choose the msn.com address if it is still listed and select Get code.
   4. Check the msn.com mailbox (including Junk/Spam and any filters) for the verification email.
   5. If the code arrives, enter it and complete Steps 3 and 4 of the reset flow to set a new password:
      • Confirm the hinted email/phone, select Get code, retrieve it, then enter it.
      • Create a new password and select Next to finish.
2. If no verification option works
   • If no usable email/phone option appears, or the msn.com address never receives the code, use the Sign-in Helper tool referenced in the official guidance:
     • From the reset flow, when there is no valid option, follow the prompts to the Sign-in Helper.
   • If the Sign-in Helper still cannot verify ownership, use the Microsoft account recovery form as described in the “Help with the Microsoft account recovery form” article:
     1. Make sure there is a separate, working email account that can receive messages about the request (this can be any active email, including a newly created Outlook.com address).
     2. Fill out the recovery form with as much accurate historical information as possible (old passwords, contacts, subjects, etc.), from a device and location previously used with the account.
     3. Wait for the automated review (typically within 24 hours) and respond to any follow-up.
3. Important limitations
   • If two-step verification was ever enabled on this account and none of the second-factor methods (phone, alternate email, authenticator) are accessible, support agents are not allowed to bypass or disable it. In that case, the account cannot be recovered beyond what the automated tools allow.
   • If the account has been inactive for more than two years, it may have been deleted and cannot be reopened.

If repeated attempts with the Sign-in Helper and the recovery form continue to be denied, the system is not receiving enough evidence to prove ownership, and the Outlook.com account cannot be restored. In that situation, the only practical option is to use a new Outlook.com address going forward and update contact details with services that were using the old msn.com address.

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References:

• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
• Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password
• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• Unblock my Outlook.com account