Recovering my sons email

Question

I created a outlook email account for my son, and use this for his iPad. I have forgotten the password and all attempts at recovering have failed because I cant answer the questions "What are the last emails sent and what were they subjects (he has never sent an emails from the account so I cant answer this", and "what are the previous passwords (He has only had one which I have forgotten)".

What options do I have to recover the account?

Answer 1

Hi, I'm Bernard, a fellow Windows user. I'm happy to help!

Kindly follow the steps provided by Q&A Assist. If the issue persists, I recommend contacting Microsoft Accounts and Billing support by following the steps below:

Go to this link: https://support.microsoft.com/home/contact

In the search bar, type in your issue, then hit enter.

Scroll down to the bottom and select the blue button "Contact Support"

Answer 2

For a child’s Outlook.com/Microsoft account where the password is forgotten and normal reset options are failing, only the standard Microsoft account recovery process can be used. There is no separate/manual override for parent-created or child accounts.

Use these steps and constraints from the documented process:

1. Try standard password reset first
   • Go to Recover your account at the password reset page: Recover your account.
   • Enter the child’s Outlook email address (ensure the domain is correct, for example outlook.com vs a country domain like outlook.co.uk).
   • Choose a verification option (alternate email, phone, etc.) if any were configured when the account was created.
   • Enter the code, then set a new password if this works.
2. If reset options don’t work, use the Microsoft account recovery form
   • Before filling the form, ensure there is a working email address where Microsoft can contact about the request (this can be any other account, including a new Outlook.com account): see Step 1: Ensure you have a working email for Microsoft account recovery.
   • Then use the Account recovery form: Account recovery form.
   • Complete it from a device and location commonly used to sign in to this account (for example, the home network and a PC or device used with the child’s account). This increases the chance the system recognizes the sign-in context.
3. How to handle questions about emails and passwords
   • The form is designed to accept partial information; wrong answers do not count against the request.
   • If no emails were ever sent from the account, leave those questions blank or use the “add more” areas for any other details known (for example, approximate date the account was created, services used like Xbox or iPad sign-in, etc.).
   • For passwords, list any possible passwords that might have been used, even if not certain. The guidance explicitly states that guessing is acceptable.
4. Provide as much other account detail as possible
   • Microsoft’s guidance stresses that the more information provided, the better the chance of recovery. For example:
     • Any old passwords that might have been used.
     • Devices the account is used on (such as the iPad, Xbox console hardware ID if used, etc.).
     • Any Microsoft services used with the account (Outlook.com, Xbox, Skype, etc.).
5. Important limitations
   • If two-step verification was turned on for this account and none of the configured verification methods (phone, email, authenticator) are accessible, support agents cannot bypass this or send manual reset links. In that case, only successful completion of the automated recovery process will restore access.
   • If the system shows “The Microsoft account you’ve entered does not exist,” verify the address spelling and domain. If correct and still not found, see the guidance in My username and password have stopped working.
6. If recovery still fails
   • If the recovery form is repeatedly unsuccessful, the documented process does not provide any additional manual recovery path. The only options are to:
     • Wait out any temporary lockouts (typically about 24 hours) and try the recovery form again from a familiar device/location with as much detail as possible.
     • If access cannot be recovered, create a new Outlook.com/Microsoft account for the child and update the iPad and any other services to use the new account.

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References:

• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• My username and password have stopped working