Active Outlook/Hotmail account deleted without notice — still accessible on iPhone

Question

Hi,

I’m looking for help with a serious issue regarding my Outlook/Hotmail account.

When I try to sign in or recover the account, I receive a message saying that the account “does not exist.” However, I have been actively using this account on the Outlook app on my iPhone — I can still send and receive emails.

This suggests that the mailbox and data still exist, but the account has been removed or disabled for sign-in.

I did not receive any warning, notification, or opportunity to recover the account before this happened.

The account contains important records, including financial documents, invoices, and communications related to NDIS (disability support in Australia), so this has significant consequences.

My questions are:

How can an account be deleted while still remaining active on a mobile device?

Is there any way to recover the mailbox or restore access in this situation?

Can Microsoft escalate this to check if the data still exists on the backend?

Any guidance or escalation would be greatly appreciated.

The account is [Moderator note: PII removed]@hotmail.com

Thank you.

Answer 1

Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we modified your question to hide your 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. 

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Hi john duthie,

I understand how serious this is, especially given the importance of the records stored in the account.

What you are experiencing can occur when the Microsoft account sign‑in (identity) is no longer available, while an existing Outlook app on a mobile device continues to function using a previously established sign‑in session. In such cases, email may continue to send and receive temporarily on the iPhone. However, once that session expires, or if the account is removed from the device, access may stop entirely.

Please note that this is a user‑to‑user forum, and contributors do not have visibility into Microsoft’s backend systems or the ability to review account status, restore access, or escalate cases internally.

Given the circumstances, timely action is strongly recommended. While access remains available on your iPhone, it would be best to avoid signing out of the app or removing the account, and to secure copies of any critical emails or attachments where possible. Please follow the steps below to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance.

1, Visit the Microsoft Support contact page: Contact - Microsoft Support  

2, In the search bar provided on the page, type "Account recovery" and press Enter.  

3, Click on the "Get Help" button that appears.  

4, Scroll down the page until you see and click on the "Contact Support" option.  

5, When prompted to select your product or service, choose "Other Products".  

6, For the category, choose "Manage account security".  

7, Look for and click on "Chat with a support agent in your web browser".  

8, Confirm your personal email when prompted - this is the email Microsoft will use to communicate with you during and after the support session.  

9, When connected, clearly explain your situation. Be concise but include all relevant details.  

I hope this clarifies why the behavior you are seeing is possible and helps guide you toward the appropriate next steps.