Can´t change alias on my account.

Question

I created my account a long time ago and had to create a second alias/email address that was more appropiate to use and share with people. I want to make that second email adress the main username/alias/email adress of my account through the following steps. Account info > log in preferences > covert to main alias. But it wont make the change.

Answer 1

Hi Sebastián Escamilla

I understand you’re having trouble changing the primary alias on an Outlook.com / personal Microsoft account, and I’m happy to help. Please confirm:

• Is the alias you want to make primary already associated with another Microsoft account (even previously)?
• When you go to Your info > Manage how you sign in, do you get prompted to verify before changes?
• How long ago did you last attempt the primary change (to account for the up to 48-hour propagation window)?

Meanwhile:

1) The address is already tied to another Microsoft account

• If the email/phone you’re trying to promote is already set up as an alias on another account, it can’t be used on this one. 
• Also, Microsoft personal accounts can’t be linked/merged/combined, so you can’t “move” an existing Microsoft mailbox identity from one account to another. See: Combining Microsoft accounts - Microsoft Support 

2) Account verification / protection holds

Microsoft may require you to verify before changes can be made, and some changes can appear to fail silently until verification/holds clear.

3) Propagation delay

Even after a successful change, it can take up to 48 hours for updates to apply across Microsoft services.

4) You must keep a functioning primary alias

If the alias you want can’t fully replace the current primary for account continuity, Microsoft will require selecting another primary first (and you can’t remove the primary until another one is set).

If the target alias can’t be promoted

• Go to Your info > Manage how you sign in to Microsoft.
• Add a new alias (ideally one that is not already tied to any Microsoft account).
• Verify it if prompted (Microsoft may require verification before changes).
• Select Make primary next to the new alias.
• Important: If you remove an alias on a Microsoft domain (like @outlook.com / @hotmail.com / @live.com), that address is deleted and cannot be reused.

Please tell me how it goes. If the problem persists, please don’t hesitate to reply to this thread and I will be happy to help. Have a lovely day!  

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Answer 2

Changing the primary alias can fail for a few common, documented reasons. These checks and steps resolve most cases:

1. Confirm the alias is eligible to be primary
   • The new email address cannot be:
     • Associated with another Microsoft account.
     • An existing @hotmail.com, @live.com, @outlook.com, or @msn.com address that already belongs to a different Microsoft account.
   • Aliases cannot be used to share information between two Microsoft accounts.
2. Use the correct place to change the primary alias
   • Go to Manage how you sign in to your account: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=842796
   • Sign in, then under Account username (or Your info → Manage how you sign in to Microsoft):
     • Make sure the desired email address is already listed as an alias.
     • Select Make primary next to that alias.
3. If the alias is not listed yet
   • In Manage how you sign in to Microsoft, select Add email.
   • Either:
     • Use an existing email address that is not tied to another Microsoft account, or
     • Create a new Outlook.com email address and add it as an alias.
   • Complete any verification steps, then try Make primary again.
4. If there is only one working alias or the others fail
   • Add another alias (email or phone) and make that new alias the primary one, as documented for fixing alias-related issues:
     1. Sign in at the Microsoft account website.
     2. Go to Your info → Manage how you sign in to Microsoft.
     3. Select Add email or Add phone number and complete verification.
     4. After it appears in the list, select Make primary for the new alias.
5. If the alias still will not become primary
   • The most common cause is that the email address is already its own Microsoft account (for example, an Outlook.com mailbox created separately). In that case, it cannot be moved or reused as an alias on another account, and the primary alias cannot be changed to that address.
   • Microsoft does not support merging accounts or recycling an existing Outlook.com address as an alias on a different Microsoft account.

If the address is an Outlook.com/Hotmail/Live/MSN mailbox that was created separately, the only supported option is to keep using the current account and aliases, or create a new Outlook.com alias on the existing account and make that new alias primary.

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References:

• Add or remove an email alias in Outlook.com
• "Something went wrong" with error ADDriverStoreAccessNonLocalException
• Which account do you want to use?
• Change the email address or phone number for your Microsoft account
• Fixes or workarounds for recent issues on Outlook.com
• How to add an existing outlook.com account to my existing microsoft account? - Microsoft Q&A
• I realize I have 2 different accounts. How do I combine the 2? - Microsoft Q&A
• Lock or block login attempts - Microsoft Q&A