New computer

Question

Have new computer after old one died. Couldn't remember login or password of old account. Created new account, but would like to transfer cloud info from old account

Answer 1

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

Unfortunately, if you no longer remember your username (email address) or password for the account, you won’t be able to sign in to OneDrive and transfer your data to a new account.

If you’ve forgotten your username, use your alternate recovery methods, such as your phone number or recovery email address, to look up the partial email address of your account.

Look up a forgotten username using other information

Microsoft will display a hint of the email address associated with your recovery email address. Once you identify the correct account, you can try resetting the password for that account.

Let me know if you still need more help.

Answer 2

Cloud data tied to a previous Microsoft account cannot be merged into or transferred to a different Microsoft account. Access to that data requires successfully signing back into the original account.

The only supported path is to try to recover the old Microsoft account and then, once signed in, manually move or re‑create data as needed:

1. Use Microsoft’s hacked/compromised account recovery guidance to attempt to regain access to the old account (email, password, and security info). If the recovery form and steps there do not work, there is no alternate supported method to regain access.
2. If access is restored, sign into the new PC with that old Microsoft account (or add it as an additional account), then:
   • For OneDrive files: sign into OneDrive with the old account, sync/download files, then optionally upload them into OneDrive for the new account.
   • For Microsoft 365/Office data: sign into the apps with the old account and export/copy what is needed, then import or re‑create it under the new account.
3. If the old account cannot be recovered, cloud data associated with it (OneDrive, Microsoft Store purchases, etc.) cannot be moved to the new account.

For Microsoft 365 subscriptions specifically, the subscription is also bound to the original account; it cannot be moved to a different Microsoft account and instead must be accessed by signing into that original account.

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References:

• Transfer data manually between Microsoft 365 accounts
• How do I transfer information from my old PC to a new without using the cloud? - Microsoft Q&A
• Cannot Access Microsoft Account After Hacker Changed Email, Advice Needed - Microsoft Q&A