how to remove or leave hacked Groups

David S 0 Reputation points
2026-07-08T00:17:59.2566667+00:00

My account has been hacked and I cannot leave Groups installed on account. Following "leave group" instructions does not work. What now?

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy
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  1. Alice-N 12,315 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-07-08T06:27:15.2266667+00:00

    Hi David S

    I understand that your Outlook.com account was compromised and that you cannot leave unwanted Groups from the account. Please reply with only these details:

    • Whether the account is an Outlook.com/Hotmail/Live account or a work/school account.
    • The exact error message shown when selecting Leave group.
    • Whether the Leave group option appears under the Member tab.

    Meanwhile, try the remaining steps below:

    1) Use the Outlook.com Groups Member tab

    In Outlook.com on the web, go to Groups, select the affected group, then open the Member tab and check whether the Leave group option is available there.

    See: Join, leave, or follow Groups in Outlook | Microsoft Support

    2) Check the original Group welcome email

    Search your Inbox and Junk Email folders for the Group welcome message. When you are added to a Group, the welcome email may show who added you and may include a link to leave the Group. If the leave link does not work, use the information in that message to contact the Group owner and ask them to remove you.

    3) Reduce unwanted Group emails while waiting for removal

    If the Group still cannot be removed, open the Group in Outlook.com and check whether you can change the follow setting so Group messages are not delivered to your Inbox. This may not remove the Group membership, but it can reduce unwanted Group emails.

    4) Complete the hacked-account security review

    Since the account was compromised, please follow Microsoft’s compromised account guidance:

    • Run a full malware scan on your device before changing the password.
    • Change or reset your Microsoft account password.
    • Review account settings such as connected accounts, forwarding, and automatic replies.

    5) Review recent sign-in activity

    Go to your Microsoft account security page and review Recent activity. If you see activity that was not yours, expand the activity and select the option to secure the account, such as This wasn’t me or Secure your account, depending on what is shown.

    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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