Created a new alias but do not see the option to make it primary

Question

Hi,

My current primary email domain is "live.ca" which I've had for many years, and I have never previously tried to change the primary alias. I created a new alias today to make it the primary one, but after creating it and visiting the "Manage your account username" page, I do not have the option/link/button to make it primary as I've seen online. The new alias I created is not associated with any other account and is not an existing email address. I also tried connecting my gmail as another alias, and the "Make Primary" button still does not appear. The only option that appears for these new aliases is Remove. For the primary alias it only says "Change," and the site already warns me that if I proceed with that option, I lose access to this email alias permanently.

Not sure if it's relevant, but I have a passwordless account.

Answer 1

Hi Leilah,

I understand that the new alias appears on your account, but the Make primary option is missing even though only Remove is shown.

Please note that this is a user-to-user forum, so contributors cannot access or modify Microsoft accounts.

I was also able to reproduce the same behavior on another personal Microsoft account. Another recent report describes the Make primary option being absent across multiple accounts and browsers. This suggests that the option may currently be unavailable more broadly rather than because of your alias or passwordless setup. For reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5969746/option-to-make-primary-alias-not-visible-in-the-ed

For now, please do not select Change or remove the existing @live.ca alias. Removing a Microsoft-domain alias can permanently make that address unavailable.

Since the account page does not provide the expected option, please report it to Microsoft Support:

1. Visit the Microsoft Support contact page: Contact - Microsoft Support    
2. In the search bar provided on the page, type "Account Security" 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. When prompted, provide a valid contact email where Microsoft can reach you regarding your case.    
9. Explain your situation clearly: Be concise but provide all the relevant details.     

The chat option may vary by region and operating hours. I recommend keeping the current aliases unchanged until Microsoft Support confirms whether this is a temporary service-side incident.