I need to use a different email address for my account

Question

My primary email account (@outlook.com) has been hacked and I set up another email address (@outlook.com) which is considered a "free" account. I tried to change my primary account login email to this new email but I can't seem to use it. Help

Answer 1

Hello

You cannot add an "existing" outlook.com address to another Microsoft account. Any existing outlook.com is already its own Microsoft account, and since Microsoft doesn't support merging Microsoft accounts, this approach is not supported.

Instead, you need to do it this way:

Can you sign into your personal account via this link: https://account.live.com?

If so, go to Your Info > Sign in preference, Add an alias.

Create new: this will allow you to use the native domain outlook.com to create a new alias.

Once added, make this new alias your primary alias.

Answer 2

If the new address is another @outlook.com address, it cannot be added as an existing alias if it is already associated with another Microsoft account. Existing outlook.com, hotmail.com, or live.com addresses that already belong to another Microsoft account cannot be reused as the primary alias on a different account.

What can be done:

1. Sign in to Manage how you sign in: Edit account info
2. Select Add email.
3. Add either:
   • a new Outlook.com email address to the existing Microsoft account, or
   • an email address from a different provider if it is not already associated with another Microsoft account.
4. After the new alias is added, select Make primary for that alias.

Important details:

• Aliases on a Microsoft account share the same contacts, subscriptions, storage, settings, and password.
• The primary alias is the one that appears on devices.
• If the address was added but is unverified, use Verify next to that alias and complete the email verification.

Because the current primary account was hacked, first secure the account:

1. Start the account recovery/sign-in helper flow: Start
2. Run a full malware scan on the PC before changing the password.
3. Change or reset the password after the scan.
4. Check account settings such as connected accounts, forwarding, and automatic replies.

If sign-in is blocked because an alias was turned off, sign in with another alias that still allows sign-in.

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