remove backup email

Leo Morris 0 Reputation points
2026-11-07T20:57:36.13+00:00

my backup email got hacked and im unable to use it I have my phone connected to this outlook account will I be able to remove my backup email without me needing to access my email?

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy
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  1. Hornblower409 18,830 Reputation points
    2026-11-08T03:51:09.54+00:00

    @Leo Morris said

    my backup email got hacked and im unable to use it I have my phone connected to this outlook account will I be able to remove my backup email without me needing to access my email?

    Just to be sure I understand your question:

    1 -- When you say your “backup email got hacked,” do you mean a different email account (Account B) that is listed as recovery/security information for this Outlook.com account (Account A), or do you mean this Outlook.com account itself (Account A) was hacked?

    2 -- When you say your phone is connected to the Outlook account, do you mean your phone number is listed as a verification/security method for this Microsoft account (Account A) or the backup account (Account B)?

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-07T20:57:47.5366667+00:00

    Yes. A backup email used as a security info method can be removed from the Security info page without accessing that email account.

    If the phone number on the Outlook.com account is still available, use that as the verification method and then remove the old email:

    1. Sign in to the Microsoft account security settings.
    2. Open the Security info page.
    3. If needed, add or confirm the phone as a sign-in or verification method.
    4. On the Security info page, select Delete next to the Email method.
    5. Select Yes to confirm.

    Important:

    • If the email is deleted by mistake, it cannot be undone; it must be added again.
    • Do not change all security info at the same time, because the account may be restricted for 30 days.
    • If sign-in asks for a code from methods that are no longer accessible, select I don't have any of these and follow the prompts.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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