My Microsoft acc is completely gone and I am unable to recover it.

Mario Panebianco 0 Reputation points
2026-10-12T12:49:11.4066667+00:00

Please help - my account which I have had for over 20 years is gone completely and I am unable to recover it.

the email is (PII Removed ****@hotmail.com)

I had no idea when it was deleted or why. I am still signed into this account on my local computer. What has happened to it? Can anyone please help me?

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy
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  1. GsN5034 - IA 78,520 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-12T15:18:00.6266667+00:00

    Hello,

    Since you've still logged in to your @hotmail.com Account on your local computer, your account may not be deleted due to inactivity.

    So, your account might have been compromised.

    When you look up your username using the recovery email address or Phone number, do you see your @hotmail.com address in the list?

    https://account.live.com/username/recover

    If you do not see this email address in the list and you see a different address there, your account might have been compromised. So, in this situation, you cannot use the standard recovery form to regain access to your account. Instead, you have to submit the Account Recovery request directly through the Xbox recovery team.

    https://support.xbox.com/en-US/forms/recover-your-microsoft-account

    I think you have submitted the same.

    Now wait for a reply from the Microsoft recovery team. If you no longer receive emails, check your junk or spam email folder, or add the @microsoft.com address to your safe senders list.

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  2. Mario Panebianco 0 Reputation points
    2026-10-12T12:56:40.5666667+00:00

    It was logged into earlier than two years and none of the recover options above work.

    2026-10-12_163644

    I have tried the xbox recovery form so far, the other recover form does not work. I cannot find a way to contact Microsoft customer support to let them know my username has stopped working.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-10-12T12:49:26.9066667+00:00

    What likely happened depends on the exact sign-in result:

    1. If the sign-in page says “We couldn't find an account with that username” or “account doesn't exist”, first use the Sign-in Helper tool. It checks the email address or phone number entered and tells what recovery path is available.
    2. If the account has not been signed in to for more than two years, it may have been deleted and can no longer be reopened.
    3. If the username is known but is no longer recognized, follow the Recover your account flow:
      • Enter the email address, phone number, or Skype name used to sign in.
      • Choose where to receive the security code.
      • Enter the code.
      • Set a new password.
    4. Before submitting recovery, verify the address carefully:
      • Check the correct domain, such as .com vs .co.uk.
      • Check for spelling differences in the email name.
      • If another alias or phone number was added to the account, try that instead.
    5. If the account was closed by choice, it can only be reopened during the 30-day or 60-day grace period by signing in at https://account.microsoft.com and completing security verification. After that period, it is permanently deleted.
    6. If the account recovery form is used, the result is sent to the working email address provided in the form within 24 hours. If verification fails, retries are allowed up to two times per day.
    7. Support agents cannot send password reset links or change account details for protection of the account.
    8. If the username still shows as not found after trying recovery, contact Microsoft Support and state that the username has stopped working.

    Being still signed in locally on a computer does not by itself mean the online Microsoft account is still recoverable. The supported next step is to confirm whether the account is unrecognized, closed, or deleted using the sign-in helper and recovery flow above.

    References:

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

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