microsoft office 365

Separate Microsoft accounts cannot be merged, but you can either share a Microsoft 365 Family subscription with the old account or copy the old account’s documents into the new account.

If the renewal is Microsoft 365 Family

Share the subscription from the new account with the old account. This lets the old account keep its existing OneDrive documents while receiving Microsoft 365 benefits from the renewed subscription.

1. Sign in to the Microsoft account that purchased the renewal.
2. Open Services & subscriptions and locate Microsoft 365 Family.
3. Select Share subscription or Manage sharing, then invite the old email address.
4. Sign in as the old account and accept the invitation.
5. Open Word or Excel under the old account and verify that the subscription is recognized.

The accounts are not combined: their email, OneDrive files, and photos remain separate and private. Microsoft 365 Family can be shared with up to five other people.^1^

If you want everything stored under the new account

For two personal Microsoft accounts, use download and upload rather than trying to synchronize both simultaneously—the Windows OneDrive client supports only one personal account at a time.^2^

1. Sign in to OneDrive on the web with the old email address.
2. Select the documents and folders you need, then choose Download.
3. Keep the downloaded copy in a normal local folder as a backup.
4. Sign out and sign in to OneDrive with the new email address.
5. Select Upload, then upload the downloaded files and folders.
6. Open several Word and Excel files from the new account to verify them before deleting anything from the old account.

If the files are already stored locally rather than in OneDrive:

1. Open File Explorer and check Documents, Desktop, and the old OneDrive folder.
2. Copy—do not move—the files into the new OneDrive folder.
3. Wait for OneDrive synchronization to finish.
4. Sign in to OneDrive on the web with the new account and confirm that the files appear there. Microsoft recommends checking the web copy to verify that synchronization completed.^3^

Copying is safer than moving because it preserves the original until the new copy is verified.^4^

If the renewal was purchased under the wrong account

A subscription cannot be transferred between separate Microsoft accounts. After protecting and verifying the files, you can consider cancelling the subscription purchased by the new account and purchasing it again under the old account.

To check refund eligibility:

1. Sign in with the account that purchased the new subscription.
2. Go to Services & subscriptions.
3. Select the subscription, then Manage → Cancel.
4. The cancellation process will indicate whether it qualifies for a refund; cancellation does not always result in one.[^5^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Microsoft subscription refund policy | Microsoft Support")

Do not cancel or close either account until all required documents have been copied, opened successfully, and backed up.

References

1. Combining Microsoft accounts | Microsoft Support
2. How do I merge my OneDrive for home with my OneDrive for work or school?
3. Move files to a new Windows PC using OneDrive
4. Upload photos and files to OneDrive | Microsoft Support
5. [Microsoft subscription refund policy | Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID])