Locked out of Hotmail account

Question

Locked out of Hotmail account

Stephen Merchant 0

I have been locked out of my Hotmail account due to 'suspicious activity' and the verification process is not working despite me adding detailed information. I set the account up many years ago, and the linked phone number is no longer valid. I am out of ideas as to how to get access and it is causing me great amounts of stress. Is there a way that the information I input for account recovery can be verified before I submit it? I only get two tries a day. I am also shocked that Microsoft can just do this to me!

Stephen Merchant 0 Reputation points

2026-10-16T13:59:53.1533333+00:00

I also have a passkey linked to my new phone, but this does not work?

1 answer

Your answer

Stephen Merchant 0 Reputation points

2026-10-16T13:59:53.1533333+00:00

I also have a passkey linked to my new phone, but this does not work?

Answer 1

Hi Stephen Merchant,

I understand how concerning this must be, especially since the old phone number is no longer available and the passkey on your new phone is not completing the sign-in.

Unfortunately, the information entered in the recovery form cannot be checked or pre-verified before submission. To improve the chances of verification, complete the form from a device and location previously used with the account, and provide as much historical information as possible, including old passwords, contact names, and exact email subject lines.

Please first try the Microsoft Sign-in Helper. You can also review Microsoft’s guidance for completing the account recovery form.

When you try to sign in, do you see a Next or Let’s prove you’re human option, or does the locked-account message show a link beginning with aka.ms/? Also, what exact message appears when you try to use the passkey? These details will help identify the appropriate recovery path.

Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Community contributors cannot access account records, verify recovery-form answers, or unlock an account from the back end. My role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas. Thank you for your understanding.

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