How could I get access back to my email?

Question

How could I get access back to my email?

Tan 0

Guys, I am screwed! To reduce junk email in my [Live.com] account (which is my primary email for everything, including my Microsoft 365 subscription, login to my computer), I followed Microsoft's advice on its forum and made my secondary [Gmail.com] address my primary alias to log in to my [Live.com] account. I saw an immediate improvement, and the amount of junk email dropped significantly. I hadn't had any issues sending or receiving email with [Live.com], and logging in with [Gmail.com] was perfectly fine until yesterday (October 4) evening.

Yesterday afternoon, October 4, as an extra precaution, I selected "Sign out everywhere" in my [Live.com] email settings. I logged back in on the browser's Outlook Web App using my [Gmail.com] alias and tried logging in with my phone number as well, and everything was fine. After two hours I got the first pop-up message on my iPad's Outlook, Defender, and Reminder app to log back in. I tried to log in with my [Gmail.com] address, which had worked a short while ago, but I got the following error message (at the bottom of the message), which means my [Live.com] email no longer exists; even after I reached out to Microsoft support, they couldn't find my [Live.com] email anywhere in their system! It's just vanished!!

Even my correct password showed as incorrect when I tried to verify my information as the error message asked, and it keeps saying my password is incorrect. According to the Microsoft support engineer, I tried to reset my password using the code sent to my [Gmail.com] email and my phone, but after I entered the code from Microsoft, it kept showing a system error message, and the Microsoft-given code didn't work.

After spending over two hours with the Microsoft engineer and giving him access to my laptop, I didn't get a resolution. Therefore, once I requested to escalate it to the next level, I was provided an online form named 'account-reinstatement '. I submitted that form with all details last night.

I had a sleepless night; I am scared, and I am anxious. I followed the Microsoft email settings, didn't hit any delete button, didn't get any warning message, just clicked "Sign out everywhere" and now I can't sign in or access my two-decade-old primary Live.com email. I can't even access Microsoft Office applications or OneDrive, as I said that [Live.com] email is the primary email for my Microsoft 365 subscription.

Error Message: "The inbox you've been using is no longer available. This can occur when your account is owned by an organization, or when someone else confirms ownership of the email address.*

You haven't lost access to the other services you use with your Microsoft account. However, you must choose a new primary alias to continue."

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Answer 1

Hi @Tan

I’m truly sorry for the stress, fear, and sleepless night this has caused you. I completely understand how overwhelming it must feel to suddenly lose access to a Live.com account you have relied on for two decades, especially when it is connected to your email, Microsoft 365 subscription, computer sign-in, and OneDrive. You were simply following the available account settings to protect your mailbox, so it is entirely understandable that this outcome has left you anxious and frustrated.

Since the password reset and verification codes are also returning a system error, submitting the account-reinstatement form was the correct next step. Please monitor the alternate contact email you provided, including its Junk or Spam folder, and avoid submitting the same form repeatedly unless you have important new information to add.

If you contact Microsoft Support again, provide your existing case number and ask them to link it to the reinstatement request. You should also include the original Live.com address, the Gmail alias, the exact error message, screenshots, and any Microsoft 365 billing details that may help verify ownership.

Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas only.

I sincerely hope your account access can be restored soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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