Microsoft 365 features that help users manage their subscriptions, account settings, and billing information.
You cannot add the Basic account’s Outlook address to the Personal account because it is already attached to a separate Microsoft account; the supported solution is to keep your everyday account, cancel the subscriptions you do not want, and purchase Microsoft 365 Personal while signed in to that everyday account.
Microsoft personal accounts cannot be merged, and subscriptions cannot be transferred between them. An existing @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, or @msn.com address belonging to another Microsoft account also cannot become an alias of the Personal account.^1^^2^
Recommended arrangement
- Keep the Microsoft account containing the Basic email address you use daily.
- Move any files you already copied to the Personal account back to the everyday account, if the Personal account now contains newer or changed versions. The accounts’ OneDrive storage remains separate, although files can be copied between them.^1^
- While signed in with the everyday Basic account, open Services & subscriptions and choose Manage for Microsoft 365 Basic.
- Cancel Basic, then select Microsoft 365 Personal if it is offered on the cancellation/switch page. Otherwise, allow Basic to expire and purchase Personal while still signed in to that everyday account. Microsoft’s documented process for moving to another plan with fewer features is cancellation followed by purchasing the replacement plan; its subscription-management page may also present available alternatives.[^3^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Switch between Microsoft 365 subscriptions")
- Separately sign in with the rarely used account that owns the existing Personal subscription, then go to Services & subscriptions → Manage → Cancel subscription. If Turn on recurring billing appears instead, renewal is already disabled and the subscription will expire on the displayed date.[^4^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription")
Before cancelling either plan, ensure the everyday account has a sufficient storage allowance and that all required files are present. If an account falls above its post-cancellation storage limit, OneDrive syncing and Outlook.com mail can be affected.[^4^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription")
If the accidental Personal purchase was recent
Cancel it from the account that purchased it. Microsoft determines refund eligibility during cancellation; not every cancellation receives a refund. If no refund is issued, access normally continues until the current billing period ends.[^5^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Microsoft subscription refund policy | Microsoft Support")
If the subscription was purchased through Apple, Google Play, or another retailer, cancellation and refunds must be handled by that seller rather than through Microsoft’s subscription page.[^4^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription")
Alternative if retaining both accounts
Both accounts can be added to Outlook and used side by side, but their mailboxes, OneDrive storage, purchases, and subscriptions remain separate. Microsoft 365 Personal cannot be shared with the second account; subscription sharing is available with Microsoft 365 Family.^1^
References
- Combining Microsoft accounts
- "Something went wrong" with error ADDriverStoreAccessNonLocalException | Microsoft Support
- [Switch between Microsoft 365 subscriptions](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID])
- [Cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription | Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID])
- [Microsoft subscription refund policy | Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID])