Retrieving Contacts from old Outlook account

Try to reopen the old Microsoft account first; if it is still within its 30- or 60-day closure grace period, signing in and completing security verification restores access to its content, including contacts.^1^

1. Determine whether the old account is recoverable

1. Go to https://account.microsoft.com and sign in with the old Outlook.com address.
2. If prompted, receive and enter the security code. The account should reopen.
3. If Microsoft reports that the account does not exist, use the Sign-in Helper offered on the sign-in support page.^2^

An account cannot be reopened if:

• Its 30- or 60-day closure grace period has expired.
• It was automatically deleted after more than two years without a sign-in.

When an Outlook.com/Microsoft account is permanently closed, its email and contacts are deleted from Microsoft’s servers and cannot be recovered.^3^

2. If the account opens, check for contacts

Open Outlook on the web and select People.

If the contacts are missing:

1. Select People → Deleted.
2. Select the contacts, right-click, and choose Restore.
3. If they are not there, select Recover deleted at the top of the Deleted folder.
4. Select the available contacts and choose Restore.

Recovered contacts return to their original folder when possible, or to the default Contacts folder.^4^

3. Transfer recovered contacts to the new Microsoft 365 account

While signed into the old account:

1. Open People.
2. Select Export contacts.
3. Choose the applicable contacts folder and select Export.
4. Save the resulting CSV file.

Then sign into the new Microsoft 365 account:

1. Open People.
2. Select Import contacts.
3. Select Browse and choose the exported CSV file.
4. Select Import.

Microsoft recommends a UTF-8 encoded CSV so names and characters import correctly.^5^

4. If the old online account is permanently gone

Check any computer that previously used classic Outlook. A local Outlook data or backup file may still contain the contacts:

1. Open Outlook (classic).
2. Select File → Open & Export → Import/Export.
3. If the old contacts appear under People, export that Contacts folder:
   • Export to a file
   • Comma Separated Values
   • Select the old Contacts folder
   • Save the CSV
4. Import that CSV into the new account using the procedure above.

Also search existing backups for .pst files. Importing contacts from a backup PST creates a copy of the contacts in Outlook.^6^

Because the contacts never synchronized to the iPhone, the phone is unlikely to provide another copy. If the account is permanently deleted and no Outlook PST, CSV export, device copy, or other backup exists, Microsoft has no server-side contacts left to retrieve.

References

1. Reopen your Microsoft account | Microsoft Support
2. I can't sign in to my Microsoft account | Microsoft Support
3. Close your Outlook.com account | Microsoft Support
4. Web (#tab/web)
5. Import or export contacts in Outlook using a .csv file
6. Fix problems importing an Outlook .pst file | Microsoft Support