How to merge two accounts that have different email addresses...one personal and one family account

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How to merge two accounts that have different email addresses...one personal and one family account

Donna Maher 40

I have two Microsoft 365 accounts. One is personal account under this sign-in. The other is a family account under a different email address. I want to merge the personal account into the family account so that it holds all documents and files...and then close the personal account.

How can I accomplish this?

Thank you.

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Answer 1

Hello Donna Maher, thanks for posting this in the community.

Unfortunately, Microsoft does not allow merging two Microsoft accounts (personal or family) into one. Each account is independent and tied to its own email address, subscription, and data. There is no official feature to combine them.

Since merging isn’t possible, you can move your data from the personal account to the family account and then close the personal account.

To move your files from OneDrive, sign in to your personal account on OneDrive and download all files to your local device. Then sign in to your family account on OneDrive and upload the files. If you have a lot of data, you can use the OneDrive sync client to sync both accounts locally and then copy files between folders.

If you use Outlook and want to transfer emails, you can add both accounts in the Outlook desktop app and drag and drop emails from one mailbox to the other, or use the Import/Export feature in Outlook.

For other data, save Microsoft 365 documents locally and re-upload them to the family account. Cancel the personal subscription and make sure the family account has the correct plan. You can also export contacts and calendars from the personal account and import them into the family account via Outlook.

Once all data is moved, go to this Microsoft support page: How to close your Microsoft account for closing your account and follow the steps to permanently close the personal account.

Kind regards,

John Oli

Answer 2

To merge your personal Microsoft 365 account into your family account, you will need to manually transfer your documents and files, as there is no automated process for merging accounts. Here’s how you can accomplish this:

Backup Your Data: Start by ensuring that all your important documents, files, and data from your personal account are backed up. You can do this by downloading them to your local device or using OneDrive.
Move Files to OneDrive for Work: If you have files stored in your personal OneDrive, you can sync both your personal and family OneDrive accounts to your device. Then, you can drag and drop the files from your personal OneDrive folder to your family OneDrive folder. For detailed steps, refer to the article on migrating OneDrive files.
Set Up Outlook for Email: If you need to transfer emails, contacts, and calendar items, you can export them from your personal account using a .pst file and then import them into your family account. You can find instructions on how to set up Outlook and manage your email data.
Cancel Your Personal Account: Once you have confirmed that all your data has been successfully transferred to your family account, you can proceed to cancel your personal account. Make sure to verify that everything is working correctly in your family account before doing so.

This process will require some time and effort, but it will allow you to consolidate your data into one account.

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