How to delete/update my backup/old email address?

Eug Gal 20

Hello,

I have searched all over Microsoft website, but could not find any option or a clue.

How to delete/update my backup/old email address?

Any help in resolving this issue is appreciated!

Best,

[PII: Removed]

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Alice-N 13,410 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

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Hi Eug Gal

I understand you want to delete or update a backup/old email address associated with your Outlook.com. Please follow these steps:

1) If “backup/old email” means the recovery / verification email (security info used for codes)

Update your Microsoft account security info by adding a new method first, then removing the old one.

Go to Microsoft account Security info & verification codes and open the list of sign-in/verification methods.
Select Add a new way to sign in or verify, then add the new email method and complete verification.
After the new method is working, remove the old email method.

Important notes:

You don’t need to remove old security info unless there is an account security risk.
Removing all security info can place the account into a restricted state for 30 days, so keep at least one verified method active.

2) If “backup/old email” means an old sign-in email / alias

Manage aliases by adding a new alias (if needed), setting it as primary, then removing the old alias.

Use Microsoft’s alias management guidance to add/remove aliases and change the primary alias. See: Change the email address or phone number for your Microsoft account - Microsoft Support
See alias add/remove steps: Add or remove an email alias in Outlook.com - Microsoft Support
If the old address is currently the primary alias, set a different alias as primary first, then select Remove next to the old alias.
Note: If you remove a Microsoft-domain alias (for example, @outlook.com / @hotmail.com), that address is deleted and cannot be reused later.

3) If you want to stop sign-in with the old alias but not delete it

If your goal is to prevent sign-in attempts using the old address while keeping it on the account, you can disable that alias for sign-in via the Sign-in preferences page. This keeps the alias but blocks sign-in using it.

Please tell me how it goes. If the problem persists, please don’t hesitate to reply to this thread and I will be happy to help. Have a lovely day!

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Eug Gal 20 Reputation points

2026-05-04T00:15:44.4033333+00:00

Dear Alice,

Thank you for getting back to me so quickly.

While the instructions were not exact word-to-word; however, given enough clues I was able to find the right menu fast enough to have this issue be already taken care of.

I had to go to my Microsoft account, where you can get from either My Microsoft Account or My Profile (under my initial circle). Then I selected Security, per your suggestion. The exact option I needed next labeled as "Manage how I sign in", on which page I was able to add/delete a sign-in email.

I appreciate your help resolving my issue.

Best regards,

[PII: Removed]
Alice-N 13,410 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-06T04:10:15.08+00:00

Hi Eug Gal, I’m really glad you were able to fix the issue. If anything else comes up, please reply here and I will be happy to help further.

Have a lovely day!

1 additional answer

AI answer

2026-04-28T13:26:22.0833333+00:00
To delete or update the backup/old email address on a Microsoft account used with Outlook.com, change the aliases on the Microsoft account and, if applicable, update any security verification email.

Go to Manage how you sign in to your account at https://account.live.com/names/manage and sign in.

Under Your info / Account aliases:

To add a new email (for sign-in and backup): select Add email, follow the verification steps, and then, if desired, select Make primary next to the new address.

To remove the old/backup email: select Remove next to that alias.

Important notes when removing an alias:

If the old address is from a Microsoft domain (for example, @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, @msn.com), removing it permanently deletes that alias and it cannot be associated with any Microsoft account again.

If removing a primary alias, another alias must be set as primary first.

If the old address is from a non-Microsoft domain (for example, @gmail.com), after removal it usually becomes immediately available to be added as an alias on another Microsoft account.

If the “backup/old email” is configured as a security verification method (used for password reset) on a work or school account, remove or update it from the Security info page:

Sign in to the work or school account at https://myaccount.microsoft.com.

Select Security info.

To add a new backup email: select Add method, choose Email, enter the new email, and verify it.

To delete the old backup email: on the Security info page, select Delete next to Email, then confirm.

After these changes, the old email will no longer be used as a backup/verification address, and the new one will be used for sign-in verification and password reset (where configured).

References:

Change your phone number or email address in Microsoft Teams Free

Add or remove an email alias in Outlook.com

Set up an email address as your verification method

Change the email address or phone number for your Microsoft account
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