Microsoft being impossible to contact support

Submit Microsoft’s account recovery form first; support agents cannot manually reset the password or change account details, so reaching a person will not bypass the ownership checks.^1^

Recover the Outlook.com account

1. Open the Microsoft account recovery form.
2. Enter:
   • The old Outlook.com/Hotmail address.
   • A different, working email address where Microsoft can contact you.
3. If possible, submit it from a device and location previously used with the old account.
4. Provide as much historical information as possible:
   • Previous passwords.
   • Exact email subject lines.
   • Contacts you emailed.
   • Folder names.
   • Any Microsoft, Skype, or Xbox details associated with the account.
   • Information entered when the account was originally created, even if it no longer reflects your current details.
5. Microsoft sends the result to the working contact address, normally within 24 hours. If verification fails, improve the information and try again; submissions are limited to twice per day.^1^

If two-step verification was enabled and none of its verification methods remain accessible, Microsoft states that neither the recovery form nor support agents can bypass it.^1^

Check whether the old account still exists

Because this was an old account that was abandoned, it may have been deleted. Microsoft generally requires signing in at least once every two years to keep an account active, subject to listed exceptions such as certain purchases, active subscriptions, balances, and family-account conditions.^2^

If sign-in reports that the account does not exist:

• Check the exact address and domain, such as hotmail.com, outlook.com, or a country-specific domain.
• Try another alias or phone number that may have been attached to it.
• Use Microsoft’s Sign-in Helper from the sign-in support page.^3^

An account deleted after more than two years of inactivity cannot be reopened.^4^

If Microsoft recovery is unsuccessful

Move the request to Gaijin Support, because Microsoft Support cannot transfer access to a third-party game account. Gaijin normally requires access to the registration email and does not offer a routine email-change service. However, its guidance says that if the email provider will not restore the mailbox, you can submit a Gaijin support request with evidence of that outcome and ask for assistance.^5^

Submit the request through Gaijin Support and include:

• Your War Thunder/Gaijin username.
• The inaccessible registration email, entered only in the private support ticket.
• A new reachable email address.
• The result of Microsoft’s recovery attempt, especially an account-not-found or unsuccessful-recovery message.
• Any non-email evidence Gaijin requests to establish ownership.

Gaijin’s account-recovery guidance confirms that email changes are generally restricted for security reasons, although a support request can still be made for case-specific assistance.^6^

Do not post the old address, passwords, receipts, or other identifying information in this public Q&A thread.

References

1. Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
2. Microsoft account activity policy | Microsoft Support
3. I can't sign in to my Microsoft account | Microsoft Support
4. Reopen your Microsoft account | Microsoft Support
5. Additional e-mail addresses binding/ Linked e-mail addresses removal ...
6. Account compromised or lost / How to recover your account / 2-step ...