Retrieving Contacts from old Outlook account

Christine Crowley 0 Reputation points
2026-11-12T17:41:09.5+00:00

I have an old Outlook account that no longer exists. All my contacts were in the old Outlook account and did not sync with my new 365 Outlook account, and those contacts did not sync with my iPhone. How do I retrieve the contacts.

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Contacts
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  1. Vikki-T 14,290 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-13T14:10:23.77+00:00

    Hi Christine Crowley,

    I understand how concerning it can be to lose access to an account that contains all your contacts, especially when they were not synced elsewhere.

    The key point is whether the old Outlook.com account is simply inaccessible or has already been permanently deleted. Your new Microsoft 365 account cannot directly retrieve contacts stored in a separate account.

    If the old account can still be reopened, you will need to regain access before transferring the contacts. However, if Microsoft confirms that the account has been permanently deleted, the contacts cannot be restored from Microsoft’s servers. In that case, the remaining possibility would be a local copy, such as an old Outlook profile, a previously exported CSV or PST file, or a device backup. Since the contacts were never synced to your iPhone, the phone is unlikely to contain another copy.

    Could you let me know the exact message you receive when you try to sign in to the old Outlook.com account? This will help determine whether the account may still be recoverable. Thank you so much for your understanding.   

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-12T17:43:10.7333333+00:00

    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
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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