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Closing a Microsoft account is not the same as canceling Microsoft 365. Account closure eventually deletes the account and its data after a 30- or 60-day period in which you can reopen it. Canceling Microsoft 365 keeps the account open but reduces its storage benefits, which can affect OneDrive and Outlook. Choose the action that matches what you want to stop.
What happens when you close a Microsoft account?
Microsoft’s voluntary closure process first marks the account for closure; it does not delete it immediately. You choose a 30- or 60-day reopen period. During that period, signing in and entering a security code can reopen the account. After the chosen window expires, Microsoft says it deletes the account and its data and content, and the account can no longer be reopened. Microsoft’s closure guidance and its reopening guidance describe this process.
How to mark the account for closure
- Sign in to the Microsoft account you intend to close. If you cannot sign in, use Microsoft’s sign-in helper first.
- Complete identity verification if Microsoft prompts you, then confirm the account shown is the one you mean to close.
- Review and acknowledge the listed consequences, choose a 30- or 60-day reopen window, select a reason, and mark the account for closure.
- If you later change your mind within the chosen window, sign in and enter the requested security code to reopen it.
If all sign-in verification details have been reset, Microsoft says you must wait 60 days before closing the account. Microsoft’s security-information guidance describes that wait.
What happens to OneDrive, Outlook, and purchases?
| Service or content | What account closure means | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook.com email and contacts | Microsoft says closing the account deletes the email and contacts from its servers and they cannot be recovered. Outlook.com closure guidance | Save needed messages and contacts before marking the account for closure. |
| OneDrive files | The closed account can no longer access OneDrive; after the reopen window, Microsoft says account data and content are deleted. Closure guidance | Download or move files you need before closure. |
| Xbox, Office, Microsoft Store and other account-linked services | Microsoft warns that closing the account removes access to services tied to it. Reopening within the grace period can make profiles and purchased content available again, but that is not a guarantee that every item transfers, remains playable, or qualifies for a refund. Account-linked services; reopening guidance | Identify the Microsoft account used for each purchase and check the item’s terms before closure. Microsoft’s cited guidance does not establish a universal transfer procedure or refund entitlement. |
| BitLocker recovery keys and Skype | Keys saved to the account become inaccessible; Skype is tied to the Microsoft account and its profile cannot be separated. Account-linked services; Skype closure guidance | Save recovery keys somewhere secure outside the account. Use Skype Credit and cancel active Skype subscriptions before closure; Microsoft warns auto-recharge may continue until permanent closure if not canceled. |
Closing the account vs. canceling Microsoft 365
Cancel Microsoft 365 if you want to stop that subscription while keeping your Microsoft account. Close the account only if you intend to lose access to the account and its connected services after the reopen period. Microsoft describes the different storage effects in its Microsoft 365 cancellation guidance.
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| Close Microsoft account | Cancel Microsoft 365 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it changes | Marks the account for closure and eventually deletes the account and its data after the selected reopen window. | Ends Microsoft 365 subscription benefits; the Microsoft account remains open. |
| Timing and recovery | 30- or 60-day reopen period; reopening is possible by signing in and entering a security code within that window. | Cancellation follows the subscription’s terms; this is not the account-closure countdown. |
| Storage after the change | Account data and content are deleted after the reopen window. | Microsoft states the post-cancellation allowance is 5 GB of cloud storage, including OneDrive and Outlook attachments, and 15 GB of Outlook.com storage. |
| If storage is over quota | Access to connected services ends, and account content is deleted after the closure window. | File uploads, edits, or syncing may stop; Outlook email may not send or arrive. Microsoft says it may delete OneDrive and its files after six months if usage remains above the free allowance. |
Check subscriptions and billing before closure
Account closure and subscription billing are separate tasks. Review active subscriptions and recurring payments before closing the account. Microsoft says subscriptions purchased through the Apple App Store or Google Play must be managed with those stores; third-party retail purchases must be managed with the seller. Cancellation does not always result in a refund. See Microsoft’s subscription cancellation guidance.
- Save OneDrive files, Outlook messages, and contacts you still need.
- Locate any BitLocker recovery keys saved to the account and store them securely elsewhere.
- Check which Microsoft account is associated with Xbox, Office, Microsoft Store purchases, and other services.
- Cancel or review recurring subscriptions with Microsoft, the app store, or the seller that bills you.
- For Skype, use remaining credit and cancel active subscriptions and auto-recharge before account closure.
Don’t confuse closure with inactivity rules
Voluntary closure has a specific 30- or 60-day reopen period. Separate inactivity policies apply when an account is left unused; they are not the voluntary closure countdown. Microsoft’s general activity policy, published July 1, 2019, effective August 30, 2019, and updated November 6, 2020, generally requires a sign-in at least once every two years, subject to exceptions for some purchases and subscriptions. Microsoft account activity policy.
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In separate guidance concerning deceased or incapacitated account holders, Microsoft describes Outlook.com and OneDrive accounts being frozen after one year and email and files being deleted shortly after, as well as account expiration after two years of inactivity. That is context-specific inactivity guidance, not the voluntary closure process. Microsoft’s guidance for deceased or incapacitated account holders.
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