To permanently delete a personal Microsoft account, sign in to Microsoft’s account-closure page and mark the account for closure. Microsoft gives you a choice of a 30- or 60-day period to reopen it; if you do not reopen it before that period ends, the account is permanently deleted. “Deactivate” is an informal way to describe this temporary closure period, not a separate documented process.
Before you close your Microsoft account
Closing the account affects more than your Microsoft sign-in. First, make sure you have the right account and have saved anything you may need later.
- Download or copy needed files from OneDrive and email or contacts from Outlook.com. Microsoft says Outlook.com email and contacts are deleted from its servers when the linked account is closed and cannot be recovered. See Microsoft’s Outlook.com closure guidance.
- Save any BitLocker recovery keys stored with the account. Closure also affects access to OneDrive, Xbox, Skype, and other linked Microsoft services. Microsoft lists the consequences in its account-closure instructions.
- Review subscriptions separately. Closing the account is not a substitute for cancelling a subscription; check which account was used to buy it and who bills you. Microsoft 365 subscriptions purchased through an app store or another seller must be managed through that seller. See Microsoft’s cancellation guidance.
Check what happens to storage
When a Microsoft 365 subscription ends or is cancelled, your storage allowance may be reduced. If your OneDrive use is above the resulting allowance, uploading, editing, or syncing files may be affected. Outlook.com sending and receiving can also be affected if usage exceeds the applicable quota. Microsoft says OneDrive files may be deleted after six months in certain over-quota situations; check the current terms on its subscription cancellation page.
How to mark your Microsoft account for closure
- Sign in to the Microsoft account you intend to close and open Microsoft’s How to close your Microsoft account instructions to reach the closure flow.
- Complete any identity verification Microsoft requests. The flow asks you to confirm the account and acknowledge the listed consequences.
- Choose the reopening period: 30 or 60 days. The 60-day choice gives you more time to reverse the closure, and also means permanent deletion is delayed until that longer window has passed.
- Select a reason, review the closure information, and mark the account for closure as prompted.
You must be able to sign in to close the account. Microsoft says that if you have reset all your sign-in verification details, you must wait 60 days before closing it.
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How to reopen the account during the waiting period
If you change your mind before the selected 30- or 60-day period ends, sign in at account.microsoft.com and enter the security code Microsoft requests. Microsoft says your prior subscriptions, profiles, and content become available after reopening, but time that passed while closure was pending is not restored. A subscription cancelled outright or expired may need to be purchased again. See Microsoft’s account-reopening guidance.
After the selected period passes, Microsoft says the account is permanently deleted and cannot be reopened. Its help pages do not specify a universal additional processing interval or exact deletion hour.
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Can you delete Outlook.com without closing the Microsoft account?
No. Microsoft’s guidance says, “To permanently close your Outlook.com email account, you need to close your Microsoft account.” Because Outlook.com is linked to the broader account, closing it also affects other linked services and data—not just email. Review the consequences and save anything you need before proceeding.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does Microsoft delete inactive accounts automatically?
Inactivity is different from voluntary closure. Microsoft’s activity-policy page, dated November 6, 2020, generally describes an account as inactive when its owner has not signed in for two years, while noting exceptions, including some purchases and active subscriptions. That policy is not the same as choosing a 30- or 60-day closure window. See Microsoft’s activity policy.
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