How To Delete A Microsoft Account

You have many groups of individuals who say that Windows 10 will work much better when used while having a Microsoft account. Others will say they prefer to set up their Windows 10 without a Microsoft account.

Microsoft does collect user data, although they may not be in the realms of other large corporations. However, Windows 10 does collect a lot.

There can be a time for any user who wishes to permanently delete your Microsoft account.

The good thing is that Microsoft makes this process much more accessible than other companies to cancel Microsoft account.

With a few clicks here and there and select a reason, you can say goodbye to your Microsoft account permanently. (Learn How to Restart Windows 10 Safe Mode)

To go in-depth, you can go through this guide and find out all you need to know about how to delete Hotmail and everything else to do with support and delete your Microsoft account.

Delete A Microsoft Account

How To Close Your Microsoft Account

It can be easier to close your account than using any other service such as Google or Facebook.

It doesn’t matter why you want to close a Microsoft account, should it be you no longer need it, or it is a duplicate of an existing account.

Microsoft just wishes to know two things before you decide to proceed:
Microsoft will check it is you that is requesting the closing of an account. For all they know, it could be another person trying to close your account.

Second, they want to be certain you’re not leaving anything of importance behind you may need, yet you can’t get access to at a later date.

For your protection, and to be certain, the account isn’t closed accidentally. Microsoft can ask for identity and intent of closing the account.

For instance, if you forgot your account info and needed to reset any security information, you’d have to 60 days before you could close your account.

Before Deleting Your Microsoft Account

If you close your Google account, you can find many services are no longer available. With Microsoft, the same happens, so be sure there is none of these you need.

Closing a Microsoft account means you won’t be able to use it to sign in to the Microsoft products and services or subscriptions you’ve been using. It also deletes all the services associated with it, including your:

  1. Files saved on OneDrive
  2. Xbox Live data, Xbox Game Pass and Xbox GamerTag
  3. Skype ID and your list of contacts (Learn How to Delete Skype Account)
  4. NuGet.org account and content
  5. Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live, and MSN email accounts

If you have any account balance, or unused reward points with Microsoft Certification, including exams passed exams and related transcripts.

It isn’t possible to delete Outlook email account service and keep the others, for instance. It could take you some time to get everything in order and cancel your subscriptions etc.

Here are the easy-to-follow steps you need on how to remove Microsoft account.

How to Remove Microsoft Account

Step 1 – Preparation

  1. Unsubscribe from all services your account may be linked to
  2. Create and keep an automated forwarding email
  3. Make sure everyone still knows your email account won’t be available any longer.
  4. Check all email accounts you have from here:
    • Hotmail.com
    • Outlook. com
    • Live. com
    • Msn.com
    • Office 365
  1. Spend any money you have in your account.
  2. Create backups of data and not on OneDrive
  3. Check all your sub-accounts are clear. Xbox accounts can be included here.
  4. Disable any reset protection you have on your devices.

Step 2 – Delete Microsoft Account

  1. Go to the Microsoft website
  2. Navigate to the ‘Close your account’ page
  3. Input your associated email address with the account you are closing
  4. Click Next
  5. Enter your password
  6. Log in
  7. Click Next
  8. Check each checkbox after you have read what each does when you delete the account.
  9. Click the drop-down arrow. Select a reason you are deleting your account for
  10. Select one of the options.
  11. Click’ Mark account for closure’.
  12. Click Done.

Once you complete deleting your account, your account is unavailable and is then permanently deleted within 60 days.

In this time, you can restore your account as nothing happened. You won’t lose personal data, money, or email addresses that are associated with that account.

Make sure you understand, when you can any emails which may have been received in that time, will be lost as if you delete your Microsoft account

If you mark account for closure by mistake and you want to reactivate your account, just follow these steps to carry on as normal. You have 60 days to recover your Microsoft account and access to Hotmail.com and everything else.

  1. Navigate to the Microsoft login page.
  2. Type in your username.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Type in your password.
  5. Click Sign in.
  6. Click Continue: I want to reopen this account. (You’ll be asked to verify your account using a security question. It will use the secondary email address you gave as a backup)
  7. Enter the backup email address.
  8. Click Send code.
  9. Type the code you receive, be it an email or text.
  10. Click Next.
  11. Click Done.

You can now use your Microsoft account like normal.

Delete Microsoft Account Locally

  1. Enter your Settings,
  2. Click the “Accounts” section.
  3. Once here, search to find the option to remove the Microsoft account. This will be at the bottom of the “Your account” tab. Windows 8 will be different as the interface has changed.
  4. If you’re signed in to the Microsoft account you want to delete; you can’t remove it while signed to the same account.

No matter if you take the option to close your account or reactivate it, you can use a VPN service. These prevent anyone from being able to read your data communications.

Many users use a VPN to stop their ISPs, companies such as Microsoft tracking them online, all without adjusting too many settings.

A VPN will hide any website you visit from everyone. The other good thing, a VPN will protect you on any version of Windows.

How To Delete A Microsoft Account