Old Hotmail account still active and inaccessible

Question

Old Hotmail account still active and inaccessible

Giam 5

Hello!

In the last few months I've tried to recover my old hotmail account which I created back in 2007 and I haven't used for about 13 years. I don't have the credentials, I don't have a recovery email and I don't think I had registered my phone number back then, the security set-up was very basic. I had only set a security question (I remember which one it was) but it seems that I can't use that either (case sensitive or not 100% correct, I don't know).

The online recovery form did not work, as not enough information was provided. I can't even access the device I used back then (according to their instructions, it helps).

2 questions here:

Was hasn't this account been deleted yet? I mean, last time I logged in should have been in 2012-2013. That is much longer than 2 years. And I can't recall any subscriptions. I'm afraid I've probably been hacked and someone has used it.
What can I do? There must be a way.

As a last resort, I sent Microsoft a message with a deletion request due to inactivity and concerns about data leak and I explained the situation.

I'm really stressed.

Thank you in advance!

Giam 5 Reputation points

2026-05-23T01:41:02.42+00:00

Thank you for your guidance.

The account is still active. When I enter the email address there is no message indicating the opposite (e.g. "account no longer exists"). In addition, when I tried to create a new account, by using the same email address, the message informing me that it already exists was displayed.

If the account is truly inactive and there is also a deletion request due to data breach concerns, what is the point of keeping it active?

Thank you again
Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-05-24T12:21:11.9566667+00:00
@Giam said

When I enter the email address there is no message indicating the opposite (e.g. "account no longer exists")

That is not a valid test. To see the true status of the Account use the Account Sign In Helper

In a Private/Incognito browser session, open: https://support.microsoft.com/home/contact?linkquery=Help%20me%20sign%20in%20to%20my%20Microsoft%20account

Scroll down to "Choose how you normally sign in, then enter your details"

Click "With an email address"

Enter your email address and click [OK]

In addition, when I tried to create a new account, by using the same email address, the message informing me that it already exists was displayed.

That is normal. Microsoft never reuses an email address. It will show as "exist" until the end of time. That does not mean it is Active.
Giam 5 Reputation points

2026-05-25T08:15:12.3933333+00:00

In a Private/Incognito browser session, open: https://support.microsoft.com/home/contact?linkquery=Help%20me%20sign%20in%20to%20my%20Microsoft%20account

Scroll down to "Choose how you normally sign in, then enter your details" Click "With an email address" Enter your email address and click [OK]

What should happen next? Thanks
Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-05-25T09:42:53.1033333+00:00

@Giam said

What should happen next?

It should show you the status of the account. e.g.
Giam 5 Reputation points

2026-05-25T11:29:35.1333333+00:00

@Hornblower409 Thanks for the tip.

I followed the steps and no such message was displayed. It seems that for some reason the account remains active and I can't access it. So there's nothing that can be done, I guess. It may be active because it's been hacked, but I'll never know, unless I somehow manage to find old passwords/ complete more accurate info in the form.

And of course, I keep getting the same answer from Microsoft (recovery form, delete the account on my own etc) which is not helpful anymore and nothing I don't know already.
Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-05-25T12:00:17.3366667+00:00
@Giam

I can only offer one other suggestion (and it's a long shot). Get Microsoft Support to put a permanent security lock on it. Your problem is that you'll have to prove to them that you were the original owner and we already know you probably can't do that. Sorry. It's all I've got.

You must have a working Microsoft email account to use Chat or any other Support Services. If you can not logon with your current account, create a new, temporary one at https://signup.live.com (Once you are in Chat you can tell them the actual account with the problem).

Chat Support

Open a browser to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/home/contact

Tell us your problem: "Account hacked. Can not recover. Want it disabled to prevent criminal activity"

[Get Help] {Scroll down to the bottom of the page} [Sign in to Contact Support]

Sign in with any Microsoft account

Products and services: "Other Products"

Category: "Manage Account Security"

[Confirm]

Choose a support option -> "Chat with a support agent in your web browser"
Giam 5 Reputation points

2026-05-25T12:02:10.5266667+00:00

@Hornblower409 Thank you very much, I'll give it one more try.
Joe 0 Reputation points

2026-08-24T17:17:50.7+00:00

Hi. I have an old email and when i try to login it tells me that the email adress doesn't exist anymore. I remember the email address but not the password. Is there a way to recover it? I dont have any old devices that i used to login to the account. Please help
Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-08-24T18:37:00.2033333+00:00
@Joe said

I have an old email and when i try to login it tells me that the email adress doesn't exist anymore

If the Account Sign-In Helper says the account does not exist, there is no recovery possible.

In a Private/Incognito browser session, open: https://aka.ms/sign-in-helper

Scroll down to "Choose how you normally sign in, then enter your details"

Click "With an email address"

Enter your email address and click [OK]

1 answer

Your answer

Giam 5 Reputation points

2026-05-23T01:41:02.42+00:00

Thank you for your guidance.

The account is still active. When I enter the email address there is no message indicating the opposite (e.g. "account no longer exists"). In addition, when I tried to create a new account, by using the same email address, the message informing me that it already exists was displayed.

If the account is truly inactive and there is also a deletion request due to data breach concerns, what is the point of keeping it active?

Thank you again
Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-05-24T12:21:11.9566667+00:00

@Giam said

When I enter the email address there is no message indicating the opposite (e.g. "account no longer exists")

That is not a valid test. To see the true status of the Account use the Account Sign In Helper

In a Private/Incognito browser session, open: https://support.microsoft.com/home/contact?linkquery=Help%20me%20sign%20in%20to%20my%20Microsoft%20account

Scroll down to "Choose how you normally sign in, then enter your details"

Click "With an email address"

Enter your email address and click [OK]

In addition, when I tried to create a new account, by using the same email address, the message informing me that it already exists was displayed.

That is normal. Microsoft never reuses an email address. It will show as "exist" until the end of time. That does not mean it is Active.
Giam 5 Reputation points

2026-05-25T08:15:12.3933333+00:00

In a Private/Incognito browser session, open: https://support.microsoft.com/home/contact?linkquery=Help%20me%20sign%20in%20to%20my%20Microsoft%20account

Scroll down to "Choose how you normally sign in, then enter your details" Click "With an email address" Enter your email address and click [OK]

What should happen next? Thanks
Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-05-25T09:42:53.1033333+00:00

@Giam said

What should happen next?

It should show you the status of the account. e.g.
Giam 5 Reputation points

2026-05-25T11:29:35.1333333+00:00

@Hornblower409 Thanks for the tip.

I followed the steps and no such message was displayed. It seems that for some reason the account remains active and I can't access it. So there's nothing that can be done, I guess. It may be active because it's been hacked, but I'll never know, unless I somehow manage to find old passwords/ complete more accurate info in the form.

And of course, I keep getting the same answer from Microsoft (recovery form, delete the account on my own etc) which is not helpful anymore and nothing I don't know already.
Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-05-25T12:00:17.3366667+00:00

@Giam

I can only offer one other suggestion (and it's a long shot). Get Microsoft Support to put a permanent security lock on it. Your problem is that you'll have to prove to them that you were the original owner and we already know you probably can't do that. Sorry. It's all I've got.

You must have a working Microsoft email account to use Chat or any other Support Services. If you can not logon with your current account, create a new, temporary one at https://signup.live.com (Once you are in Chat you can tell them the actual account with the problem).

Chat Support

Open a browser to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/home/contact

Tell us your problem: "Account hacked. Can not recover. Want it disabled to prevent criminal activity"

[Get Help] {Scroll down to the bottom of the page} [Sign in to Contact Support]

Sign in with any Microsoft account

Products and services: "Other Products"

Category: "Manage Account Security"

[Confirm]

Choose a support option -> "Chat with a support agent in your web browser"
Giam 5 Reputation points

2026-05-25T12:02:10.5266667+00:00

@Hornblower409 Thank you very much, I'll give it one more try.
Joe 0 Reputation points

2026-08-24T17:17:50.7+00:00

Hi. I have an old email and when i try to login it tells me that the email adress doesn't exist anymore. I remember the email address but not the password. Is there a way to recover it? I dont have any old devices that i used to login to the account. Please help
Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-08-24T18:37:00.2033333+00:00

@Joe said

I have an old email and when i try to login it tells me that the email adress doesn't exist anymore

If the Account Sign-In Helper says the account does not exist, there is no recovery possible.

In a Private/Incognito browser session, open: https://aka.ms/sign-in-helper

Scroll down to "Choose how you normally sign in, then enter your details"

Click "With an email address"

Enter your email address and click [OK]

Answer 1

Why the account might still appear active

Based on the documented policy, personal Microsoft accounts (including Hotmail/Outlook.com) that have not been signed into for more than two years are permanently deleted and cannot be restored, and the email address cannot be reused.

From this, if the account truly has not been accessed since 2012–2013, it should have been deleted and no longer usable. In similar cases, guidance states that if an account has not been accessed in 2 years, it is permanently deleted and there is nothing that can be done to restore it.

If the account still appears “active” to someone (for example, messages don’t bounce immediately), that does not change the underlying rule: once Microsoft has deleted an inactive account, it cannot be recovered, and support cannot restore it.

What can be done

Given the constraints described (no password, no recovery email/phone, very old account, recovery form already failed), options are extremely limited:

Use the standard recovery path one more time
- Go to the sign-in page and use the sign-in troubleshooter or recovery options described in the Hotmail/Outlook.com guidance: if the username is still recognized and the account has not yet been deleted, the only supported way to regain access is via the account recovery form.
- Follow the detailed guidance in “Help with the Microsoft account recovery form”:
  - Ensure a working contact email is available.
  - Provide as much information as possible about how the account was used (contacts, subject lines, old passwords, etc.).
  - Submit the form from a device/location that might be recognized, if any.
- After submission, Microsoft reviews the request and responds within 24 hours. If the account cannot be verified, the guidance is to keep trying, up to two times per day.
Understand the hard limits
- If the recovery form cannot verify ownership, and there is no access to any security info, there is no other supported method to regain access.
- If the account has already been deleted due to inactivity (no sign-in for more than two years), it cannot be restored, even by Microsoft Support.
About deletion and data concerns
- For accounts that have not been accessed in more than two years, policy indicates they may be deleted and cannot be reopened. Once deleted, the data and the email address are not recoverable.
- If the account is still present and cannot be accessed or verified via the recovery form, there is no supported way to force deletion from the outside beyond the standard account processes already in place.

In summary: if the account is older than two years of inactivity, it is likely already deleted and unrecoverable. If it is not yet deleted but cannot be verified via the recovery form, there is no additional supported path to regain access or manage it beyond continuing to attempt recovery with as much accurate information as possible.

References: