A Microsoft app for iOS and Android devices that enables authentication with two-factor verification, phone sign-in, and code generation
The message "The Microsoft account you've entered does not exist" means the email being entered is not currently recognized as a Microsoft account.
Follow these steps based on the documented guidance:
- Confirm whether the email is a Microsoft account
- Go to https://account.microsoft.com and enter the email address.
- If the message "We couldn't find an account with that username" or "That Microsoft account doesn't exist" appears, the address is not recognized as a Microsoft account.
- Double‑check:
- Spelling of the name (for example,
rachelvsrachael). - Domain (for example,
.comvs.co.uk).
- Spelling of the name (for example,
- If it still is not recognized, the account may have been closed. Learn more.
- If the username or password has stopped working
- Use the official recovery flow:
- Go to Recover your account.
- Enter the email, phone number, or Skype name.
- Choose where to receive the security code and complete the verification steps.
- If the email is not recognized, and there is another alias or phone number on the account, try that instead.
- Use the official recovery flow:
- If the account is hacked/compromised and security info was changed
- The only supported path is the automated account recovery process described in the hacked/compromised account guidance: How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account.
- This will lead to the account recovery form (ACSR). Fill it out with as much accurate information as possible (old passwords, approximate creation date, services used, etc.).
- If the recovery form is not successful and the attacker has replaced the security information (email/phone), there is no other supported method to regain access. Support agents cannot override the automated checks, cannot change account details, and cannot send manual reset links.
- When the account "does not exist" but appears in Authenticator
- Microsoft Authenticator can still show an account tile and OTP even if the underlying Microsoft account has been deleted or is no longer recoverable. The OTP alone does not restore access.
- If unable to restore or recover via backup or sign‑in, the documented guidance is:
- For Microsoft backup account access issues, use the Microsoft account sign‑in helper: Sign-in helper.
- If still unable to restore and the backup account cannot be accessed, support agents cannot help further.
- Use the Sign‑in Helper and recovery form correctly
- Start with the Sign-in Helper to route to the right recovery path.
- Before filling the recovery form, ensure there is a working contact email (can be any active email, even temporary) where Microsoft can send updates.
- Complete the Account recovery form from a device and location previously used with the account, if possible, to improve the chances of success.
- When recovery is not granted
- If the recovery request is rejected and the security info has been replaced by an attacker, documentation and Q&A guidance state that the account is considered unrecoverable and Microsoft Support cannot provide an alternative manual recovery.
Because this process is fully automated and support agents cannot accept private documents (ID, screenshots) to bypass it, the only options are:
- Verify the email really is (or was) a Microsoft account and correct any typos/domains.
- Use the Sign‑in Helper and the official recovery form with maximum accurate detail.
- If those fail and the account is still reported as non‑existent or fails ownership checks, treat the account as unrecoverable and create a new Microsoft account.
References:
- I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
- Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
- My username and password have stopped working
- Restore account credentials from Microsoft Authenticator
- How to check if your email address is a Microsoft account
- My account got hacked - Microsoft Q&A
- my microsoft account has been compromised - Microsoft Q&A
- Need help with hacked microsoft account - Microsoft Q&A
- Cannot Access Microsoft Account After Hacker Changed Email, Advice Needed - Microsoft Q&A