Creating new M365 Accounts & outlook.com Emails

Question

Creating new M365 Accounts & outlook.com Emails

Hamza20 40

Hello dear Community,

this is not an issue, rather a question, and I apologize if I have posted it in the wrong Q&A.

I am planning to move from Google to Microsoft as I am using Microsoft more, e.g. Windows OS, M365 account, etc.
I would create a new M365 account with new outlook.com Email, and I would use it to register for various accounts and websites.

I know where and how to do that, but I have following concerns, which I will post below as a list of questions.

After creating that account, can I create completely new, secondary M365 with different Outlook Email as a recovery for the first one?
Do I need to remove Phone number on current M365 associated with Gmail before adding that same number to the primary and secondary M365 account?
Can I do that registration and set up from various devices, e.g. phone, PC/Laptop, and different browsers?
If I tend to use VPN, do I need to turn it off before I login into M365 accounts, so they don't get blocked?

I apologize if my question wasn't so clear, and I can explain this again if needed, or provide more information.
I am doing this to make sure everything is okay before I completely move to M365.

Thank you in advance for taking your time to read and answer my questions.

Sincerely,

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Answer 1

Victor1-V 13,035 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Hamza20,

I understand that you want to prepare everything correctly before moving from Google to a Microsoft account. The Q&A Assist answer already covered the main points well, and I would just like to add one important clarification.

For a personal Microsoft account, it is better to set up strong recovery and sign-in verification methods right after creating the account. You can use another accessible email address, Microsoft Authenticator, or a passkey as verification methods. However, Microsoft’s current support information says that new phone numbers can no longer be added as a sign-in verification method for personal Microsoft accounts, and SMS is being phased out for account recovery. For that reason, I would not recommend depending only on a phone number.

So, in your case:

Yes, you can create a second Microsoft account with a different Outlook.com address and use that email as recovery/security contact information, as long as you can access it.
If the same phone number is already connected to another Microsoft account, I would not suggest removing it unless you are sure you have other verified recovery methods on that existing account first. Removing a security method too early may make account recovery harder.
Creating and setting up the account from different devices or browsers is generally fine, but for the first setup, it is safer to use your usual device, usual browser, and usual network.
If possible, avoid using a VPN during account creation and the initial security setup. A VPN or a new location may make the sign-in look unusual and may require extra verification. After the account is fully set up with recovery methods, using a VPN should generally be manageable, but it may still occasionally trigger additional checks.

You can review or update the security methods here: Microsoft account security

For reference, you may also review: Microsoft account security info and verification codes

I hope this provides clear guidance before you complete the move to your new Microsoft account.

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Hamza20 40 Reputation points

2026-06-05T18:56:50.8366667+00:00

Hallo @Victor1-V ,

thank you very much for taking your time to read and answer my inquiry.

I am aware that SMS Method is being phased out, and I would add other methods, to be safe and sure.
This provided me clear guidance, as I had some ambiguities that I wanted to remove.

Thank you again!
Victor1-V 13,035 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-06T10:16:25.46+00:00

Hi Hamza20,

Thank you for the update. I’m glad the clarification was helpful.

Your plan to add more verification methods is a safe approach, especially so the account does not depend only on SMS.

Thanks again for confirming, and I appreciate your careful preparation before moving to Microsoft services.
Hamza20 40 Reputation points

2026-06-07T11:25:32.09+00:00

@Victor1-V you're welcome, and everything was set up successfully. Only thing that remains is to create accounts with new Email address, or change address on them.

I am not sure how to close this, as this is solved. Thank you again for your time and help.
Victor1-V 13,035 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-08T13:02:25.7433333+00:00

Hi Hamza20,

Thank you for the update. I’m glad everything was set up successfully.

For the remaining part, yes, you can either create new Microsoft accounts with new Outlook.com email addresses, or add a new email alias to an existing Microsoft account if you prefer to keep that same account. Before removing any old email address or security information, please make sure the new address and recovery methods are fully verified and accessible.

Since the answer has already been accepted, no further action is needed to close the thread. It can remain available for other users who may have similar questions.

Thanks again for confirming the result.

Answer 2

Creating a secondary Microsoft account as recovery

A separate Microsoft account (with a different Outlook.com email address) can be created and used as a recovery email for the primary account. When creating a new Microsoft account, an Outlook.com address can be obtained if needed.

Note that Microsoft account email addresses cannot be reused: even if an account is closed, that same email address cannot be used again for a new Microsoft account.

Reusing the same phone number

A phone number can be used as a security/recovery detail across accounts, but there are limits in some services (for example, the Microsoft 365 Developer Program allows only one developer account per phone number). If a phone number is already tied to a specific program that enforces such a limit, that program’s rules apply.

For standard consumer Microsoft accounts (Outlook.com, personal Microsoft account), the phone number does not necessarily need to be removed from the old account before being added as a security proof to a new one, unless a specific service explicitly blocks reuse.

Registering and setting up from multiple devices/browsers

Creating and managing Microsoft accounts can be done from different devices (PC, laptop, phone) and different browsers. The sign‑up and sign‑in flows are web-based, so using multiple devices and browsers is supported.

Using VPN when signing in

Microsoft sign-in includes security checks and may challenge or block sign-ins that look unusual (for example, unexpected locations or IPs). Using a VPN can sometimes trigger additional verification. To reduce the chance of extra prompts or temporary blocks, it is safer to:

Turn off VPN when creating the accounts and doing initial security setup.
Configure security info (recovery email, phone, passkey, two-step verification) while on a normal, expected network.

After the accounts are fully set up and strong recovery options are in place, VPN use is generally fine, but may occasionally trigger extra verification.

Additional recommendations

When creating new Microsoft accounts, consider going passwordless and using passkeys or the Microsoft Authenticator app as described in the sign-in documentation.
Ensure recovery options are configured: alternate email, phone, and (if desired) two-step verification.

References: