How do I clean up two Microsoft accounts that are mixed together on one Windows PC?

Personal and work/school Microsoft accounts cannot be merged, but they can be used side by side. It is also not possible to link or combine two personal Microsoft accounts into one, and data such as purchases, subscriptions, and OneDrive content cannot be transferred between accounts automatically.

Because of this, the safest approach is:

1. Decide which account to keep (Account A) and which to stop using on this PC (Account B).
2. Use each app/service to verify which account it is using.
3. Move or copy any data needed from Account B to Account A (for example, via OneDrive or Outlook export/import) so nothing important is lost.
4. Disconnect Account B from Windows and apps, but do not close or delete Account B until it is certain nothing is needed from it.

Below is what is supported and how to align with it.

1. Merging or combining accounts

• Personal Microsoft accounts cannot be linked, merged, or combined, and content such as game progress, purchases, and balances cannot be moved from one account to another.
• Work or school accounts also cannot be merged with personal accounts; they can only be used side by side.
• The only supported “combining” is to use both accounts in apps like Outlook, OneDrive, Windows, and Edge, while keeping their data and storage separate.

If there are two personal accounts today (Account A and Account B), they must remain separate. The cleanup is about choosing one to use going forward and disconnecting the other from the PC and apps.

2. Using accounts side by side instead of merging

Microsoft supports using multiple accounts side by side:

• Outlook: Multiple Microsoft, Gmail, or work/school email accounts can be added to Outlook. Another Microsoft account cannot be added as an alias, but it can be added as a separate account in Outlook.
• OneDrive: OneDrive can sync both work/school and personal files. Storage remains separate; work/school folders cannot be merged into personal OneDrive, but files can be copied or dragged between them.
• Windows user accounts: Different accounts on a shared Windows PC allow multiple people (or multiple Microsoft accounts) to use the same device with their own sign-in info and files.
• Edge profiles: Edge profiles allow different users or accounts to keep separate browser settings, favorites, and extensions.

This means the cleanup plan should:

• Keep Account A as the main sign-in and subscription account.
• Optionally keep Account B only where needed (for example, as an extra email account in Outlook), or remove it entirely from the PC.

3. Handling subscriptions and benefits

• Subscriptions and benefits (such as Microsoft 365 Personal) are tied to the specific Microsoft account they were purchased on.
• They cannot be merged across accounts and cannot be transferred between personal accounts.
• If there are two Microsoft 365 Personal subscriptions (one on Account A and one on Account B), each subscription remains with its account.
• If only one subscription is needed, one of the subscriptions can be canceled so it does not renew, using the account that owns that subscription.

4. OneDrive and data safety

• OneDrive storage is separate per account. Work/school and personal OneDrive cannot be merged, but files can be copied or dragged between them.
• Before disconnecting Account B from the PC, sign in to OneDrive for Account B and ensure any needed files are copied to OneDrive for Account A or downloaded and stored safely.
• Do not delete OneDrive content for Account B until it is certain that everything needed has been copied.

5. Using Outlook and email safely

• Outlook can host multiple accounts (Microsoft, Gmail, work/school). Accounts added to Outlook are not merged; each keeps its own mailbox and data.
• To avoid losing email, keep Account B added in Outlook as a separate account until it is confirmed that no email needs to be retained or that email has been exported or moved as desired.

6. Managing accounts on Windows

• Windows supports multiple user accounts on a single PC. Each user account can be associated with different Microsoft accounts.
• To simplify, choose one Windows user profile to use with Account A and remove or stop using any Windows user profiles that are tied to Account B after data has been backed up.

7. If two accounts share the same email address

If there is ever a prompt asking “Which account do you want to use?” it means there is both a personal Microsoft account and a work/school account using the same email address. In that case:

• The personal account can be renamed by adding a new alias or making an existing alias the primary alias.
• Alternatively, the organization that created the work/school account can be contacted to remove the conflicting account.

This does not merge accounts; it only removes the ambiguity when signing in.

8. If a non-Microsoft email is used in Outlook with a Microsoft 365 subscription

• If a non-Microsoft email (such as Gmail) is used in the new Outlook and there is an M365 subscription on a Microsoft account with the same email identity, premium features (including Copilot) can be accessed by linking these accounts.
• This linking is specific to Outlook and does not merge accounts; it only allows Outlook to use the subscription benefits.

9. If two accounts must be combined as much as possible

If Account B is a Microsoft account that uses, for example, a Gmail address, and Account A is another Microsoft account (for example, with an outlook.com address), the closest supported approach to “combining” is:

• Close the Microsoft account that uses the Gmail address (Account B) after ensuring there is no data or purchases that need to be kept.
• Add the Gmail address as an alias to the Microsoft account that is being kept (Account A). This allows signing in with either the outlook.com address or the Gmail address, but does not move data or purchases from the closed account.

This approach should only be used if it is certain that Account B has no important data or purchases, because those cannot be moved.

10. Getting additional help

If there is difficulty determining which account owns which subscription or data, or if there is concern about losing access, support options are available:

• For help with Microsoft accounts and subscriptions, Account & Billing Help can be used.
• For technical support, Contact Microsoft Support can be used and the problem described to be routed to the best support option.

These support channels can help confirm which account owns specific subscriptions and guide through canceling or adjusting them.

References:

• Which account do you want to use?
• How to add or remove an account in Microsoft OneDrive
• Combining Microsoft accounts
• Link non-Microsoft email accounts to your existing Microsoft subscription for premium benefits
• Get help with your Microsoft account