What does the new terms of service for Microsoft mean for Microsoft Outlook and keeping my email

Matthew Montgomery 40 Reputation points
2026-08-05T03:15:45.7033333+00:00

I use Microsoft Outlook for my Microsoft account and use that email for several other account I read some of the newest terms of service from January this year and read something about having to login to my outlook once every year which I thought meant opening the app but on google it says it requires to login to my account which I don’t k ow how to do on the app can anyone help I don’t want to lose my Microsoft email and account

Outlook | Outlook for mobile | Outlook for iOS | For home
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
TaoLi 111.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-08-08T12:47:30.4833333+00:00

You're welcome! I'm glad to see your issue has been resolved. Please click the "Accept Answer" button below to mark this reply as the answer; this helps other users facing the same issue and is very important for our work. Thank you for your contribution to the community.

If you encounter any issues while using Microsoft products in the future, please feel free to reach out to the Microsoft Support Community again.

Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

6 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. TaoLi 111.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-05T15:39:41.2+00:00

    You do not have anything to worry about. 😊

    Since you regularly use the Outlook app and receive emails frequently, your Microsoft account is already considered active. You do not need to open the website every year just for this purpose.

    The yearly sign-in requirement is mainly for accounts that have been completely inactive for a long time. Using the Outlook app, sending emails, receiving emails, or signing in on your devices all count as activity.

    If you want extra peace of mind, you can occasionally sign in at https://outlook.live.com/ or https://account.microsoft.com/, but it is not necessary in your situation.

    Was this answer helpful?

  2. TaoLi 111.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-05T04:33:29.8233333+00:00

    Hello,

    You do not need to worry if you regularly use your Outlook email.

    Microsoft has two separate inactivity rules: your Outlook.com mailbox should be accessed at least once every 12 months, while your Microsoft account must generally be signed into at least once every two years. Microsoft explains this here:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/email-is-missing-from-your-outlook-com-inbox

    To be completely safe, simply visit https://outlook.live.com/ once a year and sign in with your Microsoft email address and password. Opening your inbox there is enough—you do not need to change any settings.

    If the Outlook app is already signed in and regularly receiving/sending email, you are actively using the mailbox anyway. The web sign-in is just an easy way to make sure there is no doubt.

    You can also check your Microsoft account at https://account.microsoft.com/.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.