Option to "make primary" alias not visible in the edit account info page

FuzzyBunny-2449 5

I need to change the primary address (or alias, whatever you want to call it) for my microsoft account to another address. I already added the new address that I want to make the primary, but the option to actually do that isn't visible.

the current primary email is a verizon and the one I need to make primary is gmail. neither have ever been associated with another microsoft account before. I tried on two other browsers and both didn't work either. The new address I just added works to sign in fine, I tried that too so that's not the problem.

Here's what it looks like:

Screenshot 2026-08-08 001355

I changed the primary before a couple of months ago with a different microsoft account and it worked fine (the option was there) but I checked that microsoft account as well today to see if something was different between the two, and that second account doesn't have the option available either! (even though it did a few months back)

Ahmed Ali Khan Lodhi 0 Reputation points

2026-08-09T08:35:35.8266667+00:00
if the Gmail alias is already added and works for signing in, the issue is probably not the alias itself.

Microsoft has changed the account-management UI over time, and the “Make primary” option can disappear depending on the type/status of the alias or Microsoft’s current account UI.

A few things to check:

Go directly to Your Microsoft account → Your info → Account info / Sign-in preferences, rather than trying to change it from the profile page.

Look under Manage how you sign in and confirm the Gmail address is listed as an alias.

Make sure the Gmail address is verified.

Check whether the Verizon address has any special status. In particular, Microsoft can restrict changing/removing certain aliases depending on how the account was originally created.

Try Microsoft’s account page while signed into the Gmail alias, not the Verizon address.

If “Make primary” is completely absent for multiple aliases, it may be a current Microsoft-side UI/account restriction rather than something wrong with your browser.

One important distinction: adding Gmail as an alias does not automatically make it the account’s primary address. The primary alias is still controlled separately.
Hayley Dodd 0 Reputation points

2026-08-11T06:39:49.95+00:00

For the past week someone has been attempting to hack into my account upwards of 10 times a day. Have followed all the steps to make my account more secure, last step was creating a new alias and making it the primary one. Encountered the same issue as OP, jumped on live chat, and this was the response from MS.

IMO unacceptable for MS to direct their customers to part ways with their original accounts altogether and create new ones.

7 answers

Hornblower409 15,070 Reputation points

2026-08-11T09:02:09.7366667+00:00

[2026-08-13 - Removed by Author]
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Hornblower409 15,070 Reputation points

2026-08-13T22:39:22.0166667+00:00

[Update 2026-08-13] - "Make Primary" button has been restored at https://account.live.com/names/manage
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Option to "make primary" alias not visible in the edit account info page

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