Microsoft account suddenly says it does not exist after security info change

Hadyn van der Berg 0 Reputation points
2026-09-02T16:23:09.1466667+00:00

My son’s Microsoft account was [Moderator Note: Personal Info Removed]@gmail.com and was working normally on 1 September 2026.

At 12:25 Microsoft sent a single-use code. At 12:27 we received an email saying a passkey was deleted. At 12:28 we received another saying an identity verification app was added. It is an old Windows 10 laptop and, as far as we know, there is no authenticator app installed on it.

Since then, when we try to sign in, Microsoft says: “We couldn't find an account with that username.”

The Microsoft account recovery form gives: “The Microsoft account you've entered does not exist.”

However, Windows 10 Settings and Microsoft Store on his existing PC still show the same Gmail address as his Microsoft account.

We believe he probably triggered some of the security changes himself while trying to get Minecraft working, but he does not remember exactly what he changed.

Microsoft’s support pages suggest cancelling security-info changes from the Security page, but that requires signing in first, which we cannot do because Microsoft no longer recognises the username.

He has a Minecraft Java account linked to this Microsoft account. The Microsoft account has existed since 2021 and was working until yesterday.

I cannot find any alternative recovery email details in his inbox.

Calling Microsoft redirects us to the website. The website requires sign-in, and we end up back at the same problem: Microsoft says the email address is not associated with an account.

How can we identify the account’s current username/alias, or recover access to the existing Microsoft account?

Please help.

Thanks

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For home | Windows
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  1. Xavier-D 12,485 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-04T06:46:03.54+00:00

    Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.  

    Hello Hadyn van der Berg,

    I can see that you are having issue with your son Microsoft account

    Since the recovery form rejects the Gmail address before allowing you to provide any account information, repeating the recovery form will not help until the account’s current sign-in username is identified.

    Please try Microsoft’s Forgotten username lookup using any phone number or recovery email that may previously have been added to the account:

    Look up a forgotten Microsoft account username

    After verifying the security contact, Microsoft may display a masked hint of the account’s current username. If a different Outlook, Hotmail, or other alias appears, try signing in with that address.

    If the lookup does not identify the account, use the dedicated page below:

    My username and password have stopped working

    On that page, select Contact support under the section for “We couldn't find an account with that username.” When contacting support, explain that the original Gmail username stopped being recognised immediately after the passkey and verification-app notifications, and that the recovery form cannot be submitted because it says the account does not exist.

    The address still displayed in Windows or Microsoft Store may be saved from the previous sign-in, so it does not necessarily confirm that the Gmail address remains the account’s current sign-in alias.

    Community members cannot view the account’s current aliases or make account changes. Microsoft Support must validate ownership before providing account-specific assistance, and they may not be able to disclose or manually change account details without successful verification.

    I hope the username lookup or the dedicated contact route helps you get the case reviewed properly.

    Feel free reply back to this post if you need further assistance, I'll be happy to help.

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  2. Hadyn van der Berg 0 Reputation points
    2026-09-02T19:54:03.4366667+00:00

    this AI answer doesn't really help . Many of the suggested steps don't align with what I see.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-09-02T16:23:33.27+00:00

    The most likely explanation is that the original Gmail sign-in alias is no longer attached to the Microsoft account. That matches Microsoft’s "We couldn't find an account with that username" / "account doesn't exist" behavior.

    What can be done:

    1. Check whether the Gmail address is still a Microsoft account
      • Go to the Microsoft account sign-in page and enter the Gmail address.
      • If a password prompt appears, the address is still a Microsoft account.
      • If the message says the account does not exist, that address is not currently recognized as a Microsoft account sign-in.
    2. Try to identify the current username from devices and apps that are still signed in
      • On the existing Windows 10/11 device: Start > Settings > Accounts and check Email & app accounts for usernames associated with the device.
      • In an Office app such as Word or Excel: File > Account and look under Product Information for Belongs to.
      • Check all email inboxes for Microsoft receipts or messages tied to the account.
      • If an alternate email address was ever added, try signing in with that address.
    3. If the account still exists under another alias and the password is known
      • Sign in to Advanced security options.
      • Select Add a new way to sign in or verify.
      • Confirm the new email or phone with the security code.
      • Remove the security method that was added and is no longer trusted.
      • Do not replace all security info at once; that can restrict the account for 30 days.
    4. If the password is known but all security info is lost
      • Start sign-in.
      • At Verify your identity, select I don't have any of these.
      • Follow the prompts to replace security info.
      • After replacement, there is a 30-day wait before sign-in is allowed.
      • If the old security info is found during that period, using it to sign in cancels the update.
    5. If the password is not known and no security info is accessible
      • Use the account recovery form and provide as much detail as possible.
      • Complete it from a device previously used to sign in and from a familiar location such as home, if possible.
      • Gather saved passwords from Microsoft Edge, Windows Web Credentials, Chrome, or Apple Keychain if relevant before submitting.

    Important limits in this scenario:

    • If two-step verification was turned on and none of the alternate verification methods are accessible, Microsoft states support agents cannot send password reset links or change account details.
    • Microsoft Support advocates cannot provide account information without proper validation.
    • If the original alias was removed or replaced, recovery can be very difficult, and community guidance indicates the account may become unrecoverable.
    • If all security info was replaced, the account can enter a restricted state for 30 days.

    Given the details provided, the practical path is:

    1. Use the still-signed-in Windows device to look for any different username/alias under Settings > Accounts > Email & app accounts.
    2. Check Office apps and inboxes for another associated address.
    3. If a current alias is found, try sign-in with that alias.
    4. If sign-in reaches identity verification, use I don't have any of these if necessary.
    5. If no current alias can be found, use the Sign-in Helper and the account recovery form.
    6. If support is reached, expect that they can guide the process but cannot manually reset or reveal the account details.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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