Recovery of a 10+ years old e-mail

Aleksa Radivojević 0 Reputation points
2026-09-10T20:13:54.5333333+00:00

So I have a really old e-mail that was made 10/10+ years ago, I remember the email but I can't remember my password nor do I remember details that I put when I made it, I was a kid back then I didn't put my real birth date etc. When I try to recover it, a code is being sent to another e-mail address that ends @yahoo.com which I also can't remember or maybe it got hacked and changed- is there any way that Microsoft can recover this e-mail? I've tried submitting the form but I get denied every time since the details that are being asked of me are like 10+ years old and I simply can't figure out how to recover it.. Help please!!!!! its ending on @live.com..

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy
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  1. John Jefferson Doyon 86,980 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-10T21:00:00.2066667+00:00

    Hi, @Aleksa Radivojević

    This forum is public, no one from here has access to your Microsoft account.

    May I know when was the last time you were able to access that Microsoft account?

    I ask because Microsoft may permanently close accounts that haven’t been used for over 2 years. Microsoft’s account activity policy is here: https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/manage/microsoft-account-activity-policy

    Also, please try searching for the account using these steps from Microsoft: https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/forgotten-your-microsoft-account-username-b2049472-3b8f-27d3-61c6-67a668453f4c Click on "Search" and follow the instructions provided.

    If you receive any error messages, such as “account doesn’t exist” or anything else, please let me know.


    Click "Add comment" to let me know.

    Thanks!

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-10T20:14:12.5633333+00:00

    If the account is sending verification to an old Yahoo address that is no longer accessible, recovery is limited to the standard Microsoft account recovery process.

    1. Try the Sign-in Helper first: Sign-in Helper.
    2. If the account has not enabled two-step verification and the listed verification options are not recognized, use the Microsoft account recovery form.
    3. When completing the recovery form, provide as much information as possible. Wrong guesses do not count against the request. For older Outlook.com/Hotmail/Live accounts, useful details can include:
      • exact email subject lines
      • names of contacts
      • old passwords that may have been used
      • older sign-up details that may no longer match current information
      • the correct account domain, including country-specific variants if applicable
    4. A working email address is required so Microsoft can respond about the recovery request.
    5. Microsoft reviews the answers and responds within 24 hours.

    Important limits:

    • If two-step verification is turned on and none of the alternate verification methods are accessible, support agents cannot send password reset links or change account details.
    • Microsoft support advocates cannot provide account information without proper validation.
    • If the recovery form keeps being denied, there is no alternate manual recovery path in the provided guidance that bypasses account verification.

    If the username itself is not recognized, try any other email alias or phone number that may have been on the account, and verify the domain carefully, such as .com versus country-specific domains.

    If the account still cannot be recovered, the remaining option in the provided guidance is to contact support, but support cannot bypass account validation or directly restore access.


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

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