microsoft account breach

Tomi Mitchell 0 Reputation points
2026-09-27T20:05:25.05+00:00

I believe my previous microsoft account has been breached and don't know what to do. I received a notification on my secondary email saying my security info is pending replacement with a new email on 9/22. Now when i try to login using primary email it tells me that no account exists with it, and also will not let me create a microsoft account with the same email. Is it too late for me to save this account?

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy
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  1. Norah-L 11,245 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-28T06:43:32.4533333+00:00

    Hello Tomi Mitchell,

    The pending replacement notice means the security information was changed, while the “account does not exist” message may indicate that the original email is no longer recognized as the sign-in name.

    Suggestions to try:

    1. Open the security-change notification sent to your secondary email. Make sure it is genuinely from Microsoft, then use the option indicating that you did not request the change.
    2. Try the Microsoft account Security page. If you see “Security info change is still pending,” select let us know near the bottom and follow the prompts. More details are available here: Security info change is still pending.
    3. If the original email is not recognized, use the Microsoft account Sign-in Helper. You can also try looking up the Microsoft account username.
    4. If directed to recovery, follow the account recovery form guidance.

    Also change the password for the secondary email and enable two-step verification. Do not create another account using the same address, as that will not restore the original account. See recovering a hacked Microsoft account for additional steps.

    Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes or if you need more assistance!

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  2. Hornblower409 15,815 Reputation points
    2026-09-28T06:43:05.0233333+00:00

    [Removed by author. Answer from Norah is better for this situation]

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