How to Delete an Outlook Account (and What You Lose)

An old Hotmail or Outlook.com address can hang around for years, collecting spam and password reset emails for sites you forgot existed. Deleting it feels like a tidy move. Microsoft makes it possible, but there's no separate delete button for the mailbox: the email address is part of your whole Microsoft account, so closing one closes the other.

That's a much bigger decision if the same login runs your Xbox, your OneDrive files or the Microsoft apps you use for work. Below I'll show the closing steps as Microsoft describes them, the waiting period built in, and the far lighter option of just removing the account from the Outlook app.

Closing Outlook.com means closing your Microsoft account

Microsoft's help is clear: to permanently close your Outlook.com email account, you need to close your Microsoft account. When it's closed, Microsoft says your email and contacts are deleted from its servers and can't be recovered.

You also lose access to other Microsoft services you use with that login, such as Xbox, Skype or OneDrive, and any saved BitLocker recovery keys. If you've ever encrypted a laptop drive with BitLocker, find and save that key somewhere else before you go any further.

Getting ready to delete your Outlook account

• Download or move anything you want to keep from OneDrive and your inbox.
• Note down or export the contacts you need.
• Change the login email on websites, apps and online accounts that use this address.
• Tell clients, suppliers and friends your new address.
• Find any BitLocker recovery keys saved to the account.
• Make sure you can sign in, because Microsoft says you need to sign in to close it.

For a few weeks before closing, it helps to send new mail somewhere you'll see it. My guide to forwarding emails in Outlook covers passing messages on, and an automatic reply in Outlook is a polite way to tell people your new address.

Deleting an Outlook.com account step by step

1. Open Microsoft's Close account page from the help article and sign in. Follow any prompts to confirm it's you.
2. Check that the account shown is the one you want to close, then select Next.
3. Read the list of what you'll lose and tick each checkbox to confirm you understand.
4. Choose how long you'd like to be able to reopen it: 30 or 60 days.
5. Pick a reason from the Select a reason list.
6. Select Mark account for closure.

The Outlook account reopen window explained

Marking the account for closure doesn't wipe it straight away. You get the reopen window you chose, 30 or 60 days. Microsoft says you can cancel the closure by signing in again during that period. Once the window passes, Microsoft deletes your data and content.

So don't sign in to that account out of habit during the waiting period, or you'll undo your decision. If you use a password manager or a phone that signs in automatically, remove the account from those first.

Why Outlook might make you wait before closing

Microsoft adds a safety catch: if you've reset all your sign-in verification details, you must wait 60 days before you can close the account. It's there to stop someone who's taken over an account from deleting it. And if your account has been hacked, Microsoft says to recover it first rather than trying to close it.

Removing an Outlook account from your phone instead

Often, people searching for this just want an account off their phone, not deleted for good. In the Outlook mobile app, Microsoft's steps are:

1. Open Settings, then Accounts.
2. Select the email account you want to take off.
3. Tap Remove Account.

That removes the account from the app only. The mailbox and everything in it stay safe online, and you can add it back whenever you like. On a computer, Outlook also lets you remove an account from the app itself, though menus vary by version.

What you want	What to do	Reversible?
Stop seeing an account in the Outlook app	Remove Account in the app settings	Yes, add it back any time
Delete the Outlook.com address for good	Close the whole Microsoft account	Only within the 30 or 60 day window
Leave a work or school mailbox	Speak to your organisation's admin	Up to your organisation

Work and school Outlook accounts

If your Outlook address belongs to an employer, college or a client, you can't close it yourself through the personal steps. The organisation controls it, so ask whoever manages its Microsoft setup. If you're a small business owner who set up your team's Microsoft accounts yourself, that person may well be you.

Alternatives to deleting your Outlook account

If the real problem is spam or a nuisance sender, closing the whole account is overkill. Blocking, rules and a password change often sort things out. If you're worried someone else has been in your account, changing your Outlook password is the first step to take back control.

Frequently asked questions

Can I delete just my Outlook.com email and keep my Microsoft account?

No. Microsoft says that to permanently close your Outlook.com email account, you need to close your Microsoft account.

How long does it take to delete an Outlook account?

You choose a reopen window of 30 or 60 days when you mark it for closure. After that, Microsoft deletes your data and content.

Can I get my Outlook account back after closing it?

Microsoft says you can cancel the closure by signing in again during the reopen period. After it ends, your email and contacts can't be recovered.

Why is there a 60 day wait to close my account?

Microsoft says that if you've reset all your sign-in verification details, you must wait 60 days before closing your account.

How do I remove an Outlook account from my phone without deleting it?

In the Outlook app, open Settings, then Accounts, select the account and tap Remove Account.