Deleting an Outlook account removes your email, calendar, and contacts permanently

When you delete an Outlook account, Microsoft removes your email inbox, sent items, calendar, contacts, and OneDrive files tied to that account. The deletion is permanent — you cannot recover the account or its contents after 60 days. If you use Outlook for work through your employer or school, you cannot delete it yourself; your IT department or administrator must do it.

Before you delete, read or back up anything you need to keep. Export your contacts, save important emails, and move any files from OneDrive to another storage service. Once you start the deletion process, you have 60 days to change your mind. After 60 days, everything is gone.

Key Takeaways

  • Deletion is permanent after 60 days, so back up your emails, contacts, and OneDrive files before you start.
  • You delete an Outlook account through your Microsoft account settings, not through the Outlook app itself.
  • Work or school accounts cannot be deleted by you — contact your IT department or administrator instead.
  • You have 60 days to change your mind and restore the account if you delete it by mistake.
  • Deleting the account does not delete your Microsoft account; it only removes the Outlook email service.

Back up your data before deletion

Export your Outlook contacts to a file you can open in another email service or spreadsheet. Go to outlook.com, select the grid icon in the top left, choose People, then select all your contacts. Click the three dots menu and choose Export. Save the file to your computer.

For emails you want to keep, use the search box to find messages by sender, date, or keyword. Select them and move them to a folder, then read that folder as a .pst file. In Outlook on the web, right-click the folder and choose read. If you use the Outlook desktop app, go to File, then Open & Export, then Import/Export, and choose Export to a File.

Move any files stored in OneDrive to Google Drive, Dropbox, or another service. Sign in to OneDrive.com, select the files you need, and use the read button to save them to your computer. Then upload them to your new storage service.

Delete your account through Microsoft account settings

Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with your Outlook email and password. Click Your Info in the left menu, then scroll down and click Manage Your Microsoft Account. Select Security in the left menu, then scroll to Advanced Security Options and click More Security Options.

Scroll down to the section titled Close Your Account. Click Close Your Account. Microsoft will ask you to confirm your password and may ask security questions. Answer them and click Next. On the next page, review what will be deleted — your email, calendar, contacts, OneDrive files, and any subscriptions tied to the account.

Check the box that says I Understand That My Account and Associated Data Will Be Deleted. Click Mark Account for Deletion. Your account is now marked for deletion but not yet gone. You have 60 days to sign back in and cancel the deletion if you change your mind.

What happens during the 60-day waiting period

For the first 60 days after you mark your account for deletion, you can still sign in and restore it. Your email address becomes unavailable to others during this time, so no one else can create a new account with that address. After 60 days, the deletion is final and cannot be reversed.

If you change your mind, sign in to your Microsoft account before the 60 days end. Go to account.microsoft.com, sign in, and look for a notification about your pending deletion. Click the option to cancel the deletion. Your account, emails, and files will be restored.

Work and school accounts require administrator approval

If your Outlook account is through your employer, school, or organization, you cannot delete it yourself. These accounts are managed by your IT department or system administrator. Contact them and request account deletion. They will handle the removal and may have their own process or waiting period.

Do not try to delete a work or school account through your personal Microsoft settings. The deletion request will fail because the account is not under your control. Your administrator must approve and process the deletion.

Alternatives to full deletion

If you do not want to use Outlook but want to keep the account, you can stop checking it instead. Sign out of the Outlook app on your phone and computer. You can always sign back in later if you need to access old emails or recover files.

You can also create a new Outlook email address and forward your old address to it. Go to outlook.com, click Settings, then Mail, then Forwarding. Enter your new email address and choose whether to keep a copy of forwarded messages. This way, emails sent to your old address still reach you without keeping the old account active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete my Outlook account but keep my Microsoft account?

Yes. Deleting your Outlook email account does not delete your Microsoft account. You can still use your Microsoft account to sign in to other services like OneDrive, Xbox, or Windows. Only the Outlook email service is removed.

What happens to emails people send me after I delete my account?

Emails sent to your Outlook address after deletion will bounce back to the sender with a message that the account does not exist. After 60 days, your email address becomes available for someone else to use, so new emails could reach a different person.

Can I recover my emails after the 60-day deletion period ends?

No. After 60 days, your emails, contacts, calendar, and OneDrive files are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. This is why backing up important data before you start deletion is essential.

Do I need to delete my Outlook account to stop using it?

No. You can straightforward stop using it. Sign out of the Outlook app on your devices and do not check the email. If you want new emails to reach a different address, set up forwarding instead of deleting the account entirely.

What if I forgot my password and cannot sign in to delete my account?

Go to account.microsoft.com and click Can't Access Your Account. Follow the steps to verify your identity using a recovery email or phone number. Once you regain access, you can proceed with deletion through your account settings.