What happens when you close a Microsoft account

Closing a Microsoft account removes your access to Outlook email, OneDrive cloud storage, Microsoft 365 subscriptions, Xbox Live, and any other services tied to that account. Microsoft keeps your data for 90 days after closure in case you change your mind, then deletes it permanently. If you use the same email address for other services — banking, social media, work — those accounts stay open; closing your Microsoft account does not affect them.

Before you start, understand what you will lose access to when ready. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription (Office, Word, Excel), you lose the ability to edit documents once the account closes. If you use OneDrive, you can no longer access files stored there unless you have downloaded them elsewhere. If you have an Xbox account linked to your Microsoft account, your game library and achievements remain tied to that closed account and cannot be transferred.

The closure process takes a few minutes, but the real work happens before you click the final button. You need to read or back up anything you want to keep, cancel any paid subscriptions, and make sure no other accounts depend on this Microsoft email address for password recovery.

Key Takeaways

  • read your OneDrive files and export your Outlook contacts and calendar before you close the account, because you will lose access to them when ready after.
  • Cancel any Microsoft 365 subscriptions or other paid services linked to the account before closure, or you may continue to be charged.
  • Check whether other accounts use this Microsoft email for password recovery or two-factor authentication, and update them to a different email first.
  • The actual closure happens on the Microsoft account security page, where you confirm your identity and choose a reason for leaving.
  • Microsoft holds your data for 90 days; if you change your mind, you can request reactivation within that window.

Back up your files and email before you start

OneDrive files disappear the moment your account closes. Open OneDrive.com, sign in, and read everything you need to keep. If you have hundreds of files, select them in batches — OneDrive will compress them into a .zip file. For a full backup, select all files, right-click, and choose read. This can take several minutes depending on file size.

For Outlook email, you have two options. If you want to keep a copy of your messages, open Outlook.com, go to Settings (the gear icon), select Mail, then Forwarding, and forward all incoming mail to a different email address you control — but do this before you close the account. If you want a complete archive of old messages, use the Outlook desktop process or a third-party tool like Thunderbird to read messages before closure. Once the account closes, you cannot access Outlook.com to retrieve old emails.

Export your contacts and calendar as well. In Outlook.com, go to People, select all contacts, and look for an export option (this varies by region). For your calendar, go to Settings, select Calendar, and export to a .ics file. These steps take five minutes and save you from losing years of contact information.

Cancel subscriptions and remove payment methods

If you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription, cancel it before closing the account. Go to account.microsoft.com, select Subscriptions, find Microsoft 365, and choose Cancel Subscription. If you cancel after the closure, Microsoft may still charge you because the account technically exists for 90 days. You will not get a refund for unused time, but cancelling stops future charges.

Check for other paid services: Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft Store purchases, or cloud storage upgrades. Each one needs to be cancelled separately. Go to your account settings, find Subscriptions, and review the full list. Remove any payment methods you no longer want associated with this account — go to Payment Options and delete credit cards or other payment details.

If you have an Xbox account linked to your Microsoft account, sign in to Xbox.com, go to your profile, and check whether you have active Game Pass or other subscriptions. Cancel those before you close the Microsoft account, or you may continue to be charged even though you cannot access the service.

Update other accounts that use this email

Before closure, search your email for password reset links from other services. Look for emails from your bank, email providers, social media accounts, work systems, or any other service that might use this Microsoft email for account recovery. For each one, sign in and change the recovery email to a different address you control.

This step matters most for accounts where you have forgotten the password. If your Microsoft email is the only way to recover your password and the account closes, you will be locked out. Check your most important accounts first: banking, work email, primary email provider, and social media. For each, go to Settings or Security, find the recovery email field, and update it.

If you use this Microsoft email for two-factor authentication on other accounts, update those as well. Two-factor authentication usually sends a code to your email; if that email closes, you may not be able to sign in even if you know the password. Update the recovery method to a phone number or a different email address.

Start the closure process on the Microsoft account security page

Go to account.microsoft.com/security and sign in. Look for the "More security options" or "Advanced security settings" section — the exact wording varies. You should see an option to close your account. Click it.

Microsoft will ask you to confirm your identity. You may need to enter a code sent to your phone or a backup email. This is a security step to prevent someone else from closing your account without permission. Complete the verification.

Next, you will see a form asking why you are closing the account. The options usually include "I have a different Microsoft account," "I no longer use this account," or "I have privacy concerns." Choose the reason that fits. This information helps Microsoft understand why people leave, but your choice does not affect the closure itself.

Review what you are about to lose

Before you confirm, Microsoft shows you a list of services and data tied to the account. Read through it carefully. You will see your Outlook email address, OneDrive storage, Xbox account (if linked), Microsoft 365 subscriptions, and any other connected services. This is your final note to back out if you realize you forgot something.

If you see something you did not expect — a subscription you forgot about, or a service you still use — stop here and cancel the closure. You can always come back and close the account later once you have sorted those out. The closure is permanent after 90 days, so there is no rush.

Once you confirm, your account enters a 90-day grace period. You can still sign in during this time if you change your mind. After 90 days, Microsoft deletes all your data permanently and the account cannot be recovered.

What to do if you change your mind within 90 days

If you close your account and then realize you made a mistake, you have 90 days to reactivate it. Sign in to account.microsoft.com with your email and password. If the account is still in the grace period, you will see an option to reactivate. Click it, and your account, email, files, and settings return to normal.

After 90 days, reactivation is no longer possible. Your email address may become available for someone else to use, though Microsoft usually holds it longer. If you think you might want the account back, do not close it — instead, just stop using it. An inactive account takes up no space and costs nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I close my Microsoft account without losing my Outlook email?

No. Closing your Microsoft account closes your Outlook email permanently. If you want to keep using that email address, do not close the account. If you want a different email provider, set up a new account elsewhere and forward your Outlook mail to it before you close.

What happens to my Xbox account when I close my Microsoft account?

Your Xbox account stays linked to the closed Microsoft account. You cannot sign in to Xbox Live or access your games, but your account and game library are not deleted. If you reactivate the Microsoft account within 90 days, your Xbox access returns.

Will closing my Microsoft account affect my Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer?

If you use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows, closing the account does not when ready lock you out of your computer. However, you will not be able to sign in with that account again. Create a local Windows account or a different Microsoft account before closure if you want to keep using the computer.

Can I reuse my email address after I close my Microsoft account?

Not when ready. Microsoft holds the email address for at least 90 days after closure. After that period, the address may become available, but Microsoft does not may provide when or whether it will be released for reuse.

What if I have a Microsoft account through my work or school?

Work and school accounts are managed by your organization, not by you. You cannot close them through the standard Microsoft process. Contact your IT department or school administrator to request account closure. They control when and how the account is removed.