Microsoft (Hotmail / Outlook.com) account.microsoft.com How to delete your Hotmail account
Hotmail is a Microsoft account, so you close the Microsoft account. Sign in, open Microsoft's account closure page, tick the boxes, pick a 30 or 60 day wait and a reason, then mark the account for closure. Microsoft deletes the data once that window ends.
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- account.microsoft.com
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- Delete an account
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Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This guide shows the free way to do it yourself.
Step by step
- 1
Sign in to the account you want to close
You need to be able to sign in. If you can't, use Microsoft's sign-in helper first. A Hotmail address, an Outlook.com address and the Microsoft account behind them are the same thing.
- 2
Open Microsoft's closure page
Go to Microsoft's How to close your Microsoft account article and follow its link to the closure page. Sign in again if asked.
- 3
Check it's the right account
The page shows which Microsoft account you're closing. Check it, then select Next.
- 4
Read the list and tick each box
Microsoft lists what you lose when the account closes. Tick the box next to each item to confirm you've read it.
- 5
Pick how long you can change your mind
Choose a 30 or 60 day period. During it, signing back in cancels the closure.
- 6
Give a reason and mark the account for closure
Select a reason from the list, then confirm. Once the period ends, Microsoft deletes your data and content.
Watch out for
- Closing the account also ends access to other Microsoft consumer services tied to it, including Outlook.com, OneDrive and Windows sign-in.
- Signing in during the 30 or 60 days reopens the account. Don't open the mailbox or an app signed in to it until the period is over.
- If you recently reset your security info because you forgot your details, Microsoft says you may have to wait 60 days before you can close the account.
- Cancel active subscriptions first, and save anything you want to keep: emails, OneDrive files and contacts.
Sources checked: support.microsoft.com, account.microsoft.com
Last verified against the official page:
What stays out there
Closing an account stops new data piling up at Microsoft. It doesn't reach copies that data brokers, people-search sites and old search results already hold, such as a public profile or an email address that was scraped or sold on.
Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them. See the data broker opt-out guides for the sites that matter most where you live.
Frequently asked
Is deleting a Hotmail account the same as closing a Microsoft account?
Yes. Hotmail addresses are Microsoft accounts, so closing the Microsoft account is how you delete the Hotmail mailbox.
Can I get my Hotmail account back after deleting it?
Only during the 30 or 60 day period you chose. Sign in during that window to cancel the closure. After it ends, Microsoft deletes the data.
What happens to my emails?
They're deleted with the account once the waiting period ends. Download or forward anything you need before you start.
Can I keep Outlook.com but remove Hotmail?
The closure page closes the whole Microsoft account, including every Microsoft service on it. It doesn't remove just one address.
Sources
Related guide How to delete yourself and your information from the internet 
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