Microsoft OneDrive onedrive.live.com How to delete a OneDrive account
OneDrive runs on your Microsoft account, so deleting it means closing that account. Sign in on Microsoft's closure page, tick the checklist, pick a 30 or 60 day reopen window and mark it for closure. Back up your files first.
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- onedrive.live.com
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- Delete an account
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Step by step
- 1
Back up your files
Closing the account removes access to OneDrive, Outlook, Xbox, Skype and other Microsoft services. Download or move anything you need first.
- 2
Sign in to the right account
Go to Microsoft's account closure page from the How to close your Microsoft account help article and sign in. If you can't sign in, Microsoft points you to its sign-in helper.
- 3
Confirm it's the right account
Check the account shown is the one you want to close.
- 4
Go through the checklist
Read and tick the list of consequences Microsoft shows.
- 5
Choose 30 or 60 days
Pick how long the account stays recoverable before it's permanently closed.
- 6
Select a reason and mark for closure
Choose a reason, then select the button to mark the account for closure.
Watch out for
- Your email and contacts are deleted from Microsoft's servers and can't be recovered, and Xbox, Skype and OneDrive stop working.
- You lose access to any saved BitLocker recovery keys.
- You can cancel during the reopen period by signing in again. After it ends, Microsoft deletes your data.
- If you reset all your sign-in verification details, you must wait 60 days before closing the account.
- The same closure process applies to accounts in Australia.
What stays out there
Closing your Microsoft account ends your data at Microsoft. It doesn't touch listings elsewhere. A public email address from the account, if it's tied to your real name, can appear in breach databases and on people-search sites long after the account is gone.
Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them.
Frequently asked
Can I delete OneDrive without closing my Microsoft account?
Microsoft's closure process applies to the whole account, and OneDrive stops working when it closes. OneDrive has no separate account of its own.
How long can I undo closing my Microsoft account?
You pick 30 or 60 days during the process, and signing in again during that time cancels the closure.
What happens to my OneDrive files?
After the closure and reopen period, Microsoft deletes your data and content. Back up first.
What if I can't sign in?
Microsoft's help article points you to its sign-in helper first.
Sources
Related guide Guide: How to Delete Yourself from the Internet Something changed? If these steps no longer match what you see, tell us and we'll re-check it.
