Recovering Email for my Mom

Hey there! Nice to meet you!

You mentioned that your mother has not signed in to her email account for several years, I'm afraid her account may have already been deleted/closed due to inactivity.

As stated by Microsoft, accounts that have not been signed in or have been locked for more than 2 years will be deleted due to inactivity, and they can no longer be recovered: https://support.microsoft.com/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Darhyl

For an old Outlook/Hotmail Microsoft account where the phone number and most details have changed, the only supported options are the standard password reset flow and the Microsoft account recovery form. If those fail, there is no alternate manual override.

Use these steps end to end with your mom:

1. Try standard password reset again
   1. Go to the Recover your account page: Recover your account.
   2. Enter the exact email address (including the correct domain such as .com, .co.uk, etc.). If there are similar aliases (for example, spelling variants), try each one. Tips from the guidance:
      • Ensure the domain is correct for Hotmail/Outlook/Live (for example, @hotmail.com vs @hotmail.co.uk).
      • Double‑check spelling of the name part (for example, rachel vs rachael).
   3. If the email is recognized, choose where to get a security code (email, phone, etc.), enter the requested info, then:
      • Select Send code.
      • Enter the code in Verify your identity.
      • Set a New password and confirm it.
2. If the reset options (phone/email) no longer work If the listed verification options are old phone numbers or emails your mom cannot access, or if the reset flow fails, use the Microsoft account recovery form. Before filling it out:
   • Make sure there is a working email address you can access now (yours or hers). This is only used so Microsoft can send the result of the recovery request.
   • Use a device and internet connection your mom has used before to sign in to this account, if possible.
3. Fill out the Microsoft account recovery form as completely as possible The form is the only way to prove ownership when normal reset methods are unavailable. To improve the chances:
   • Use the guidance in Help with the Microsoft account recovery form:
     • Answer every question you can, as thoroughly as possible.
     • If unsure, it is acceptable to guess; wrong answers do not count against the request.
     • When the form allows “add more,” provide as much detail as possible.
   • Prepare information about services your mom used with this account:
     • For Outlook/Hotmail:
       • Exact subject lines of emails she sent or received.
       • Email addresses of frequent contacts (family, friends, doctors, banks, etc.).
       • Folder names she created.
     • Old passwords she might have used for this account.
     • Any SkypeID or Xbox console details if she used those with the same Microsoft account.
4. After submitting the recovery form
   • Microsoft will send the result to the working email address provided, usually within 24 hours.
   • If the result says “We could not verify your account”:
     • It is allowed to keep trying, up to two times per day.
     • Wait out any lockout periods (for example, after too many attempts) before trying again.
     • On the next attempt, add more or more accurate information if possible.
   • If the result says “We verified your account”:
     • Instructions to sign back in will be sent to that same working email.
5. If all recovery attempts fail
   • For personal Microsoft accounts, support agents and moderators cannot send password reset links or change account details manually.
   • If the recovery form repeatedly fails even after detailed attempts, there is no additional method to regain access; in that case, the practical next step is to create a new Microsoft account and update her contact email everywhere it was used.

Once access is restored, immediately review and update security settings (alternate email, phone, and sign‑in methods) to make future recovery easier.

References:

• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• My username and password have stopped working
• Can't sign in to my email - Microsoft Q&A
• My account got hacked - Microsoft Q&A
• Locked out of my Outlook account and recovery options not working - Microsoft Q&A
• My personal hotmail account hacked by hacker with authentication app enabled. - Microsoft Q&A
• How do I send an email to Microsoft about my account being hacked and taken over by <removed> ? - Microsoft Q&A