How to Delete Your Hotmail Account Permanently (Fast & Updated Guide)

How to Permanently Delete Your Hotmail Account

Many users look for a clear way to permanently delete their Hotmail account, but the process can be confusing without clear guidance.

The following are the steps to delete your Hotmail account permanently. The first point to comprehend is that deactivating a Hotmail account is equivalent to deactivating your Microsoft account, since all Hotmail accounts are now a part of the Microsoft ecosystem in Outlook.com.

After you delete your Hotmail account, you lose access to your mail and all Microsoft services linked to the account.

Before You Delete Your Hotmail Account – Important Things to Know

Image Credit: Hotmail.com

It is important to know what will happen if I delete my Hotmail account. When you start, your account is deactivated after a 30 to 60-day grace period and permanently removed by Microsoft.

What You Will Lose:

• The mailbox, drafts, and archived mail of all Outlook/Hotmail accounts.
• Xbox, OneDrive, Skype, and Teams access with all associated data.
• Makes purchases and digital content at the Microsoft Store.
• Office applications that are a part of Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

After the grace period, recovery of the permanent account is no longer possible.

Note: It is good to make a full backup before deleting important emails and files in case they are lost forever. If you’re facing issues like Hotmail Email Not Working on iPhone, try checking the internet connection or restarting your device.

How to Back Up Your Hotmail Emails (Recommended Before Deletion)

Before deleting your Hotmail account, back up your data to avoid permanent loss or follow a guide on how to transfer Hotmail to Gmail safely.

Method 1: Export Emails via Outlook (PST File)

• Open Microsoft Outlook with your Hotmail account configured
• Go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export
• Select Export to a file and choose Outlook Data File (.pst)
• Select folders to export and choose a local destination

Method 2: Forward Important Emails

Selectively preserve critical email communications manually forwarded to another active email account without the presence of huge backup files.

Method 3: Download OneDrive Data

Open your OneDrive account and follow Microsoft’s official steps to download files from OneDrive before deleting your Hotmail account.

How to Delete Your Hotmail Account (Step-by-Step on Web)

This core section explains how to delete a Hotmail account through Microsoft’s official Microsoft account closure page. If you forget your password or cannot sign in, use the Hotmail password reset option to regain access.

Step 1: Sign In

Visit outlook.com or account.microsoft.com and sign in with your Hotmail credentials. Complete two-factor authentication if enabled.

Step 2: Navigate to Account Closure Page

Click your profile picture > My Microsoft Account > Your Info tab > Account Info > Close Account.

Step 3: Verify Identity

Enter a security code sent to your registered phone number via SMS or via the Microsoft Authenticator app.

Step 4: Check Confirmation Boxes

Acknowledge consequences, including subscription cancellation, loss of OneDrive files, Xbox data, Microsoft Store access, and no refunds.

Step 5: Set Recovery Period

Select between a 30-day recovery period or a 60-day recovery period. At this period, you are still able to sign in to reactivate your account.

Step 6: Confirm Closure

Choose a reason to close one of the dropdowns and select Mark Account to be Closed. Your account has been marked as permanently deleted.

How to Permanently Delete a Hotmail Account Before 60 Days

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The normal deletion time is 30 to 60 days. To permanently delete the Hotmail account, speed up the process manually by:

• Deleting all personal information, e-mails, contacts, and calendar entries.
• Removing the history of saved payment methods in the account settings.
• Unlinking Xbox, Skype, Microsoft 365, and third-party authentication services.
• Terminating all existing subscriptions.

These steps do not reduce waiting time but remove the individual’s personal information from Microsoft’s servers.

How to Delete a Hotmail Account from a Phone (Android/iPhone)

Users who want to delete their Hotmail account on a mobile device should note that it is only possible to disconnect the device from the account; permanently closing the account requires accessing the web interface.

On iPhone:

• Open Settings > Mail > Accounts > Select Hotmail > Delete Account
• Or use the Outlook app: Profile > Settings > Select account > Delete Account

On Android:

• Gmail app: Profile > Manage accounts > Select Hotmail > Remove Account
• Outlook app: Profile > Settings > Select account > Delete Account

To completely close your account, access Microsoft’s account closure page through a mobile browser and follow the web deletion steps.

How to Delete an Old Hotmail Account Without a Password

For delete an old account without password access, attempt to recover the account using an alternate email address or registered phone number. Account deletion requires successful identity verification and cannot be completed without access to the account. Microsoft cannot manually delete accounts without proper ownership verification.

Alternatively, note that Microsoft automatically deletes accounts that are inactive for two years. Microsoft may close accounts that remain inactive for an extended period under its inactivity policy. After two complete years of inactivity, Microsoft permanently deletes it and may release the email address.

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available Microsoft documentation. This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft or Outlook. Always verify account actions directly through Microsoft’s official websites.