When will my disused Hotmail.com account close down due to lack of use? An undead unwanted zombie!

grumpyskeptic · 05-13-2024, 04:54 AM

Many years ago I used a Hotmail.com email account, but several years ago I stopped using it due to the huge amount of spam it received.

I recall that originally if you did not use it for a few weeks, it closed down automatically.

What is the policy now?

ntubski · 05-13-2024, 07:21 AM

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...2-df852b63699f

Quote:

Updated: November 6, 2020

Microsoft reserves the right to close all “inactive” Microsoft accounts.

Except as provided below, you must sign in to your Microsoft account at least once in a two-year period to keep your account active. If you don’t sign in during this time, Microsoft will consider your account to be inactive.

They're saying two years at least, but it sounds like an account could be considered "inactive" but not "closed" indefinitely.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/servicesagreement

Quote:

4.a.iv.2 If your Microsoft account is closed (whether by you or us), a few things happen. First, your right to use the Microsoft account to access the Services stops immediately. Second, we’ll delete Data or Your Content associated with your Microsoft account or will otherwise disassociate it from you and your Microsoft account (unless we are required by law to keep it, return it, or transfer it to you or a third party identified by you). You should have a regular backup plan as Microsoft won’t be able to retrieve Your Content or Data once your account is closed. Third, you may lose access to products you’ve acquired.

TB0ne · 05-13-2024, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpyskeptic

Many years ago I used a Hotmail.com email account, but several years ago I stopped using it due to the huge amount of spam it received.

I recall that originally if you did not use it for a few weeks, it closed down automatically.

What is the policy now?

Putting "how to delete a hotmail account" into a search engine would pull up things telling you how to do this; did you attempt that??? From Microsoft:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...9-dcdb1cd8f992
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...2-b1522f7b40b3

Two of many you could have easily found, if you tried to basic research.

dugan · 05-13-2024, 09:02 AM

Anecdotally, my experience has been that Microsoft does not close inactive Hotmail accounts, despite what they say. I’ve been able to log into Hotmail accounts after years of ignoring them.

grumpyskeptic · 05-30-2024, 07:53 AM

It appeared to be still existing when I pinged it using this website

https://tools.emailhippo.com/ "Free email address verification tool".

I have forgotten the password, the back-up email address closed down years ago.

P.S. Be assured that I only ask here after having already spent several minutes trying to find the answer online.

Thanks

sundialsvcs · Yesterday, 09:41 AM

I recommend that you try to find a way to “close” the account explicitly.

leclerc78 · Yesterday, 07:40 PM

I have known two cases of unused email account that was used by hackers to scam other people.